Looking for the perfect gift for an important client? Consider the gift that gives back.
Visit kiva.org for micro-loan options that align with your values and mission.
Throughout the year you may be confronted with the conundrum of what to send a client, customer, or networking connection as a meaningful gift. The landscape of gift-giving is getting trickier, as we want to respect the environment, healthy living choices, and value system of our clients.
Is a bouquet of flowers, gift card, or fruit basket really supporting your and your client’s values? Perhaps yes — and we particularly love the gifts we receive that support the female entrepreneur and business owner.
At Tiara International, we have decided to annually make donations in the names of our clients for causes that we support. We look for global causes to support our international mission. We look for mission-driven organizations that align with our purpose. We look for direct outcomes to align with our own focus on applied results.
One of our continued gifts we give is investing in women-owned business through micro-lending made possible by Kiva.
At Tiara, our fundamental belief is all women are leaders. For us, the term “leader” is not a position in a company or a title on a business card. Women are leaders when they lead and influence their lives, their families, their communities, and their companies. This is why it makes perfect sense to us to invest in women-owned-business, particularly in countries and communities where a small loan can make be a tremendous turning point for the business.
Over the past several years we have made close to 100 different loans in 28 different countries. We have helped women purchase sewing machines, livestock, seeds for farming, inventory, products for resale, and much more. We choose to invest in micro-loans to support as many women-owned businesses in as many countries as we can. With the systems and support provided by Kiva, we are impressed to say that not one, single loan has ever defaulted. The women business owners receiving these loans have repaid 100% — enabling us to use that repayment to fund more micro-loans.
When giving gifts, consider using your value system and your client’s mission as an opportunity to give back. If your mission is similar to ours, there are many ways to use your gift-giving to empower women. Even large companies like Unilever are doing it, and studies continue to reveal that we need to intentionally keep focused on gender equity to create the world we imagine.
Elizabeth Ruske
Elizabeth Ruske brings all aspects of her background and expertise to her work. This includes marketing, sales, business development, client services, strategic partnering, coaching, consulting and leadership development.
