HOW THE NOONDAY COMMUNITY HELPS BUILD A FLOURISHING WORLD

We celebrated my daughter’s sixth birthday this weekend. It’s been a hard year, and I was thrilled to see the end of virtual kindergarten and thankful her second pandemic birthday included a family trip to Disneyland. Every year around her birthday I think about the experience of her birth and the people who were there with us. Both of my pregnancies were difficult and culminated in complicated births. I was in labor in the hospital for two and a half days with my daughter, and there were a few medical interventions to keep us both safe.

At the time of her birth, there were three nurses, a midwife, a doctor, a handful of interns, my husband, mom, and sister in the room. The whole experience was very dramatic (this should’ve been my first clue what life with this magical creature would be like), but everyone in that room had a purpose. Everyone from Mary, the Irish midwife, to the interns assigned the task of fanning me shared the same goal: the health and safety of my daughter and me. Each person brought their wisdom and expertise, and I am eternally grateful to every single one of them.

Being part of a company on a mission to create a flourishing world is like the experience of birth, though, in my opinion, it is decidedly more fun.

I won’t assign a labor room job to every part of the Noonday Collection community, but I want to be very clear: the Artisan Business Partners are the mothers in this scenario. They are not here because of us; we are here because of them. They are entrepreneurs and leaders in their communities. They carry the weight of the needs around them after everyone else has gone to sleep. In a less complicated world, these entrepreneurs could sustain themselves and their families without our partnership. But poverty is created by systems of injustice, and that cannot be overcome without a lot of people working together. This is where we, the Noonday Collection community, come in.

As an Ambassador, I have the fun job of wearing the beautiful pieces the Artisans create and telling people about them. I consider it an honor and privilege to share the stories of the Artisans behind my jewelry. To be honest, if the commission weren’t a thing, and if I were only paid in Noonday Collection accessories, I’d still proudly be an Ambassador. But Disneyland is expensive, so I gladly accept that paycheck every week.

Of course, my reach is limited, but it expands every time friends join me as Hostesses! Hostesses open their homes (or online space) and introduce us to their friends. An afternoon of hanging out with friends and shopping together earns them rewards (i.e., free Noonday!) and broadens the Noonday community. If you’ve purchased something at a Trunk Show, you’ve probably heard the Ambassador tell you that your purchase makes an impact. We don’t just say that–we mean it! Every single purchase sustains opportunities for the Artisan Business Partners to offer their communities and gives Noonday the ability to work with more Artisans around the world.

All of this happens because of the planning and vision of our amazing Home Office Team. The Home Office Team is made of people whose faces you’ve seen, like Founder and Co-CEO Jessica Honegger, and so many people you haven’t. Co-CEO Travis Wilson works to make sure we meet and exceed the standards of the Fair Trade Federation and our Benefit Corporation status. They both work closely with the Artisan Business Partners, which is one of the reasons those partnerships are long-lasting.

The Design Team is responsible for collaborating with the Artisan Business Partners to create stunning collections from locally sourced materials using traditional techniques. The Product Team is in constant communication with our Artisan Business Partners to make sure collections arrive on time for customers to enjoy them. Most Ambassadors don’t have much sales experience, but thanks to the Sales Team we are well-coached, trained, and encouraged. Finally, your orders are beautifully packaged and arrive quickly thanks to the incredible team in the warehouse.

On the night of my daughter’s birth, there were people in the waiting room, people who brought food to my family, and people who kept everyone else informed about what was happening so that I didn’t have to do that too. If you’re not a jewelry person but connect to the vision of a flourishing world, you can be part of this community by shopping Noonday styles, hosting a Trunk Show, or joining me as an Ambassador. Each person who brings their experience, passion, and skills to this community is needed and appreciated. However you fit into the vision for a flourishing world, we’re so glad you’re here!