#YouMatter

This week’s very special episode is devoted to all things SHINE! Our biggest event of the year is just a few weeks away, and to celebrate Jessica is sitting down with our amazing emcee, Jamie Ivey, to talk about why she’s such a die-hard Shine fan, and to give some special sneak peeks of what’s to come at conference! Then, you’ll hear from three members of our Ambassador community as they share why Shine is a must-attend event. Take a listen!

This week we’re continuing our celebration of National Adoption Month with a conversation with Suzanne Campbell. Suzanne is an adoptive mama who won a trip to Austin as part of our collaboration with IF:Gathering earlier this year. Listen in as Suzanne and Jessica reconnect to talk about how Noonday played a role in Suzanne’s adoption journey, and how adoption tends starts a ripple effect that wakes us up to areas of need across the globe and in our own communities. After you listen, head to the Ambassador Facebook group and tell us what you took away from this week’s episode using #YouMatter. This week, we also want to hear your favorite Adoption Trunk Show stories! So don’t forget to join the conversation on Facebook and tell us how your business has enabled you to support adoptive families.

Join Jessica as she catches up with two amazing adoption advocates in honor of National Adoption Month and World Adoption Day (Nov 9)! First, Meredith Toering of the Morningstar Project in Beijing, China talks about the tensions involved in adoption, and about some of her favorite adoption stories. Then, Shay Potter, the winner of our $15,000 World Adoption Day giveaway in 2015, shares what Noonday’s support has meant to her adoption, as well as some tips for adopting families. After you listen, head over to the Ambassador Facebook group and use #YouMatter to share what you took away from this week’s episode.

We have reached 50 episodes! Thank you to all of you who have listened, shared with your Ambassador sisters, and joined us for discussion in the Ambassador Facebook group. We hope you have been inspired to get out there and keep changing the world! In this week’s episode, Jessica is talking with Latasha Morrison, the founder of Be the Bridge, an organization that seeks to bring about racial reconciliation through challenging and honest conversations. In January, Tasha spoke at Shine and challenged all of us to use our Noonday businesses to be connectors in our communities between people whose lives might look very different from our own. Join us as we revisit her challenge to all of us, and hear how some Ambassadors have incorporated bridge-building into their lives and businesses. As usual, head to the Ambassador Facebook group after listening and use #YouMatter to tell us your thoughts!

At our recent Coaching Leadership Summit in Denver, life coach and podcast favorite Sarah Sherwood shared about the concept of empathy and how we can cultivate true empathy in our relationships. Whether you think you’ve got empathy down pat or need some help developing it, we guarantee this week’s episode will give you some new insights into how you can apply this important concept in both your life and your business. After you listen, head over to the Ambassador Facebook page where we’re starting a conversation about this jam-packed episode.

October is Fair Trade Month, and to celebrate, we’re bringing in everyone’s favorite Leader of Artisan Development, Karen Gibbs, to share about why fair trade matters and how we practice the principles of fair trade at Noonday. You’ll also listen in as Jessica sits down with Animo, the man who runs the Artisan Business that creates our upcycled artillery beads by hand. After the episode, head to the Ambassador Facebook group and use #YouMatter to tell us what you took away from this week’s episode! And, be sure to check out our recent #NoondayStyle in the Making video on the blog to see how our artillery beads come to life.

This week’s episode comes to you from our recent Ambassador Trip to Uganda! You’ll hear from Mama Sham, one of our original Ugandan Artisan Partners, as she shares her story of becoming paralyzed and how Noonday was able to provide the funds she needed to receive life-saving surgery. You’ll also get to listen in on a conversation between Jessica and Jalia as they chat about everything from beauty to entrepreneurship to dreams for the future. Finally, you’ll be inspired as Ambassadors from the trip share about what the experience has meant for them—and how you can get there next year! After you listen, be sure to head to the Ambassador Facebook page to tell us how this episode inspired you to set goals, dream bigger, or overcome an obstacle in your business! Just use #YouMatter to join the conversation.

On today’s episode Jessica talks with Michelle McKinney After being an Executive Assistant at Starbucks Michelle started Dreams Unleashed. Michelle is a goal setting and achieving pro and in this episode, Michelle shares about her story and her heart for seeing women achieve their dreams. She will also give us some practical how-to’s on attaining our goals. You will want to be sure to tune in for this encouraging and empowering episode!

This week, Jessica sits down with Samuel, an Artisan Entrepreneur who works with one of our Partner Businesses in India. You’ll hear Samuel’s story of starting his own business and hitting the pavement every day to make it a success. You’ll also hear about the Indian Artisans who you are impacting with your business! After you listen, be sure to head to the Ambassador Facebook page and use #YouMatter to share what you took away from this week’s episode!

In this episode, Jessica sits down with two of our dedicated Artisan Business Partners: Anurag from India and David from Vietnam. These two men had very different paths towards the fair trade world, but today both of them are creating opportunity for vulnerable people in the communities where they work. Listen in as they share more about their work and how your work as Ambassadors is empowering them to build a flourishing world! After you listen, be sure to head to the Ambassador Facebook page and use #YouMatter to share what you took away from this week’s episode!

This week on the podcast, Jessica catches up with her friend Sarah Sherwood, a professional life coach who was on the podcast a few episodes ago talking with us about shame resilience. In today’s episode, Jessica and Sarah talk about energy management and how to make the most of the energy we have, as well as the power of the stories we tell ourselves. Sarah has a lot of great tips and wisdom to share—so, get ready to be reenergized and empowered to go and own your worth! After you listen, be sure to head to the Ambassador Facebook page and use #YouMatter to share what you took away from this week’s episode!

Earlier this month, we had the honor of hosting Roopa, one of our amazing Artisan Entrepreneurs from India, in the Noonday Home Office. I sat down to chat with Roopa and hear her story of working in fair trade for over 30 years. In this conversation, you’ll learn more about the incredible Dhokra process used to make one of our favorite new styles for fall—plus hear Roopa’s thoughts on how we can overcome fear to live lives of risk and impact! Remember to head to the Ambassador Facebook page after you listen to share your takeaways from this week’s episode. We can’t wait to hear what inspired, challenged, or surprised you!

In this episode, Jessica sits down with speaker and author Susan Seay to talk about finding balance in your work, life, and relationships. They discuss the freedom of finding your “good enough” line, the importance of defining your core values, and the dynamics of managing your home life, relationships, and business. Whether you’re struggling to balance your Noonday business with your responsibilities as a wife and mother or trying to balance your full-time gig with your Trunk Show schedule, this episode is for you. Be sure to listen to the end of the episode for Jessica’s homework assignment for you this week, then head to the Ambassador Facebook page to share your insights!

This week, you’ll hear from Andrew and Anne, two passionate Artisan Entrepreneurs who lead one of our Partner Businesses in Kenya. This talented couple has a heart for creating opportunity in one of the poorest places in the world: the Kibera Slums of Nairobi. Tune in to hear how they got started in this important work, what keeps them motivated, and how you can join them in making an impact for Artisans from the slums! After you listen, be sure to head to the Ambassador Facebook page and use #YouMatter to tell us what you took away from this week’s episode!

Ready to get inspired for our Haiti Impact Giveback in June? Join Jessica as she records stories from our very first Haiti Ambassador Trip! You’ll hear from Ambassadors with a wide variety of perspectives, start dates, and experiences as they share their thoughts on travelling to Haiti—and how you can get there, too. You’ll also hear from Chandler, the leader of our Artisan Partner Business in Haiti, and Michel-Ange a talented entrepreneur who started out as an Artisan for the business and is now launching her own business to empower women in her home village! Did this episode inspire you to dream big for a trip? Motivate you to book those June Trunk Shows? Or even help you recognize where comparison or shame is getting you down? We want to hear it! Head to the Ambassador Facebook page to share your takeaways using #YouMatter.

If you haven’t checked out episode 37, Jessica’s interview with Sarah Sherwood, be sure to listen to that conversation for some helpful context for this week’s episode. In episode 38, Jessica connects with Ambassadors Kacey West, Liz Lindow, Jill Edwards, and Raeann Patton to hear about their own experiences of confronting shame and changing the negative stories they were telling themselves. We hope these brave women will inspire you to identify the causes of shame in your own life and tell yourself a better story that will empower you to flourish in your personal life and your Noonday business! After you listen, be sure to head to the Ambassador Facebook page and use #YouMatter to tell us what you took away from today’s episode.

If there is anything that slows us down on our journey to make a difference in the world, it’s shame. Shame is something many women struggle with, and it can be crippling. But on this week’s episode, Jessica is sitting down with her friend and life coach Sarah Sherwood to talk about how we can develop shame resiliency — the ability to take the shameful story we tell ourselves and exchange it for one that empowers us to thrive. Be sure to head over to the Ambassador Facebook page after listening to tell us your story using #YouMatter!

In this episode, you’ll listen in as Jessica talks with Wideleine, an Artisan in Haiti who over 10 years ago made the painful decision to place her daughter for adoption because she was living in poverty. Today, because of dignified work, Wideleine’s life looks very different. You’ll also hear a special message from Ginny, the woman who adopted Wideleine’s daughter over a decade ago. After you listen, be sure to head to the Ambassador Facebook page and use #YouMatter to share what you take away from this powerful episode. Then head to Flourish for a blog about Wideleine featuring stories and photos you can share with your customers.

Before Shine, Jessica sat down with Cherry (Ethiopia) and Jalia (Uganda) to learn more about their personal journeys towards owning their identities as women business owners - and how that ownership has empowered them to help other women own their worth. In this conversation, you’ll hear some powerful stories about the Artisans who make our collection - from a mother of two children with special needs in Ethiopia to a woman who learned she had the courage to escape an abusive marriage in Uganda. Learn more about Cherry and Jalia’s stories by searching their names on Flourish, the Noonday Collection blog.

Rosario, the leader of one of Noonday’s Artisan Partner Businesses in Guatemala, recently traveled to Austin to speak at IF: Gathering and spend some time in the Noonday Home Office. In this episode, you’ll hear Rosario’s inspiring presentation from IF as well as a special conversation with Jessica where she shares about her journey to becoming a female entrepreneur. After you listen, be sure to check out Flourish for a blog about Rosario featuring some beautiful photography that you can share with your customers. And as always, head to the Ambassador Facebook page and use #YouMatter to tell us what you took away from this episode!