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Things learned An entrepreneur’s

journey in Fair Trade

Carina Bekkers THE FAIR TRADE WAY

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This book is written and published by Carina Bekkers of

© 2018 The Fair Trade Way

PO Box 7200

Toowoon Bay NSW 2261

Australia

A list of references is in the back of the book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored or transmitted in any format without the

prior permission of The Fair Trade Way.

Information given in this book is not meant as a replacement

for business or personal advice relevant to the reader’s

circumstance. This book is a consolidation of experiences

and lessons learned during an entrepreneurial journey so

far.

www.thefairtradeway.com.au

carina@thefairtradeway.com.au

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Many great people crossed my path and there are many

more great people I will meet some day. People are the

forces that create experiences in life and at this moment in

my life they brought about a book.

I wrote the draft format in one week, as if flood gates

opened, filling a void.

I dedicate this book to Irene whose approach to life and

what was to come showed me something very special.

Carina Bekkers

Blue Bay

15 February 2018

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Contents Opportunity .................................................................. 5

What is Fair Trade ......................................................... 7

In context ................................................................... 9

How does it work .......................................................... 12

Some background .................................................... 12

Australia ................................................................... 15

Certification ................................................................. 17

Ethical and Fair ......................................................... 19

The Voice of Fair Trade ................................................ 22

Who speaks for Fair Trade ........................................ 24

Fair Trade as a business ............................................... 28

Fair Trade on the market .............................................. 32

Why does business want Fair Trade certification? ..... 34

What is the market like in Australia? ......................... 36

Which Fair Trade products sell? ................................ 37

How to sell ................................................................... 42

Mainstream versus Fair Trade ................................... 44

Bricks and Mortar versus Mobile ............................... 46

What you need ............................................................. 50

The principle of cash ................................................ 52

The principle of investing ......................................... 55

Who you need .............................................................. 58

Connections ............................................................. 59

Returns ..................................................................... 61

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Structure ................................................................... 63

Your Box ...................................................................... 65

A personal story ....................................................... 66

A product story ......................................................... 68

Planning the story ..................................................... 70

Make it look good ........................................................ 72

How to be seen and heard ........................................ 74

What to say ............................................................... 76

The money story ....................................................... 77

Reaping what you put into it ......................................... 80

Grit .............................................................................. 84

References ................................................................... 89

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INSPIRATION

Opportunity Inspiration comes at the weirdest moments.

I spoke at a local business network once and mentioned

how my parents drilled me not to use my local dialect.

This was the era of ‘Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands’, the

generally accepted proper way of speaking Dutch, and

taught as such at school. Even now, I left in 1985, I find it

strange hearing a soft ‘g’ in the media. For a long time, I

thought about my dialect as a quant cultural quality, not

something suitable to achieve credibility with in a

professional career.

Did this didactic approach get me further than my

contemporaries? It is difficult to infer a direct link, but I

did go on to tertiary education as the only girl in my class.

And, as far as I know, nobody else emigrated. It may have

also tuned my ear to foreign languages as I was in effect

brought up bi-lingual.

I was a young woman with freedom of choice in study,

work and lifestyle. I know now that this was fought for,

facilitated, made possible for me. There are many active

forces behind a scene, but it is not necessary to be aware

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of them all. You just need to be aware of opportunities

available to you and, most importantly, to use them.

This is where I can say I have gone far.

I wrote the first draft of this book in one week. The story of

my own fair and ethical business journey to date. In it I

share my insights, lessons learned and my opinions,

giving you a little peek behind the scenes.

It takes courage to stand for things and that is what you do

in Fair Trade.

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THE OBVIOUS QUESTION

What is Fair Trade Thursday morning, I write this sitting at my beautiful

wooden table. The table is always a drawcard in my shops

but a monster to move, so heavy. I am downstairs in my

study, cum storage, cum packing room, nursing a sore

arm from the recent bump-out, and husky voice from

laryngitis.

What I do is not glamourous. It is down to earth work with

a big dose of reality. Fair Trade is not a fairy-tale

environment, initiatives do not always have happy

endings and it is not heroic to sacrifice yourself.

What makes this type of trade ‘Fair’?

Fair for me is that everyone in the chain earns a

sustainable livelihood in an ethical way.

Within this, I believe that competition for customers is fair,

as are negotiations, innovative approaches and being

realistic about setbacks.

There is no difference between a multi-national giant and

my business, we both buy and sell to make money.

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When you ask someone in rural Africa where to find a local

Fair Trade group do not expect them to direct you to one.

Fair Trade is a Western concept. The term reflects a

standard applied to products for our use and

consumption.

The 10 principles of Fair Trade are a no-brainer for us,

they are standard practice in developed countries. We

have rights and recourse if we believe something is not as

it should be. In most countries where we source Fair

Trade products from, there are few such rights, and even

none for some people. There, rights may depend on

gender, tribe, tradition, religion, money or the people

you know.

I always remember my father having a key in his hand on

zebra crossings. This had nothing to do with safety, it was

to scratch a car should it not stop.

On my recent trip to Bali I was amazed how the apparent

chaotic traffic flowed with nobody becoming annoyed. Is

this knowing that you cannot do anything about it, so you

just let it be?

My father knew the rules that cars must stop for zebra

crossings. He was prepared to act should they do not,

feeling the right to do so.

Countries differ, rules differ, but the concept of people

working to make a living is the same everywhere. Fair

Trade is a way of working together, it is not a law. Some

may argue this is a Western way of doing things imposed

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on another people. Yes, to a degree that is true but the

main reason why the Fair Trade movement exists, is to

hold the consumer responsible, not the people in

countries where the products are made. We are the

beneficiaries of these products and would not stand for

substandard practices in our own country.

Elsewhere, substandard practices are real, but in our own

country we are sanitised to many things today. Not

everything is within our sphere, so there is a place for

advocates to create awareness. The Fair Trade movement

is the voice exposing such standards in the mass markets

created by today’s consumerism.

In context Friday now. My washing turns in the machine. Everyone

washes clothes. Prior to the installation of my solar net

meter I washed in the evening, now I wait for a sunny day.

While in Tanzania I do not wash clothes, someone else in

the house does this for me. I did try it myself once by hand

as I am very good at it as my mother always told me.

That is here though, not there. Not understanding the

difference in dirt, water quality, potency of washing

powder and washing techniques, the washed clothes

looked clean but felt stiff and retained a dirty water smell.

It also took me forever.

My point is that work may seem the same, within context

it is not. Production depends on the resources available

and in Western countries we have a plethora of choices.

The people we partner with in Fair Trade also have

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choices, but they differ from ours. I have the choice to use

a washing machine or wash by hand and select soap

powder just right for the material and method. They only

have the option to wash by hand with whatever soap they

can afford to buy. I have few excuses not to be on time at

work and can quickly let people know if I am delayed.

They catch the one bus in the morning and waiting at the

bus stop do not know if it is just delayed or not running,

and they have no means letting others know.

Understanding context and options are some of the core

aspects of doing business in Fair Trade.

In most developing countries there are only two safety

nets: family and earning an income. If you do not have

either, survival is hard. My safety net when I travelled the

world was always my Dutch haven, a Western country with

excellent social services. Yes, a luxury, but also a gift, an

opportunity.

Each Fair Trader pioneers as they tackle a mass market

dominated by consumerism, driven by this year’s Pantene

colours, shoulder width and skirt height, ‘it’ materials and

trending messages. Our work as Fair Traders is to add the

human dimension.

What to say when someone asks, “why are you in Fair

Trade?”. Most use the word passionate but that does not

fully explain my reason. To me, that word makes it sound

like a calling and takes away the business flavour of what

I do. I say I am interested in creating a people to people,

cultural bridge by trading products and experiences; I

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work to create level playing fields in the market place for

small businesses, here and abroad.

And I always make it clear that I do this in both directions

as few of the people I work with abroad have a true picture

of what life is like where I live.

Ask yourself:

Am I wearing rose-coloured glasses?

Fair is not everybody getting the same thing. It is

everybody getting what they need to be successful – What

is fair to you?

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FOLLOWING ON FROM THIS

How does it work A little while ago I was involved in a great initiative, The

Fair Trade Emporium. A collaboration between the NSW

Fair Trade Network Group and Addison Road Community

Centre. It was truly spectacular, a founding group of 10

traders with energy and drive to be envious of. My three-

hour round trips were worth it, and I enjoyed the days

spent in the shop. Today, it is run by three traders and

open Friday to Sunday.

The Network also ran a successful Pop Up in Paddington

and many of us were part of the Fair Trade Zone of the

AGHA Gift fairs in Melbourne and Sydney. Now the zone

no longer exists, and few are still participating as full

exhibitors.

Some background Did you know I am Dutch? I have a claim to fame as The

Netherlands is a major player in Fair Trade and the World

Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) is based there. A time

line…

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Fair Trade just passed its 60th anniversary and recently

underwent major changes to move away from product-

features in its certification as this made application

limited. The system now allows for Fair Trade compliance

to be verified of any type of trading organisation (like my

business in Australia).

From its initial focus on development, Fair Trade today is

more a guarantee against exploitation. While initially the

marginalised communities were the main beneficiaries,

now the movement is more driven by the demand of the

consumer. The market, ethical standards and certification

are replacing partnerships, awareness-raising and one-

on-one contact.

“Soon after their birth, the labelling initiatives

began to roll on their own without accountability to

the larger Fair Trade movement and started

clashing with FTOs and small producer

organisations; they were driven by economic

growth and the demands of the markets rather than

by the political and ideological vision and values of

Fair Trade.” – Rudi Dalvai, President WFTO – 2012

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This realisation meant a new journey for Fair Trade in

2012; To find a solution to join ‘traditional’ Fair Trade, one

of partnership and development, and ‘new’ Fair Trade,

one of certification and labelling.

Like the WFTO, Fair Trade businesses are also struggling

to find a balance between the traditional and the new.

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One development is the diversification in business

structures which are now more tailored to the needs and

vision of the Fair Trader. Another one is the growth of

niche areas within the sector.

Australia In Australia, licensing of the Fairtrade Mark is managed

by Fairtrade Australia & New Zealand (FANZ), a not-for-

profit company. They independently certify the trade

chain of products, raise public awareness of Fairtrade,

and work with government and non-profit organisations to

improve lives of farmers and workers across the Pacific.

Most regions in the world have certifying authorities, but

not all of them use the WFTO Fairtrade Mark.

The Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand

(FTAANZ) is also not-for profit, but a member-driven

organisation. They engage with and support local Fair

Trade network groups and Fair Trade Communities. They

promote the Fairtrade Mark and issue the Fair Trader of

Australia endorsement to businesses like me that meet

international Fair Trade standards.

These two used to be one organisation and the path of Fair

Trade in Australia followed the same trend as worldwide,

separating partnership and certification, development

and labelling. FTAANZ received funding from FANZ to

support its work in the community and to develop

sustainable income streams for this activity. The latter did

not eventuate unfortunately and when funding stopped in

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2016, members stepped in to stop the Association from

folding.

This is history in the making and, as with all change, it

creates opportunities, identifies gaps and enables

innovation. At a recent AGM, two start-up Fair Trade

businesses commented on the limited information and

support available to them. Networks are great for this, but

they are all volunteer-based so resources are limited. As

The Fair Trade Way, I collaborate with like-minded

people in fair and ethical businesses, start-ups and

existing, to achieve a sustainable outcome for everyone

involved. This includes sharing information, access to

resources, swapping expertise and skills. I identified a

gap, developed a new approach and seized this

opportunity.

Ask yourself:

Am I prepared to stay up to date?

Fair Trade is here to stay and it evolves to meet changing

market conditions – How about You?

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THE COMMERCIAL SIDE

Certification Labels say plenty. They encompass the story and the

image behind the product; The image you want to relate

to and show off to others.

Big brands spend big on labels. Sometimes label

production costs are higher than the local production cost

of the item it is attached to. Ever think about what happens

with the labels? Fancy ones you may leave on, like on

bags, but what about the ones prickling your neck? All

this plastic and metal is waste. I digress….

“Fairtrade advocates for decent working conditions,

fair prices for farmers, sustainable practices,

environmental protection and the empowerment of

farmers and workers in developing countries.

As Fairtrade requires businesses to pay a fair price

to farmers for their crop (acting as a safety net

ensuring that farmers never receive less than the

cost it took to produce their crop in a sustainable

manner), Fairtrade is levelling the playing field for

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farmers to ensure they can improve their livelihoods

and strengthen their businesses.” 3

You have seen the Fairtrade Mark on tea and coffee in the

shops? Do you know what it means? It represents a farmer

in a field as this is where the Fairtrade movement started,

with agriculture.

FANZ controls the logo in this part of the world and

ensures the product strictly adheres to standards as set by

Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International. The

license fee4 depends on net Fairtrade sales and you pay

an annual fee for the audit.

It is illegal to use the Fairtrade Mark without permission.

It is also not allowed to use fairtrade when you write about

your products or your business if you do not have

Fairtrade certification.

When you say Fair Trade though, it sounds the same. This

is confusing for customers who then expect to see the

Fairtrade Mark on your product. It is also exciting

however when they ask about this as it shows they pay

attention and are interested.

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Best be ready with an explanation on the difference

between the ‘one-word’ Fairtrade and the ‘two-words’

Fair Trade.

Ethical and Fair To confuse the customer even more, ‘ethical’ is now also a

popular word and often used by big business like The

Body Shop, BBC Worldwide and Pacific Brands. Oxfam

also uses it.

“In keeping with its commitment to Fair and Ethical

trade Oxfam works with producers outside of, and

beyond, certification to: build capacity of

producers; improve market readiness; create

opportunities; assist in product development;

supporting them in their own health, education and

community programs. Whilst not all our producer

partners will progress to, or be able to afford,

certification our work with them also prepares our

partners for certification.” 5

A long-worded description but this is also exactly what I

do. I work with artisans and artists outside the Fairtrade

certification framework but within the 10 principles of Fair

Trade. I am an endorsed Fair Trader of Australia, as well

as a fair and ethical trader.

I am well-versed on Fair Trade but still get questions from

left-field for which I have no pre-fab answers. Customers

today are more educated about the world, albeit through

big business mass-media marketing about their ethical

side. Yes, this creates awareness but a confused one.

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This is a great visual of the 10 principles of Fair Trade. I

translate these principles for customers using my own

experience and knowledge, as well as that of my fellow

traders. 6

Fair Trade is ethical trade, but ethical trade is not

necessarily Fair Trade. It is however rewarding that due

to the purchasing power of the more conscientious

consumer, big business now views Fair Trade as a viable

threat.

Ask yourself:

Am I ready to be questioned on what I stand for?

Certified Fair Trade has measurable standards, ethical

trade does not – What are your standards?

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THE ADVOCACY SIDE

The Voice of Fair Trade In Fair Trade, ‘Fair’ is about overcoming inequality and

injustice in an activity that sustains a community (trade in

this case). It is about exposing practices in developing

countries that are made possible by developed countries

pursuing a benefit.

Health and Safety, minimum wage, right to unionise,

restrictions on work-age, are enshrined in our laws, but

they are less regulated elsewhere and taken advantage of

to achieve maximum production for minimum cost.

Something known, cannot be unknown. Once unfair

practices are ‘exposed’ reputations are at stake as

consumers respond. The Bangladesh factory collapse in

2013 is a chilling example.

The collapse of the Rana Plaza building is, to date,

the deadliest disaster in the history of the garment

industry worldwide.

Some 3,639 workers toiled in five factories housed

in the Rana Plaza building producing clothing for

some ## U.S., Canadian and European clothing

labels and retailers. Eighty percent of the workers

were young women, 18, 19, 20 years of age. Their

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standard shift was 13 to 14 ½ hours, from 8:00 a.m.

to 9:00 or 10:30 p.m., toiling 90 to 100 hours a week

with just two days off a month. Young “helpers”

earned 12 cents an hour, while “junior operators”

took home 22 cents an hour, $10.56 a week, and

senior sewers received 24 cents an hour and $12.48

a week.

On Wednesday morning, April 24, 2013 at 8:00 a.m.,

3,639 workers refused to enter the eight-story Rana

Plaza factory building because there were large and

dangerous cracks in the factory walls. The owner,

Sohel Rana, brought paid gang members to beat the

women and men workers, hitting them with sticks to

force them to go into the factory.

Managers of the five factories housed in Rana Plaza

also told the frightened workers, telling them that if

they did not return to work, there would be no

money to pay them for the month of April, which

meant that there would be no food for them and their

children. They were forced to go in to work at 8:00

a.m.

At 8:45 a.m. the electricity went out and the

factories’ five generators kicked on. Almost

immediately the workers felt the eight-story

building begin to move, and heard a loud explosion

as the building collapsed, pancaking downward.

1,137 confirmed dead at Rana Plaza. A year later,

over 200 remain missing. 7

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Many international brands had links to factories in the

Rana Plaza building and some face legal cases in their own

country (US, Canada). Some have not yet paid into a Trust

Fund to compensate survivors and affected families fairly.

This is a list:

https://cleanclothes.org/safety/ranaplaza/who-needs-to-

pay-up

I cover this event in full as it was a pivotal moment in

global awareness about Fair Trade. Several movements

have sprung from this including Fashion Revolution.8

Who speaks for Fair Trade The collapse of the Rana Plaza building was news and as

the saying goes:

“no news is good news”

said to make someone feel less worried when they

have not received information about someone or

something, because if something bad had happened,

they would have been told about it: 9

And that is why there is a place for advocacy in our world.

Yes, there are plenty of good causes, some receive

massive support, some miniscule and some make their

own way. Some are flavour of the day and disappear into

nothing soon after. Others remain and evolve; The Fair

Trade movement is one of those.

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The voice for Fair Trade in Australia is the

Fair Trade of Australia and New Zealand

Association, FTAANZ. A non-profit

organisation with a volunteer Board,

currently hugely underfunded and running

on a shoestring basis. I remember my first Association

meeting. It was chaired by Cheryl Kernot, politician,

academic and political activist. Those were heady days!

Initially, the licensing and advocacy organisations

reported together on their activities. This changed in

2012. 10

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The organisational change in structure and accountability

for Fair Trade activities in Australia reflected the global

trend; A separation of the ‘traditional’ Fair Trade

approach of partnership and development, and the ‘new’

approach of certification and labelling.

Today, FANZ is a financially healthy organisation as sales

of Fairtrade certified products have soared. The FTAANZ

unfortunately is not in such a good state of financial health

as their suite of services has not resulted in the ongoing

income stream for it to become a sustainable organisation.

One of the new board members told me recently that

there are few resources to support Fair Trade

communities in renewing their commitment. This directly

affects the Association’s earning potential, but small steps

are being taken to improve support for their support base

which includes Fair Traders.

When I was young I had to stop myself taking over

household chores from my younger sister who loathed

these and mostly complained and cried when doing them.

I also had difficulty letting my own children take their time

learning household chores due to the usual annoying

behaviour that comes with this learning process. I felt

much more skilled at these tasks but knew me doing them

defeated the purpose.

The situation with the Association and the Network is a

little like that. I want to jump in and do things myself but

after my time as Chair of the NSW Network and founding

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member of The Fair Trade Emporium, I know that at this

moment, these are not the right channels to dedicate my

energy to.

I achieve much more for Fair Trade as an independent

force rather than trying to achieve change as one voice in

a large, and due its nature sometimes unyielding, group.

Ask Yourself:

Am I ready to contribute to the Fair Trade movement?

Fair Trade is more than just a mark. The bigger picture is

achieved by people at the frontline – How will you serve?

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BEING A FAIR TRADER

Fair Trade as a business I started writing this early 2017 after my husband’s Bali

trip. I started the first chapter with ‘Was it wasted time?

Then I spent 2 hours surfing for free book layouts. Had

ideas in mind, but saw nothing I liked, so I started with a

blank canvas.

And now it is 2018.

Yes, it has taken some time, but I believe that when doing

things yourself, you create experiences, pick up tips and

insights, go through eye-openers, blunders and lessons.

In 2016, after many years in Fair Trade, my Gallery lease

was due for renewal and I faced a decision: continue and

grow in what I do, which would mean moving to a larger

place, or not.

I was honest and asked myself: What is in all of this for me,

WIIFM. I critically assessed my time, skill, products,

market, support and desire. I knew that if I would not

address where I was weak, it would impact down the track

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and lead to frustration, making all my efforts a waste of

time.

The decision I made was to make it interesting and focus

on activities with the biggest return potential. For me this

meant a return not just in dollars, it also meant a return in

enjoyment and the feeling of achievement.

So, in 2017 I went to Holland, started developing some

downstairs rooms for a B&B, which are still not ready by

the way, ran a 6-month Pop-Up and attended lots of

markets.

One of the benefits of doing something for a long time is

that you start to trust your experience. So, what have I

learned so far ………

I do not know enough

There are better ways to do this

As a Fair Trader I conduct a business which includes

staying on top of every aspect so it runs well. Competition

is sometimes cut-throat, systems change at lightning

speed and the always changing customer needs must be

met.

In truth, these are not the most challenging aspects of

running a Fair Trade business as they occur here where

you have a measure of control. Where you have less

control is with your supplier: if they do not send you

products, there are no sales and no income.

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Most traders in Fair Trade work with small groups

overseas. Usually the arrangement is managed by remote

and you pay up front. This, and the long lead times, is

based on a lot of trust and risk-taking from the Fair Trader

side. Any hiccup in this arrangement and it impacts more

here than on the supplier. A realistic question to ask

yourself is: what is my supplier’s potential to support me

in creating a sustainable business for me?

Many Fair Traders get stuck here, and unfortunately, also

hurt. It is painful not to be able to support people whose

hopes are raised after a visit or with an order. An

explanation is often not completely understood as their

grasp on circumstances here is far less clear than your

understanding of theirs.

Fair Trade would not be what it is today without

volunteers, church groups and large organisations like

Oxfam. The fact remains though that if products do not

sell, there is no impact for the people who make them.

In 2016, an Australian ex-pat introduced me to a group of

women in Uganda who make beautiful wood bead bags.

After establishing direct contact, I negotiated a price point

at which I believed I would be able to sell them with still a

reasonable margin. I asked them to fill out the relevant

paperwork used for verification for my Fair Trader

endorsement. I paid a lumpsum of over 1000USD up front

and everything arrived OK.

I still have one third of that stock. The women regularly

contact me asking for more orders. They say they

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expected more from me as I asked them to complete all

that paperwork. They tell me how difficult life is for them

and offer me other products, but these are already sold

here in Australia. I am careful and honest in my replies,

but it pulls at my heart strings. I know it would make a

huge difference if I place another order. Maybe I will be

able to in the future.

Ask yourself:

Am I ready to take on the financial and emotional risk?

Fair Trade is not for the faint-hearted. No products, no

sales, no income – How will you manage your supplier?

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THE MARKET

Fair Trade on the market Australians and New Zealanders ate almost 45 fully-

laden Boeing 787 planes worth of Fairtrade chocolate

last year and washed it down with 37 Olympic

swimming pools worth of Fairtrade coffee.

Figures released today show that in 2015 Australians

and New Zealanders spent $AU352m on Fairtrade

certified products from a range of more than 3000.

The purchases were made from the 192 licensees and

traders in Australia, and 54 in New Zealand.

Included in the Fairtrade haul purchased by

consumers were sales equivalent to 57 million 200g

blocks of chocolate, 371 million cups of coffee and

more than 182 million tea bags. 11

These revenue figures, do not include the non-Fairtrade

labelled products like the ones I sell however.

Sales data of those products in Australia is based on broad

turnover information that Fair Traders of Australia provide

in their application and at audits. The turnover

information includes both certified and non-certified

products so to extract it requires data manipulation and

this is not currently done.

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With products that fall under a Fairtrade licence, the

premium is calculated as a percentage of net sales.

Licensed products are usually standard and made in bulk,

so records are very precise. This already starts at the

source, with the producers themselves.

Along the chain, if you want to sell the product as is, or

want to use it as an ingredient in something else, the

recording remains accurate, down to the percentage of

content. Because of this guaranteed checking system, the

products can be certified, and sales measured.

Why does business want Fair Trade certification? Mainly, because it sells. It is another differentiating factor

to attract customers. It was only a few years ago that the

major supermarkets finally started selling Fairtrade coffee

and tea. Now they have their own brands.

I also want sales, and I would love to have my own brand.

It is sometimes disheartening when someone with more

resources, jumps the line. This is the cut-throat nature of

retail and wholesale, competition is a given.

Jumping the line displaces smaller businesses, think

about the baker, grocer and butcher for example when a

big supermarket opens nearby. Such events do create

opportunities as well though and new trends in shopping

(read selling) appear. We, Fair Traders must also re-

invent how we do things now that big business is entering

our sector.

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For sustainability and to remain

competitive we require something

that overarches our efforts.

Endorsement as a Fair Trader of

Australia provides this for me as it

gives me credibility.

Handmade products in the Fair Trade sector are not made

in large numbers. Their sales, even with a premium, will

not cover the cost of the recording and checking process

that satisfies Fairtrade certification. For many producers

it is not just the lack of money, it is also their

understanding of the process and their ability to

communicate within the parameters. Some only speak

their native language, some are not literate at all.

Oxfam is far ahead here compared to the smaller Fair

Traders. While originally only trading in Fairtrade

certified products they now include other products that

also satisfy the 10 principles of Fair Trade. Their existing

network is perfectly placed to identify local groups

making such products. Fair Traders like me, do this

without the support of such a network.

The responsibility of checking products against the 10

principles of Fair Trade lies with us. In 2014, when we

were offered the opportunity to be part of the AGHA Fair

Trade Zone, the Fair Trader endorsement was a condition

for participation.

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In 2015 I undertook the time-consuming assessment

process. Considering I imported direct from many

sources, I had to activate quite a few people at the other

end to get the information I needed. The carvers in Dar es

Salaam were a challenge, as were the ladies in Arusha

who make my bead items.

I recently renewed my endorsement under this Program,

but only after long deliberation on WIIFM. With a new

Board and the need for an independent voice to give my

sector credibility, I keep supporting the Association’s

effort but under the proviso that it is to remain of benefit

to my business.

What is the market like in Australia? As I mentioned, in 2014 a tremendous thing happened: the

AGHA launched a Fair Trade Zone at the Melbourne Home

& Giving Trade Fair. Preferential pricing, access to

mainstream retail buyers and huge exposure. A joint

effort of the FTAANZ and AGHA on an idea by one of the

Fair Traders who already successfully traded at the fair.

I participated with some initial success. Exposure was

great, and it gave my business credentials for wholesale

and retail. I participated in several until 2016 when it

became no longer viable for me after stand and package

fees increased, support dwindled, and orders did not

compensate what it cost me to be there. Others already

pulled out before I did, and the Fair Trade Zone is now no

longer. Not that AGHA stopped promoting fair and ethical

trade though. These terms are now part of mainstream

37

retail and wholesale, as is providing products for ‘the

conscientious buyer’. 12

Markets are still the main outlet for Fair Trade products.

Annual Christmas markets are a lifeline for many. The sad

thing about this however is that it keeps the Fair Trade

product pegged as a market product. I am so happy every

time I run a Pop Up in a retail outlet: the vision of all that

Fair Trade displayed to a high standard. This is how I meet

one of the principles of Fair Trade: I create level playing

fields.

Some Fair Trade businesses operate online. At the trade

fairs, plenty of start-ups are interested in hosting Fair

Trade products on a drop-ship basis but this has not taken

off. For my business with the products I sell, this sales

method is currently not feasible and the administration

behind updating stock levels with a third party is too

resource-consuming for the return.

Which Fair Trade products sell? Many Fair Trade products are suitable for mainstream

retail, but they have stiff competition from similar-looking,

cheaper mass-produced items. Without prominent

exposure Fair Trade products only stand out if they are

well-known as a brand. Competing is tough and costly

against big existing brands who now also incorporate

terminology like handmade, care for the environment,

socially responsible and ethical in their marketing.

Fair Traders pay more for products (the premium) and we

ship in smaller quantities. This impacts the re-sale price.

38

The products therefore mainly sell in shops already

known for their ethical approach and where customers

expect to pay a little more.

Like Oxfam outlets. They do a lot for Fair Trade in

Australia and around the world. I always say, I am just like

Oxfam just smaller. I import, I retail and wholesale, I

advocate and support disadvantaged groups. I also say

that many of the things you see in my shops are not

available from Oxfam. Oxfam as a major retailer,

wholesaler and distributor, in bricks and mortar as well as

online, so they require consistent stock in large numbers

that is resalable with an acceptable margin. Many small

producer units are not able to meet these criteria, so there

are many opportunities for smaller independent Fair

Traders to establish trade relationships.

My customers mention sometimes ‘there used to be an

Oxfam shop in …. but it closed down’. Yes, even for such

a large organisation as Oxfam it is difficult to maintain

retail outlets. After closing several after 2010 it now

assesses that there is again a market for more of their

shops and that they can take market share away from

other retailers who do not provide the same retail

experience and product range they offer.

I believe that too! And, I also believe that there is market

for other shops as well, not just Oxfam shops. Publications

like Oxfam Australia Trading 2015-2018 Strategic Report

are great resources for market information. Their

customer analysis (page 15 of the report) undertaken in

39

2009, is still representative of the Fair Trade customer

today going on my experiences in my Galleries and Pop-

Ups.

Customer analysis

Based on the research detailed above and through

observation within the organisation the following

customer segments have been identified by the Oxfam

Australia Trading Marketing Team:

• Traditional female (50+)

• Professional female (25-50)

• University students (18-25)

• Alternative

• Men

Traditional female (50+)

Our Traditional female customer is highly educated. She

has a high level of disposable income and chooses to

shop with Oxfam because she is socially conscious and

believes in making ethically sound purchasing decisions.

She wants to know that the artisans and farmers

producing the products that she is purchasing are being

treated fairly and are paid properly for the work they are

doing. She is more of a quiet achiever and does not

necessarily make it known that she is an Oxfam

supporter to anybody and everybody, but her opinion is

respected, and she is an influencer amongst her social

circles.

Professional female (25-50)

The professional female has an above average level of

disposable income and while she is socially conscious

she is also highly fashion conscious and wants to

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purchase not only fashion items but also home items that

are on trend, of a high quality, unique and different.

She will be more vocal about her Oxfam purchases as

she desires peer recognition of her support of not-for-

profit organisations.

University students (both male and female) (18-25)

Youth, and in particular University students, are one of

our most important segments. While they can tend to

have a lower average income than the other customer

segments they are the future of the organisation and

engaging with them early in their lives can set the scene

for a lifetime of engagement. The university student

customer segment is also a highly fashion-conscious

segment which wants to keep up with the latest trends

and can also be the most vocal in their support of Oxfam

as they crave peer recognition and are vocal about being

socially conscious. This customer segment wants to see

the difference that their purchases make to producers

and are information hungry.

Alternative (both male and female and all age

brackets)

The Alternative customer segment has been buying from

Oxfam for years and may have been involved since

Community Aid Abroad. The alternative customer

segment shops with us because they want to support our

producers and the work that Oxfam does all around the

world. They want to be a driving force for change in the

world and generally have the highest knowledge of fair

and ethical trade. This customer group more than any

other wants to know the stories behind our products and

our producers and is aware of the principles of Fair

Trade and any topical issues in the market. This customer

41

segment is also often attracted to the very unique and

alternative products in our range.

Men (all age brackets)

The men who shop at Oxfam (while a minority from a

gender perspective) are socially conscious. They shop at

Oxfam because they want to know that the products they

purchase have been sourced ethically and are having a

positive impact on the lives of the people who make

them. They have a high tendency for purchasing gifts or

food and beverage items from Oxfam and are generally

not the main shopper in the household. They are

however an important segment to highlight as even if

they are not shopping in our Oxfam Shops themselves

they are often still the end users of our products.

Reading the research, I find it still a little unsettling that

people willingly share information and are so easily

placed in a ‘box’. I still come from a time when it was

possible to be ‘incognito’ and OK not to be contactable.

Today however, it is essential information for a trader and

is readily available if you search for it.

Ask yourself:

Am I ready to compete?

Fair Trade reliability in the market relies on certification

or endorsement of the trade chain – Is yours verified?

42

WHOLESALE OR RETAIL?

How to sell After a family visit to Tanzania in 2002 I started selling at

Akoonah Park Market in an outer eastern suburb of

Melbourne. My sales book shows that on 20th August

2003, my first trading day, I sold 2 pair of coconut

earrings, paid $22 for the stand and $2.70 for the carpark.

43

My commercial adventure started with a loss of $12 but

my sons enjoyed the day tremendously! They were

spoiled with free ice cream from the vendor across my

stall. My eldest did the books that day, he was 9 at the

time. A lovely memory.

Sales improved and soon after I launched online. I

created an online shop using one of the few open source

ecommerce software available at the time: Oscommerce.

I still have the HTML instructions as the pretty interfaces

we are used to today, were not available then.

Also, from 2005, I wholesaled on commission framed

artwork to an African shop in an upmarket suburb of

Melbourne. These sold very well in that environment. I

did not have a suitable outlet then so had no opportunity

to market these myself. I learned from this that for my

handmade one-off pieces to sell as art, I need to present

them in a quality environment. This laid the foundation of

what and how I want to sell; I ran exhibitions and opened

Galleries, not shops.

In 3 years I covered everything: import, retail, wholesale,

online. With two young boys, holding down a full-time job

in HR and studying a Post-Graduate, I wonder now how I

managed.

Then, in 2006, things changed: We moved to remote

Northern Territory for my husband’s work. I took on a

Campus Leader role for Charles Darwin University and

the boys attended local primary school. We had a great

44

time there, but it did not work out for my business. I tried

online and managing by remote but had to put it on hold.

In 2007 we moved to the Central Coast and after roles with

the Central Coast Community College and Newcastle

University, I decided to take Sanaa Afrika on full-time. A

big Step; Completely self-employed, completely in

control, completely responsible.

Since then I have held exhibitions, participated in trade

fairs, ran galleries, re-launched online, upped my profile

and credentials, and forged new connections. Then, as

now, the same thread runs through my business: I import,

retail, wholesale, advocate, and support disadvantaged

groups. The only thing different at times is the mix and

balance.

Mainstream versus Fair Trade I do all this but there are many ways to be involved in Fair

Trade. Some retail, some wholesale, some are the conduit

that connects the groups with buyers. Others focus

completely on advocacy and support this by retailing a

small number of products. For me, the most challenging

is retail.

Some statistics on retail from the 2014 Productivity

Commission Research Report 13

• In 2012-13 the retail industry generated $69.7

billion in economic output and contributed 4.9% to

gross value added

45

• In 2013-14 the sector contributed around 8.9% of

all hours worked in the Australian economy

• Around 95% of all retail businesses are either non-

employing or have 1-19 employees

“…there is significant entry and exit [in the retail sector].

From 2009 to 2013, the exit rate was around 15 per cent each

year, while the entry rate fell from 17 per cent in 2009 to

about 9 per cent in 2013.

Of those retail businesses operating in June 2009, 41 per

cent had exited the industry by June 2013.” - Pg 22

I belong to the 59% who are still active.

It is a game of keeping the wheel turning to meet the

market along a yearly retail cycle. You compete for the

same dollar against others who also depend on sales for

their livelihood. You do this in a commercial mass

consumption driven world which is not completely in line

with Fair Trade principles.

The difference between mass consumption and Fair Trade

sometimes comes to a head when interacting with

mainstream retailers, like once at an educational seminar

on Fair Trade. A Fair Trader encourages the customer to

ask questions like ‘where is this made’, ‘how do you know

that these people get paid a decent wage’. Most

mainstream retailers are not aware of this information so

advocating strongly that they should know this, may seem

like a criticism on how they run their business.

46

The other side is that people often complain about Fair

Trade prices. At a recent Pop Up, someone came in to

show all the things they bought elsewhere for the price of

one of our dresses. There are many reasons why people

shop where they shop: convenience, price, fashion,

necessity. They also decide what they want or need to

know when shopping.

Margins are good in retail, especially when you have the

right products. Usual rule of thumb is to sell a product at

double what you paid for it. If you import yourself, then

your margin is higher.

As a wholesaler you need to know at what price the

product can retail for. Divide that shop price in half to

arrive at a ballpark wholesale price and then decide if this

is feasible for you to sell at. Even if the margin is small it

may still be worth it to wholesale. If you sell in bulk the

turnaround time of returning your investment is short and

it also reduces cost like storage and marketing.

The margin of return and the time it takes to achieve this

are important factors in your product choices. Big ticket

items may return a higher margin, but they may also take

a while to sell.

Bricks and Mortar versus Mobile Retail margins may be appealing but the cost of running a

shop is high: your own hours, your travel to and from the

shop, staff, lease, insurance, displays, utilities, marketing.

The lease for my recent Pop Up The Fair Trade Hub was

$550 per week. Even with only the lease as an actual third-

47

party cost to meet, we had to sell $1,100 per week to

break-even. (Cost of Goods + Margin to cover the Cost of

Lease).

Lease costs are highly influenced by location and

potential for sales (for the right business). The other day

I heard that the Newsagent at my local shopping centre

had to close as their monthly lease increased from $15,000

to $22,000. The pressure for an independent small

business to achieve enough sales to meet such a base cost

to keep the doors open is tremendous. I always think how

much this product really costs considering the high

overheads attached to selling it there. This is one of the

reasons why I pursue Pop Ups instead of permanent

locations.

I view Pop Ups as the optimum collaboration opportunity

across sectors, achieving mutual benefit for everyone

involved: lower lease costs, shops occupied, greater

return, flexibility and penetration into new markets. Each

collaboration differs and all aspects of entering into a

retail commitment must be considered. The shop may be

beautiful, but will your Fair Trade products sell there?

In my opinion retailing and wholesaling your own

products and retailing products from other traders that

complement your own range, provides the best result.

This enables diversification, creates a buffer zone should

your own products be delayed and gives a higher return

on your own product sales.

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From my own experience, the hours and effort running

your own business are uncountable when maintaining a

permanent brick and mortar location. Across the board,

retail and wholesale makes 1/3 of its annual return

towards the Christmas period. I estimate however that for

Fair Traders this same period generates more like half of

their return for the year.

Covering overheads during the quiet times requires

careful planning and is a strain on cash flow. Pop Ups allow

efforts and investment to focus on times when high results

are achievable.

Being self-employed comes with risks and may not be for

everyone.

Self-employed Employed

Set your own work hours 9 to 5 or shifts

Implement your own ideas Work within job parameters

Work where you live Commute

Choose people you work with Fit in company culture

Tax incentives Few tax write-offs

Manage own books Receive net income

Less job security Job rights e.g. paid leave

Manage your own progress Career ladder

Inconsistent income Guaranteed income

Isolated Team environment

No superannuation Guaranteed Super

49

In honesty, while I write this, I feel a little uncomfortable

as both options have benefits and downsides. My choice

is not necessarily what suits your circumstance or desire.

I write this under the caveat that all what worked for me

may not work for you. And also, that something I tried and

failed at, may be just right for you.

Ask yourself:

Am I ready for running a business?

Fair Trade competes for sales in mainstream retail and

wholesale markets – How well prepared are you for this

challenge?

50

RESOURCES

What you need This chapter I write upstairs at the dining table. Smiling,

as I will keep this a secret from my husband. I usually tell

him off for doing the same thing but somehow today I

diverted from my preference for designated spaces for

activities. It feels a little like a holiday.

I love decluttering and reorganising. My wardrobe is

small as most of my clothing is second-hand and donated

back. This is slow fashion and environmentally conscious

but also strategic, as it allows me to wear something

completely different from mainstream fashion when I sell

my products. Giving no distraction or reference to

competitors.

I have a large workspace downstairs and when I work

from home my routine starts at 9.30am, lunch from 12.30

to 2pm, then work again until 5pm. In the morning I watch

some tv, at lunch I do a Dutch puzzle, and in the afternoon,

I go for a long walk along the lake or beach (usually with

a backpack to get my groceries), do yoga in my living

room with a view over the water, or work in the garden.

I have not always lived like this. In Australia I commuted

by train in and out of the city; did all-hours shift work,

51

handing over and receiving the children as batons in a

long-distance relay; was cooped up in high rise offices

and at the end of a converted bowling alley until, in 2006,

I moved to offices with a view.

The 2011 Australian Women's Chamber of

Commerce and Industry (AWCCI) survey of women

business operators found that women with access to

start-up capital had a higher turnover. The survey

found that 66% of women's start-up funds were

sourced from personal savings and 25% from a

credit card or bank/credit union loan. It also found

that 42% of respondents started their business with

less than $5,000, while 83% did so with less than

$100,000.14

I introduced my husband earlier: without his early support

to get me up and running it would have been a longer

road. With his support and a $20,000 business loan from a

bank, I opened my first shop in Terrigal in 2011. Interior

designed with quality displays and furniture, many of

which I still use today in Pop Ups, it looked spectacular.

Plenty of car parking, lease relatively affordable, part of a

small shopping strip and just off a main road that lead to

the beach.

It returned what the environment made possible. By this I

mean that the location did not bring the foot traffic I

needed to be profitable. From that location I built a great

reputation and people still ask me now weren’t you in

52

Terrigal? I moved from there to Erina Heights 5 years ago.

People now also ask me weren’t you at Erina Heights?

The principle of cash When I opened in Terrigal I became a member of the

Central Coast Business Centre CCBC and I was entitled to

5 (free) one-hour sessions with a mentor.

A mentor comment after our first meeting:

“In general Sanaa Afrika is a one woman show

aimed at growing over the next 3 years to provide

the main source of income & lifestyle support for

Carina & her husband as they move into ‘empty

nester’ territory.

Basic message – get close to the cash!! (i.e. focus on

those things that will create cash flow)”

The CCBC matched me with this mentor as he had a

supermarket background and international experience.

Supermarket retail did not immediately make me feel

confident about what he could do for me. I considered my

product and approach far superior.

It took a while for me to get it; The principle is the same no

matter what kind of shop. In both you need to sell the right

products to make a living and stay on top of your cash

flow.

To be sustainable you need to make money. It is not just

‘build it and they will come’, you need to invest in your

business to make customers buy from you. Very few

53

products are the one answer to everything, how you sell

them is what sets you apart.

My first studies were in communication, marketing and

public relations. I did internships at a large event venue

in Utrecht and at my town council, Tilburg. I developed

the marketing program for a textile exhibition at one and

a new bus route at the other. Little did I know my path

would take me on a human resource journey through

accounting, airport retail, insurance, disability care, drug

rehabilitation, television, banking and education in

London, Beijing, Melbourne, the Northern Territory

outback and beautiful beaches of the Central Coast.

From an unexpected request in London to fill a maternity

leave vacancy at one of the largest international hotel and

airport services chains in the world, to sitting here, self-

employed, typing away at my dining table.

What does this have to do with resources? Well, the

biggest and most valuable resource in all what I do is me.

Money, time, support, hardware, software, products,

connections, knowledge, family, friends and health to

mention a few, are all important as well but in the right

combination, at the right time.

54

15

55

The principle of investing Invest in quality. I get frustrated when I see fit-outs left in

vacant shops, thinking about the money that went into the

planning and installation. The effort and cost again to

remove these.

Retailers spend a lot on a look, the image that attracts the

right customer for their product. I do as well, so I have

invested in displays that last. They match to the extent that

they are white. A mix of square and round, tall and low,

long and short, all with clean lines for a solid look. My

table is a monster to move as I mentioned but it is one of a

kind, worthy of being the focal point of a friendly and

welcoming shopping experience.

To keep looks interesting and current, I supplement my

displays with second hand pieces which I paint white. My

St Vinnies coffee table with curled wrought iron legs is a

stunner in white after sanding the top to get rid of the

scratches. As are four tall plinths I picked up for $35 in

pinks and blues at Reverse Garbage. They transform any

piece in to an artwork.

People I work with know I prefer to barter, get something

for free, run skeleton systems and keep my shop’s

footprint as small as possible. I am skilled at many things,

so can pursue this to a large degree.

I run my website and online shop on a free open source

platform and manage those myself. I do not spend money

on bags with logo stickers, I wrap rather than bag. I print

on both sides of my business cards and cut my own labels.

56

I write media releases to receive free press coverage. I

support events with sales and donate products for

fundraising. I sign up for free seminars. I search online to

stay up to date. I read strategic plans and research paid

for by larger operators in my sector. I invest in quality

displays that last and are suitable for easy relocation. I

combine what I need to do in one trip. I write down where

I am at, so I do not waste time redoing things. I rope in

some (family) muscle at bump-in and bump-out in return

for a meal out.

Staffing is one of the highest cost factors in doing business,

so I offer a swap. My expertise for your working hours;

access to my channels to achieve sales, to explore what

Fair Trade business is really like; product trial-runs; work

experience; resume boosting; networking etc.

This is not just a financial strategy, it is also an inherent

part of my commitment to Fair Trade principles.

Principle 1 – Opportunity to disadvantaged groups

– I provide access to resources

Principle 2 – Transparency and Accountability

– I trade, I do not provide aid

Principle 8 – Build capacity

– I share my knowledge and resources

Principle 9 – Advocate Fair Trade

– I promote the business option

57

This is my view, it may not be someone else’s. As I said

before, yes or no to do it this way, that decision is totally

yours.

Ask yourself:

Am I ready to put what I have in play?

Fair Trade centres around people and a support structure

of money and other tangible items – What is the balance

you aim for?

58

NETWORKS, MENTORS

Who you need You know best. You know where you lack skills,

knowledge, funds or support. Especially when you are

heading towards something you have never done before.

As I did, when I went from corporate to self-employed,

from mediator to sales person, from working in a heavily

regulated environment to creating my own reality.

I joined the NSW Fair Trade Network group when it just

came back ‘into life’. It had been stagnant for a while and

the people who turned up at meetings again were like me,

people who sold Fair Trade products. We held meetings

in the Oxfam offices in Surry Hills and had the occasional

guest speaker. This network drove a lot of activity in NSW

and Australia with a Pop Up in Paddington, The Fair Trade

Emporium in Marrickville and the overture to AGHA

which resulted in the Fair Trade Zone. During this time, I

was chair and involved in all these initiatives.

The experience around the table was tremendous and I

enjoyed my time as part of it. In the last two years a lot has

changed; The Association almost folded, traders pulled

59

out of the Fair Trade Emporium and the AGHA Fair Trade

Zone is no longer.

The network is run by volunteers and as priorities

changed, fewer time and resources were available to

organise events and manage initiatives. My priorities

shifted from Sydney to the Central Coast and Newcastle

area and since 2017 my time and resources are invested

in growing the network and opportunities in that region.

Visualisation of networks with you in the centre

a butterfly

Connections When I opened in Terrigal I joined two local business

networks and became a member of Central Coast

Tourism. I soon realised that paying $30 for a network

60

breakfast or after-hours event was not worth it for me.

Most of the members were service providers and touting

for business within the network. I know that is an aspect

of networking but in my case paying someone hundreds

to do my books while they could only recommend me

within their personal network was not an equal return in

my view.

Of good value to my business was the $96 annual tourism

membership. For this investment my leaflets were

displayed at all tourism centres in the region and my

business listed on 3 tourism websites. These had tangible

results and drove traffic to my Gallery.

The other day I met with a long-time Fair Trader friend,

returning stock left over from The Fair Trade Hub in

Belmont. She lives in Sydney, so we do not see each other

often but when we do, we combine our catch ups with

sounding off what we think about this and that, plans for

the year and looking at opportunities to work together.

When working from home these contacts are essential,

regular as well as impromptu. We discussed the

Association, the Network, Amazon.com, a Pop Up,

life/work balance and enjoyed good food - me

cheesecake with ice cream, her a healthy avocado

breakfast!

Networks have a life-span. Very few serve your needs

every time, all the time. Some are perfect for when you

start out, others for when you want to improve skills, gain

credibility or want to move into something new. Most

61

networks require a monetary contribution and those with

no tangible return are a bad investment of your cash and

time.

Returns The best return for my business came from a $200

membership of the Central Coast Business Centre. This

membership gave me access to subsidised training and 5

free mentor sessions. I took training in marketing and

merchandising. These courses are usually a teaser to opt

in on a bigger program the presenters also deliver

separately from the Business Centre. Some even offer a

second tier to engage you like a competition to win a free

in-house assessment. These are worthwhile winning!

In my area, The Central Coast Council also runs free

seminars and programs aimed at activating and

supporting small businesses. These are usually tied to

funding opportunities and in 2016 I was successful in

obtaining free retail space for my inaugural The Fair

Trade Hub in Wyong. My event Storytelling with word

sound and vision, has also been successful twice at

receiving funding as part of The Lakes Festival.

My network settings are coffee shops, restaurants, parks,

after hours in someone’s office, at home and online.

Networking does two important things which may sound

contradictory at first: It makes you focus as well as think

outside the box.

Like my recent catch-up for example. My friend is tech

savvy and an early adopter of anything social media and

62

online. When I hear her speak about email marketing

automation and online sales platform integration, I feel

there is a lot I need to catch up on and review.

I have run three independent Pop Ups, she is planning one

towards the end of the year. Which location gives the best

return? How long to stay? How many people to run it?

What products to select?

As we are experienced traders, our phase of networking

is strategic: to focus and decide on our next move. Identify

lack of knowledge or a skills gap and build this into our

plans. Planning in business is essential as you need to

decide where to spend your money and how you are

going to make it. Doing this on the run is stressful and

affects your focus.

I believe that fair and ethical trade is one of the most

diverse sectors to be in. People come from a myriad of

professions – science, medicine, accounting, human

resources, teaching, production, artists; have no distinct

entry or exit age – students, retirees, lifestyle changers;

and have a variety of business structures – full-on traders,

second jobbers, part-timers, volunteers, non-profit etc.

Every Fair Trade business is quite unique as it

incorporates the vision and character of the person

behind it. When you network, the key is to retain your

own vision and to incorporate that in your way of doing

business. There is no best way, it is about the right way for

you. Networking is crucial as it facilitates your learning

which in turn ensures that you stay on track and on top of

63

things. How much time you spend on networking

depends on how much you need it and when.

Structure I still see my mentor sitting at my beautiful table in my

beautiful Gallery. Such patience as I must have been a

little uppity I think. Everybody has some sort of defence

when they are not certain and about to be challenged.

Our meetings were structured well which I enjoyed, and I

still use the forms and notes to refocus at times. After 6

years, the basic premise of my business has not changed,

and my vision is still clear. I now appreciate how he

always brought the dollar angle into things, something

which was quite hard for me to do in the beginning, as for

me it was all about the inherent value, not the practical

value, the sustainability.

Some of my mentor’s recommendations did not pan out for

me but did make possible to see what would.

Notes of my second session with him include me telling

him that I felt overwhelmed. Sometimes making decisions

is hard. For me to have someone I relate to on a business

level makes a difference. This aspect of networking is

very valuable and not to be underestimated.

It is now early January, I just finished the third Fair Trade

Hub in Belmont, and a busy December behind me. This is

a reasonably quiet time for me business-wise and I usually

plan the year ahead. In this planning phase, my brain is

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in creation mode so providing the perfect conditions to

write this book.

Ask yourself:

Am I ready to share and learn from others?

Fair Trade products are for potential customers who

already buy your competitor’s products in existing

markets - How will you stand out?

65

STORY AND PRODUCT

Your Box Think about what makes you different.

There will never be a Fair Trade shop in every shopping

centre. If there would be, then in effect Fair Trade does

not exist anymore. Our sector is not meant to dominate on

numbers, it is to dominate on stories.

Social responsibility in consumer countries like Australia

is a box to tick. Ever heard the term ‘Greenwashing’? This

is green PR or green marketing deceptively used to

promote the perception that an organisation’s products,

aims or policies are environmentally friendly.

Greenpeace International actively pursues this

phenomenon and publishes outcomes of their reviews. 16

‘Ethicalwashing’ – my term - is next. Big business is going

it alone in Fair Trade; Sainsbury, Tesco, McDonalds,

Starbucks, Unilever and Cadbury, all devised their own

Fair Trade schemes. 17 Their decision is cost-driven - with

increased competition, sales of certified Fairtrade

products drop – and socially responsible driven - they

want to take more direct credit for their support efforts.

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All good and proper but who will verify that these

schemes do what they say?

I am indirectly affected by this trend as it confuses my

customers. My business relies heavily on the recognition

of an international movement that is clear and

unambiguous.

One of the strengths of the Fairtrade certification system

is that it has been consistent over time. The same is to

apply to your story as that builds your credibility. It is

interesting for people to know how you started, the why

and personal aspect of it. Sounds all very nice but, to be

honest, there are things I prefer not to share with people I

do not know.

A personal story As soon as I start talking people know I am not from here.

As my business is Sanaa Afrika, everyone automatically

thinks I am South African. To avoid long stories, I usually

say my family is in Tanzania. If people pick up I am Dutch,

I talk about my travels and the trips to Africa for work.

With such an international background, my knowledge

about other countries impacts positively on my

credibility. I believe it is important to be aware of the

culture and country of the products you sell. Placing

experiences and observations in context builds

understanding and credibility too. If the customer has

been to a country you source from then nothing connects

more than sharing such experiences.

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I often wonder why Fair Trade holds such an attraction

over me. Apart from providing me a perfect balance

between commercial and advocacy activities it also

satisfies my thirst for cultural learning, something I know

my father had as well. He was in the navy before I was

born, and I was told he was studying Papiamento,

preparing for a posting in the Dutch West Indies. He had

already travelled along the West African coast and I still

have a table runner from that time. His father put it very

strongly that the Navy was no career choice for a married

man. So, he became a pipe fitter……….

My trips abroad were usually to Belgium, a bike-ride away

and favourite family outing for its dance halls. My first

‘long’ trip was to Luxembourg by car. I had a German pen

pal in primary school and High School A-Grades in

German and English. I remember doing my homework

staring at a map of the world dreaming how I could get to

all those countries. I took off on a bike holiday to the UK at

17; made my own way down to St Tropez for my 21st and

moved to Spain at 25. The first time I stepped on a plane

was in 1986 flying from Bilbao to London for a wedding.

How interesting was this for you to read?

It is always nice to get a peek behind the scenes but even

if you are the most interesting person around, if your

product or service does not sell you are not ‘in business’.

The number of Fair Trade products is not the problem,

selling them is. It is not a matter of build and they will

come. Your passion alone, complete trust and conviction

68

that this is the right product for people to buy, may not be

enough. This carefully chosen product, this socially

responsible purchase, with a direct impact on the lives of

the people who make it, may not sell.

A product story Fair Trade craft products are not really sold for their

function. One embroidered zip pouch from Bangladesh is

much like one from Vietnam for most customers. A

wooden animal carving is for many customers just a

carving regardless where it is made. An interesting thing

about sculptures from Africa is that you will rarely find one

that is not of an indigenous animal. The carver’s

knowledge of the animal is intrinsically connected to his

product. They do not know pandas or tigers so struggle to

carve one.

A backpack is not a craft product in its design but is one

in its production. So are fashion and table décor for

example. Nobody in Madagascar traditionally uses raffia

placemats at dinner.

A Fair Trade product is intricately connected with its story.

As we are only small operators, this must gel from

beginning to end. A few years ago, a trade fair sales

person struck up some banter to get me to sign on again.

He once had a whole container of tagines coming from

Morocco and anxious about how to get rid of them. He

took a stand at the trade fair and sold out. He was

obviously an early adopter of trends but where are

tagines now? And he is no longer in that business.

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If you want to choose products for Fair Trade think long

term, especially from the production aspect: capacity,

costing, quality, communication and control. Also assess

your ability to sell the products as if they do not, it is not

just you who will be affected.

Have you ever wondered why the change from Aid to

Trade? While in the Northern Territory I learned that an

apparent lack of motivation was mainly due to the ad-hoc

and spurts of support people receive. Too short to build

something sustainable and cover the skills gap. Also, the

people who provide the support are only part of the

community while funds support them being there. Once

funds dry up and they leave, the initiative stops. In my

work with Charles Darwin University I came across

several discarded projects and spoke with some of the

elders about them. They are very clear on what they want

for their community, but somehow many projects have not

delivered this so far.

Continuity and long term sustainable results only happen

when the people have the means to support themselves,

independently and over time. This means generating an

income from something they make, provide, show, share

or tell.

By us choosing the right product we help to make this

happen. By us not hogging them as a source, they grow.

This last comment is a little controversial as if they do not

sell to you, how will you make a living? This is one of the

realities of Fair Trade and you must be ready for it.

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Planning the story When deeply involved, passion sometimes runs away

with you. You risk missing crucial parts of planning like

competition research and what if scenarios. Don’t forget:

image in retail and the glitz and glamour of fit-outs and

campaigns sometimes cloud reality.

A business plan guides your thinking. It is not a one-off

exercise, it is a developing story. I review and add

comments regularly and save each as a new version.

This is from my first one in 2005

Mission

Link Africa and Australia to enrich both cultures, to create

and facilitate stimulating, rewarding and profitable

relationships between individuals, communities and

businesses.

I am now in version 12 and the mission is still the same.

There are lots of business plan formats and what suits me

may not suit you. Sometimes I draw a diagram on a

whiteboard and keep an image of that. I create detailed

spreadsheets to test financial scenarios and have A4

binders with thoughts, checklists and research, dated to

keep track of progress. Together, all these records cover

this:

• Mission or vision

• Business and product or service

• How the product or service is different

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• How it fits in the market, competitors and targeted

market share

• Who is part of the business, their skills,

experiences and successes

• Marketing plan

• SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities and threats)

• Cash flow statement

• Revenue projections

• Summary

I attach high importance to information as I want and need

to make informed decisions. This is not the same as

knowing everything. I have plenty of examples where I

was blissfully ignorant on certain things. It makes me

smile, rather than angry, and my future decisions are

influenced accordingly. Learning enriches you.

Ask yourself:

Am I ready with my story?

Fair Trade is the product. Your item selection and

decision on what information to share is what sells it –

How will you connect these three parts?

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PRESENTATION AND MARKETING

Make it look good I must confess that I am not really an expert at this. I find

myself drawn to lines and symmetry, but sometimes there

is a need for kaleidoscopes of colours, shapes and

textures to attract buyers. Merchandising are creative

skills combining proven rules and individual creativity.

Show me something to read, and I ‘feel’ if something is not

quite right. After years living overseas I strongly link

language to behaviour and culture. By putting words in

context, it sped up my learning. Languages evolve and as

I left Holland in 1985, some Dutch words do not make

sense to me in the context they are used in today. Like

‘traject’ [route] in relation to a medical treatment plan. To

me it brings up images of a railway or bus line. Or

‘invoegen’ [insert, add] when someone else is to be part

of a consultation. To me this means joining traffic from a

freeway ramp.

In retail and wholesale, marketing is dominated by a

yearly cycle of events relevant to the culture of a country:

Mother’s Day, Australia Day, Back to School, Christmas,

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Father’s Day, Recycling Week, Fair Trade Week, Boxing

Day Sales, trends in colour and texture for each of the

seasons.

This cycle includes more and more every year as it

responds to the latest craze driven by the wealth of

information available to the potential buyer. Something

new always gets attention but staying power is the real

test.

Big business is a master at imagery, planning light years

ahead and scrupulously cutting and fattening where

needed to stay around. You may say that they control the

market, but they will return a resounding NO to this. They

serve the customer, give them what they want.

Sale

JanuaryValen tine

Spring

Easter

Mothers

FairTradeStock

take

Winter

Fathers

Spring

Summer

Christ mas

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It is the classical chicken and egg situation. It is now long

ago that the egg was laid, and so many have hatched

since. As a Communication graduate in Holland, the

concept of buyer manipulation was already an issue with

me. Gathering customer demographics, matching buying

patterns, packaging the same product and service into

something ‘new’ every year, all felt intrusive and

misleading to me. A fellow student and still a good friend

was a natural at this and she became one of the most

influential minds in marketing world-wide. I realise now

that what matters is how the information is used, not that it

is collected. After all, I use the information as well, and

with good intentions.

Pre-internet, obtaining that information was a specialist

field, time consuming and required a lot of imagination to

interpret. Now everyone has access to analytics, free

tools to focus sales efforts, SEO analysis plugins,

marketing seminars and people from all over the world

offering their services to do it for you.

I find this overwhelming at times. Half of it is the

terminology and the sense that everything is moving

ahead at lightspeed with a myriad of opportunities for you

to boost sales. I am not an expert, but believe I am

knowledgeable enough to filter out what I do not need.

How to be seen and heard What you need in marketing and presentation depends on

the product you sell, the people you want to sell it to, your

budget and what others are doing.

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People who sell advertising and promotional

opportunities always have data to show that it works. 8

Years ago, I used advertisements in the local newspaper

to create awareness and to drive traffic to my Gallery.

These were reasonably cheap, and the strategy worked.

Then, online reach was not what it is today. Now my

marketing mix includes media releases, editorial

submissions, radio and social media strategies,

combining organic growth with paid campaigns.

A friend of mine is building up her affiliate marketing

business and is up to date with logarithms, trends in social

media, most effective media to use for what, regime of

posting etcetera. Affiliate marketers receive a

commission for products and services they sell for others.

Commission could come from a click, like, sign up,

purchase or a meeting for example. This business model

is used by merchants to externalise the cost of finding an

audience and promoting their products. TripAdvisor has

an Affiliate program, as does Amazon and eBay.

Influencers also market someone else’s product or

service. My coffee friend the other day mentioned she has

been approached several times by social media

influencers who want a product for free and $500 to blog

about it. This is a marketing technique with a focus on

social media relationship building.

Both promote for someone else and drive people to a

website or physical location. However, a purchase still

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depends mainly on the product or service, not on how the

buyer arrives in your shop.

What to say Your business is about Fair Trade but talking about the

principles only does not keep it interesting for long.

Incorporate angles in your story (marketing) and

presentation (merchandising) like linking to a social

problem or local initiative to promote a product range.

Link to World Fair Trade Day and International Days to

piggy-back on the media attention these usually achieve.

18

Use sustainability and link it to slow fashion and recycling

for example. I buy most of my clothes in charity shops,

except for shoes, socks and underwear. I also buy high-

quality staples once every so many years like winter,

trekking and stepping out clothes. Look at my Africa

images from 2010 and my recent The Fair Trade Hub

bump-in: same blue stripe zip up fleece jacket. I also still

treasure a Laura Ashley deep blue velvet dress from 1987

and my Drizabone from the same year but that is another

story.

Link to the environment by keeping your footprint small:

hand out bags sparingly, do not run the A/C all the time. I

drink coffee and tea in my shop and the re-usable cup is

clearly visible on the table. My expertise of using 2 small

pieces of sticky tape to wrap something has developed to

perfection.

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Fair Trade is about transparency so be ready to talk as

customers expect answers. It is part of the school

curriculum and 2 in 3 people across all age-groups now

use social media. 19

Many of my customers are already involved in Fair Trade

activities through supporter groups in churches, at

University, their employer, Rotary or Lions.

All efforts to alleviate poverty and injustice I support

completely. Any action to achieve this is truly worthwhile

and fits in with what I believe. My own approach is to

achieve this by building capacity in doing trade, and this

is applicable just as much here in Australia as where the

products are made.

The money story Our Fair Trade story is about work and earning an income

so what is the answer to the question “How much is going

back to the people who make this?” The answer depends

on several things, including how you structure your

business.

If you want to provide a dollar figure that is up to you.

Justifying selling an item at $25 which people have seen

elsewhere for far less, will be perceived as askew. A

detailed explanation with actual costs clouds a Fair Trade

story so I respond differently.

I explain how I do business; that I negotiate a price, give

the people time to make things, support their own design

ideas, pay up front, give feedback how it sells here and

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who buys their products. I also highlight differences in

cost of living and selling with price of electricity and lease

for example.

This resonates more with customers than the actual money

paid for a product as that figure is only understood in

context. The purchase power of $1 in Australia is much

less than $1 in a developing country.

Where we sell a product has a direct impact on its

perceived value. Markets sell at cheaper prices so once

you price for the market it is difficult to justify a higher

price in a shop where your overheads are much bigger. I

therefore recommend pricing the other way around.

Produce at markets is perceived as better quality and

fresher than in supermarkets. The same reasoning is not

true for non-produce however. I have a market product

range and a shop product range. Under no circumstances

will I put my shop range at a market, but I do put my

market range in a shop so I can offer a wider price

spectrum in the product ranges.

Price is part of the story and your presentation. A $100

silver chain in a display needs to indicate quality while an

under $10 impulse buy is most enticing when you browse

for it.

Window and entry displays are strategically important for

sales in a shop. The recent Fair Trade Hub had floor to

ceiling windows along two walls and we made good use

of them. Weekly ‘new’ additions and changes to displays

79

spiked sales in those products. Merchandising is an art

and I recommend reading up on this topic as essential

homework.

My mentor picked on this immediately in my first session

with him. While I loved the idea of a completely

unblocked view into the Gallery, my mentor did not. He

taught me to create small teaser areas to entice people to

come in and showed me how to control their movement

through the Gallery. In my second space, a long narrow

Galleria style, I used a colour specialist and created

‘sections’ in shades of tea green. This, gallery lighting and

white displays made it look spectacular.

Science really.

Ask yourself:

Am I ready to reach my customers?

Fair Trade principles are about everyday life and relevant

to all people – How will you let them know?

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YOUR REWARDS

Reaping what you put into it I started dreaming about flying when I was young. Just

flapping my arms and slowly lift myself up into the sky

with every flap. Swooping over buildings, over forests

and through streets. I also often dreamt about being

gobbled up by a big machine with long arms that was just

around the corner from the flats where I lived until I was 7

years old. There used to be a big building there screened

by high trees, somewhere my parents told me not to go.

The big machine reminded me of the octopus ride at the

Tilburg annual fair, which by the way, is still the biggest

in Europe today. I had and still have a vivid imagination!

Now I daydream more than dreaming in my sleep. It is

more like running scenarios, envisaging the bigger

picture to see links, mental mind-mapping.

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Like in all things there is a lifecycle to doing business.20 It

starts, grows, matures, declines until it either re-starts or

it stops. I find starting a business a little intoxicating.

Opening the doors for the first time, launching the

website, that first sale, handing out business cards,

promoting yourself and your business in the media,

talking about what you do, building your profile, writing

this book.

To some Start-up entrepreneurs I may sound cynical in my

approaches or not give straight answers. It may appear I

undermine and dismiss ideas, but nothing is further from

the truth. I believe 100% in dynamism and slight angle

shifts that make things work. What I have done in my

business is completely within my own realm. There may

be similarities with others in practical terms but not when

combined with other spheres in my life.

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Here is where my human resource background comes in

to play: I do not see things black and white, I see

interaction and synergy spots.

Maybe it is because I am multi-lingual that I get stuck

sometimes in finding the right word to explain exactly

what I want to convey. I like to use descriptions,

adjectives and metaphors to clarify my intent in as much

detail as possible. Sometimes a word or a product on its

own without visual, tactile and audible cues, is vague in its

meaning or just plain misunderstood.

In Fair Trade I train the maker and the buyer, I facilitate

their learning and I do this in the real world, for real

application. My work as a Fair Trader ticks several

personal reward boxes but a major satisfaction boost is

when everyone involved in what I do gains from it.

By reflex almost, I used to take on most of the

responsibility every time things would not go as planned.

It always came with a feeling of guilt, in proportion to my

desire for it to work. My issue was that I set no criteria for

what I should feel guilty for or not at all, and no boundaries

on how much was appropriate. Strangely, since starting

full-time in Fair Trade properly, I set these much better.

I am a statistic:21

• in 2014, 45% of women business operators were

aged between 40 and 54, like me

• I am more likely than my male counterpart to have

a degree

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• Across the board, I score lower in earnings than

my male counterparts but show higher satisfaction

in my quality of life

• Like 71% of women business operators I am

married and have children (81%)

• Half of us work on our own, and Retail Manager is

second from the top in occupation

Good to know that I am not alone as being the lone

crusader for a cause is not easy. Knowing there are like-

minded people, gives me the support and freedom to

follow my path.

For me it is the reach that my activities open up for me, the

opportunity to set my own direction, to explore out of the

box, to marry proven and new, to synthesize plans down

to something that works in practice, to have a voice, to

give others a voice, to do this within my own space, to live

a diverse life, to learn, to give, to fly……..

Ask yourself:

Am I ready to pursue what I want to get out of this journey?

Fair Trade is about people creating a fairer place, each

with their own vision and motivation how to achieve this –

Why do you want to do it?

84

STICK WITH IT

Grit I am a survivor. Sounds dramatic doesn’t it.

I read somewhere that as we get older it seems that time

goes faster. It seems so because we have fewer defining

moments in our life, or we think we do. Think about how

much we learn and grow in our teenage years. No time for

anyone but ourselves and our own needs. Shepherded

and shielded until we are ready to face things on our own.

As adults, what do we remember of our work weeks? What

defines a year? Birthdays, the one holiday to the sun or

snow, emotional loss, change of job? It is not that our life

is not full of things to do, we just experience or register

moments less.

It takes discipline to stick with something. I used to ride

horses, started on a small black pony lead by my father

along dune paths on holidays. As a teenager I had to pay

for it myself, ride my bike in the dark for evening riding

sessions, invest in cap, boots and whip. I rode on the

marshes in Holland, learned how to jump in Hyde Park,

rode trails in the Victorian high country. I still have my

cap, boots and whip but do not ride anymore. And that is

OK. Life choices create other priorities.

85

Apparently, I have chameleon-like abilities, to present

myself in situations as expected, while at the same time

not lose my integrity and achieve what I set out to do. A

label from an aptitude test at one of the many management

development getaways I attended. I admit, I have a

relatively good sense of my environment, the ruling

norms and the expectations, and adapt well to them.

I needed this when I started a family as that is where I felt

control going out of the window. During my five years in

China I completely followed my own way of parenting,

guided loosely by the ‘Groeigids’ 22 . I was without

Western lures enticing and baiting young mothers, like

coffee mornings, latest trends in kids care/toys/fashion,

fixation on after-baby body shape, endless comparisons

and the deep-down battle between going back to work

and staying home.

During these years I took on some of the highly regarded

Chinese virtue Patience and the African way of looking at

Fate. 23

Practicing patience can be painful. It is the ability to stay

above anger, irritation and resentment. It provides

stamina to carry out your mission.

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Fate is what happens. Fatalistic is letting it happen to you.

Deal with your fate, learn and improve so not just you will

benefit, but others as well.

These mindsets combined with my Dutch independence

(some may say stubbornness) give me my three anchors.

Everybody needs handles, hooks to hold on to, ropes to

stop you from floating away.

This book is about doing business in Fair Trade and about

keeping in mind that the most valuable resource in this

endeavour is you.

Don’t mistake sticking with it, to bone-headed continuing

against all odds. When I say stick with it, I mean stick to

your choices and your decisions. I mentioned before that

I want to make informed decisions. What if my

discoveries and experiences indicate to me that now is not

the time to pursue, implement or think about something?

I believe I will then indeed decide not to.

An exit strategy is essential in planning your Fair Trade

journey. This is where you use what if scenarios as every

decision to create, build and invest also determines how

you exit, should something eventuate. There are many

reasons why a business stops, circumstances change. It is

super difficult to let go of something you felt so strongly

about when you set it up. When I closed my Gallery and

opted for a Pop Up format it required creative thinking

and strategizing to retain existing customers, my profile

and connections. I am confident this was the right

87

direction for my business, for myself and for the people I

buy my products from.

Business is not meant to be static. In Fair Trade, as a sole

trader and a one-woman business, my character and

approach intricately link to and show in what I do.

Remember my comment on being aware of opportunities

and using them?

With my cultural Dutch ‘bluntness’ and years of dealing

with an unyielding Asian culture, I might appear forceful

at times and may not achieve my intended result initially.

But, as it says in the book my husband is reading in

preparation for a huge exam, it is about ‘grit’. I love that,

as I used to be a fanatical Cowboys and Indians fan in my

youth.

I stick to making decisions that I think will get me the

balance I aim for in my business and personal life. A

dynamic whole, always in motion, a story in creation and

to be remembered.

88

Ask yourself:

Am I on solid footing to weather what comes?

Fair Trade is a lifestyle challenge, you live the principles

in the public eye – Do you have what it takes?

89

References

1 http://www.thefairtradeway.com.au/product/fair-trade-timeline/

2 http://wfto.com/our-path-fair-trade/metamorphosis-fair-trade

3 http://fairtrade.com.au/en-au/what-is-fairtrade/faqs - 24 April

2017

4http://fairtrade.com.au/~/media/Fairtrade%20Australasia/Files/B

usiness%20and%20Workplaces%20Resources/Information%20Kit

%202017.pdf

5 https://shop.oxfam.org.au/about-fair-and-ethical-trade - 24 April

2017

6 http://wfto.com/fair-trade/10-principles-fair-trade

7 http://www.globallabourrights.org/

8 http://fashionrevolution.org/

9 https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/no-news-is-

good-news

10 FTANZ annual report 2012

11 http://fairtrade.com.au/News/News/Archive/Fairtrade-fever-

hits-shoppers-and-farmers-are-the-winners

12 Front Page AGHA Gift Guide January 2018

13 http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/retail-

trade/report/retail-trade.pdf

14 Australian Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(AWCCI) 2012, Collection of sex desegregated data and the

procurement of contracts for women business owners in Australia,

AWCCI, Sydney.

15 http://www.thefairtradeway.com.au/product/holistic-decision-

making/

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16https://issuu.com/greenpeaceinternational/docs/greenwashplus

20/1?ff=true&e=2537715/1381445

17https://www.theguardian.com/global-

development/2017/jun/24/fairtrade-crashing-down-sainsburys-

tesco-tea-growers-nairobi

18http://www.un.org/en/sections/observances/international-days/

19 http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/social-media/

20 http://thepresidentscouncil.org/are-you-sure-of-which-

business-life-cycle-stage-youre-in/

21 ABS – A Profile of Australian Women in Business 2015

22 https://www.groeigids.nl/

23 http://www.career-success-for-newbies.com/chinese-symbol-

for-patience.html

A publication by The Fair Trade Way

www.thefairtradeway.com.au