#68 Akola: Empowering women through jewelry-making
Retail Gets Real · with Brittany Underwood · July 23, 2018 · 20 min
Summary
This episode explores Akola, a nonprofit jewelry brand that empowers women in Uganda through ethical handicraft production and global retail. Brittany Underwood shares her journey from college student to founder, detailing how Akola creates economic opportunity and transforms communities. For ecommerce operators, this is a masterclass in building a mission-driven brand, ethical sourcing, and leveraging storytelling to drive impact and growth.
Key takeaways
Akola's model proves that a strong social mission can be a powerful differentiator and growth engine, attracting conscious consumers and fostering community transformation.
Ethical sourcing and direct engagement with artisans can create sustainable supply chains that benefit both producers and the brand.
Storytelling is crucial for mission-driven brands; effectively communicating the impact and origin of products resonates deeply with customers.
Building economic opportunity through job creation in vulnerable communities can lead to broader societal benefits beyond just income.
Akola's global retail strategy demonstrates how a nonprofit can scale its impact by treating its products as a leading brand.
Brittany Underwood’s first visit to Uganda as a college student completely changed the course of her life. “I had never witnessed extreme poverty,” she says, and she just wanted to help. Fifteen years later, her nonprofit Akola Project helps hundreds of women through the creation, distribution and sale of handmade jewelry. In this episode, Underwood describes how Akola is on its way to achieving its mission of becoming the leading global retail brand that creates economic opportunity and transforms communities by empowering at-risk women. Learn more at www.nrf.com/RetailGetsReal
Akola's model proves that a strong social mission can be a powerful differentiator and growth engine, attracting conscious consumers and fostering community transformation.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Ethical sourcing and direct engagement with artisans can create sustainable supply chains that benefit both producers and the brand.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Storytelling is crucial for mission-driven brands; effectively communicating the impact and origin of products resonates deeply with customers.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Building economic opportunity through job creation in vulnerable communities can lead to broader societal benefits beyond just income.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Akola's global retail strategy demonstrates how a nonprofit can scale its impact by treating its products as a leading brand.
