What I Learned from the Virtual Market

Hello everyone, 

Hope you’ve been enjoying the summer! Things are different this year but it’s been so nice to spend some time outside while we can.

Thank you to all of you who supported the virtual market. It was so much fun and I was overwhelmed by the amount of comments, messages, shares etc. that we got.

Now that it’s been a few weeks I wanted to share with you some key takeaways I learned from my Instagram Lives with each vendor! 

You don’t have to be an expert to start, in fact, most entrepreneurs aren’t. This was really encouraging to me as I grow in my own business. In the Instagram Lives I kept hearing the same story of seeing a need and wanting to do what they can to fill it. And for myself- I’ve never hosted a Virtual Market before but talked to everyone I knew who had and did it and learnt as I went!

2. Don’t be ashamed of not knowing everything

Before most of us got into the fair trade industry, we didn’t stop to think where our products came from. I’m still learning more about vegan options, low waste, organic etc. We can’t all be experts in everything! All this to stay, start where you are and recognize none of us are perfect. It’s not about perfection but progress. 

3. Change happens in small steps 

This brings us to our next point, start small. It can be overwhelming to learn about the fast fashion industry, child lavour, human trafficking, the list goes on. We think, “Where do I start? How can I make an impact?” And answer to that is just start where you are. I switched my coffee to fair trade and then went from there. Small steps add up. 

4. You never know the difference you are making 

This one is huge. It’s easy to get discouraged and think “what does it even matter?” But if I’ve learned anything from working in fair trade it’s that your impact is bigger than you think. I went to the chiropractor yesterday and she told me about all the vendors she enjoyed learning about. And a friend mentioned seeing jewellery at the nail salon she recognized from a market vendor. You can’t always see the positive ripple of your actions but it’s there. 

5. We are all connected 

I love that each of these fair trade businesses is focused on relationships. It’s not just about making long term partnerships with artisans but it’s also about connecting customers to those stories. This brings a meaning and purpose to retail that isn’t usually there. And reminds us of how small the world really is. 

Thanks again for following along for our first online event. And for reading this blog post!

Reach out if you have any questions about fair trade or want to share! This is my favourite thing to chat about.

Until next time, 

Melanie