Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Woods.
Erin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I became a teacher because I wanted to make an impact on the world- influence young minds to be creative thinkers and brave storytellers. I taught high school English & Theatre for over a decade and felt like I was walking out my calling in every possible way.
But every season has shifts and every story has the next chapter.
When my husband, Justin, and I had our 2nd child, we decided to make a change- I would leave my teaching career to take on an even bigger (and arguably more impactful role) of stay at home mama to our toddler and newborn sons. I walked out of a career I loved dearly into a new life- a home life, a slower life, a sweet life- but a life that still left me craving contribution in a bigger way.
Enter Trades of Hope. In March of 2013, I was scrolling social and came across a picture of a pair of earrings that I LOVED and a tag line that read “Trades of Hope: empowering women out of poverty”. Curious how the earrings & the mission were connected, I reached out to the friend who had posted the graphic.
Turns out, there was a little company right around the corner from me, in sleepy Palm Coast, founded by 2 moms and their teenage daughters to create jobs for women around the globe through the creation of Fair Trade accessories. My mind was a little blown- I loved the concept of job creation as a means of making lasting impact and I also love fashion…so it was a no-brainer to become a Partner and begin my own business with Trades of Hope.
In 2014, as a relatively new Partner, I had the opportunity to travel to Haiti with Trades of Hope to visit our artisan groups there and experience firsthand the impact my business was having on their lives. I met a young mother who just days before had been walking the streets of Port au Prince, knocking on gates, trying to hand her baby girl over to someone who could care for her. Genia was desperate and like so many young mothers and fathers in Haiti, was losing her child to poverty. A country with 90% unemployment has a lot of desperate parents. But Genia was one of the lucky ones and was offered a job rolling cereal box bead jewelry. I witnessed her first day of work and held her baby girl, Christnale, and in that moment, I was determined and knitted to the story of this family. I went home and jumped in to my business and never looked back. Over seven years later, Genia still goes to work, Christnale is a happy, thriving, educated little girl and my business helps support their lives. We are connected.
And Genia & Christnale are one family, in one country- and Trades of Hope partners in 19 different countries now with thousands of stories of despair turned to HOPE and of lives being changed because of jobs.
This is why I love what I do so much and wake up every day excited to be a creative thinker and brave storyteller.
Now my kids are 9 years old and 11 years old- and just like they have grown tremendously over the years, so has my business. With dedication, discipline and “doing small things with great love” each day, I now lead a National organization within Trades of Hope of about 1500 women. It’s an honor to be on this mission with every single one of them and in turn, link arms with women around the globe.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The hardest things have been the best things! My struggles are all internal growth challenges-
– As an introvert, I struggle with walking into parties or new situations with strangers and making small talk- but this is my job! I had to tackle those challenges every single time and literally force myself to learn how to connect, listen and even enjoy meeting new people and serving customers.
– I had to build up some tough skin! Rejection is real- for as many people who love what we are doing at Trades of Hope, there are plenty who aren’t interested. And that can get to you if you let it! I had to become resilient and strong and really believe that what I’m offering, as long as it’s genuine and authentic, isn’t what’s actually being rejected. It’s like offering someone a slice of delicious cake and they turn it down- doesn’t change the fact that the cake is delicious.
– 2020 presented a potentially massive struggle for a mostly in-person event business- but with scrappy determination and major pivots, we moved our businesses online, changed the way we released products (to keep the artisans afloat as well) and thrived through the pandemic.
– Learning to work with ALL kinds of people has been an incredibly wonderful and challenging aspect of this work as well- people are so interesting and they never let me down in terms doing exactly the opposite of what I might expect. So in that, I have genuinely learned to release expectations and pre-judgment of people and just SEE- see what people bring to the story, see how and why people tick and are passionate and see how it all unfolds! It’s been such a journey and the personal growth aspect is the most dynamic aspect.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Apps:
Lightroom
Asana
Audible
Books:
current fave is Dream Big by Bob Goff
Past faves Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Josh Medcalf (and basically all of his books)
anything by John Maxwell
Everything is Figureoutable by Maria Forleo
Podcasts
Make Chic Happen
How I Built This
The Life Coach School with Brook Castillo
Contact Info:
- Email: erinlwoods@gmail.com
- Website: www.tradesofhope.com/erinwoods
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinlwoods/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinlwoods/
