Podcasts about reflective jewelry

It’s Episode 200, and today’s guest is the one and only John Stillman, my husband! I knew for this episode I’d have to invite my special guest back to the show. His first appearance was Episode 100, and since my listeners loved it, I thought it was about time I brought him back for another interview! It’s hard to believe we are here at 200 episodes. It was a different time when I launched this show in the summer of 2016. I certainly didn’t think then about being at episode 200. We have some fun things planned including listener-submitted questions, a review of the top 10 episodes, and more! 4:31 – Kicking things off with the first user-submitted question which is actually a question that many of you asked: “What have things been like for us over the past few months?” We’re both self-employed. John has a financial advising business and media company and went from working in an office to working from home with me! During quarantine 2020, we’ve developed some habits and routines that John enjoys very much, especially getting Chipotle for lunch every Monday. We don’t know what we were doing on Saturdays before Covid-19, but we’ve finished a number of house projects that have been waiting for us to complete them and enjoyed leisurely prepared breakfasts and slow mornings. Since I’m working at home and home-schooling, implementing true rest on the weekends became important too, which led us to examine our Sabbath and really for the first time, intentionally carve out a time for rest on the weekends. John’s weeknight habits have changed too. He’s much less inclined to do any work on his laptop in the evenings, compared to when he was working all day in the office. He’s been more disciplined in keeping his workday confined to regular business hours because he’s already home all day. We both feel much more efficient, too. It’s been really nice to be home together. When John started returning to the office for half days, it was actually much harder than either of us thought it was going to be! The biggest adjustment for me has been recording podcasts at home. I usually go to the recording studio, but moving all of that into well, basically my closet, has been a big transition. 10:19 – User Submitted Questions, Let’s Dive into the Q&A! 10:40 – Question One: “What is your favorite quality about the other person?” 12:57 – Question Two: “John, you have edited nearly all of Molly’s podcasts episodes. Which one, or which ones have stood out to you. Do you have any particularly favorite interviews?” 14:12 – Question Three: “How do you build your business as a woman without losing your marriage?” 21:03 – We’re going to take a quick break from questions to recap the top 10 episodes of the first 200 of the Business With Purpose podcast! These are the most popular episodes based on the highest number of downloads + a few honorable mentions of my personal favorites: 21: 30, #10 –Episode 129: Chris Solt, Executive Director at Fair Trade Federation 21:47, #9 – Episode 149: Llenay Ferretti, Ten Thousand Villages & Bhava World Project 22:04, #8 – Episode 100: The 100th Episode Spectacular with Guest – My Husband! 22:22, #7 – Episode 110: How To Know If A Brand Is Ethical 22:41, #6 – Episode 139: Mark Choyt, Reflective Jewelry 24:04, #5 – Episode 136: Fair Trade Federation Conference Recap 24:26, #4 Episode 130: Solo Episode, So You Just Marie-Kondo’D Your Life? What to Do with All Those Things That Don’t Spark Joy 25:37, #3 Episode 137: Rebecca Smith, Better Life Bags 26:20, #2 Episode 135: Kat Eckles, Founder of Clean Juice 26:38, #1 Episode 71: Devan Kline & Morgan Kline, Founders of Burn Boot Camp 27:25, Honorable Mentions: These are some of my all-time favorites in no particular order: 27:36 Episode 165, Santiago, “Jimmy” Mellado, Compassion International President & CEO 28:03 – Episode 115, Antonio T. Smith Jr., From Living In A Dumpster to Self-Made Millionaire 28:32 – Episode 101: Barrett Ward, Founder & CEO of ABLE 28:59 – Episode 155: Sharon Hodde Miller, Author, Speaker, Theologian 29:34 – Episode 124: Leon Lee, Founder of Flying Cloud Productions, Producer of “Letters From Masanjia” 29:41 – Episode 153: Comedian Kevin Fredericks, Aka @kevonstage 30:56 – Back to your questions! The first one is for John: “Do you ever feel like a #instagramhusband ? 35:13 – “Do you have any first steps or resources for couples to get on the same page financially before marriage?” 37:49 – “Do you think couples should combine their finances?” 40:43 – “Where do you see the other person in 10 years” 41:53 – I loved that someone asked us the question I ask all my guests: “What does it mean to you to run a business with purpose?” 46:40 – My answer to “What does it mean to you to run a business with purpose?” Thank you for the support that all of you have given me. I truly would not be doing this if not for you being on this journey with me. For those who’ve left comments, I appreciate it so much! If you want to leave a review, it is much appreciated and helps me know how the show is helping you. Subscribing and sharing is also incredibly helpful. Thank you for being a part of this community and learning more about doing something with purpose, on purpose with me! If you’re not a member of the “Purchase with Purpose” Facebook group, it’s a great place to ask questions and learn more about fair trade and ethical fashion. Here’s to 200 episodes and here’s to you! Thank you for your questions and thank you John for joining me!

Ethical issues surrounding the jewelry industry are often vague and misunderstood. Movies like Blood Diamond examine these problems, but we need to go deeper to fully understand the ethical issues surrounding gold and diamond purchases. Marc Choyt is the president of Reflective Jewelry. He joins us to answer all of your questions on ethical jewelry and show you how your jewelry purchases impact lives around the world. Things You Don't Want To Miss: Meet Today's Guest 1:25 - Marc Choyt is the president of Reflective Jewelry, the first and only Fairtrade certified gold jewelry in the United States. He initiated the first ethical jewelry blog in 2006 which eventually evolved into Fair Jewelry Action, a human rights and environmental justice network. The Marc 101 3:20 - Marc's wife was a self-taught jeweler. In 1995, he started driving around the country and trying to sell her handiwork. At the time, he was also funding ecological preservation, and an epiphany in his preservation efforts gave him new awareness to the ecological harm brought about by gold mining in other areas of the world. He wants the sourcing of his material to match the symbolism behind his jewelry. A Lack Of Information   6:20 - The average consumer doesn't know much about the sourcing of gold and gemstones. We've heard about conflict diamonds, but that's about it. Marc explains the narrowness of the definition given to conflict diamonds. 9:10 - In the 80s and 90s, millions of people were killed in wars funded by diamonds. However, nobody has been held accountable for the decisions to fund those wars. 10:25 - Marc explains the issues surrounding the term "conflict free." Where Are Gold And Diamonds Sourced? 13:09 - Marc explains the difference in large and small-scale mining. Basically, 80 percent of the gold supply chain comes from large-scale mining operations. However, small-scale mining operations involve 90 percent of gold labor, and small-scale mining operations are often dangerous and exploitive. 16:36 - Gold comes from veins running under the earth as well as on the surface. It runs in all kinds of situations. 17:39 - Diamonds aren't as widely concentrated as gold. Diamond resources tend to come from Canada, Russia, and South Africa. Asking Questions Leads To Change 20:08 - "Mine Your Own Gemstone" shops are prevalent tourist locations, especially in the mountains of North Carolina. The idea is you get a bucket of dirt, and you sift through the mud to look for stones. These businesses claim these stones are locally sourced, and many times they are. However, you need to know where your materials are coming from. Asking questions leads to change. Question Your Jewelers 23:08 - Different mining operations involve different levels of toxicity. Some operations are relatively harmless, but others involve dangerous levels of mercury. 24:00 - Ask your jewelers where their resources are coming from. The term "conflict free" is misleading, and it only scratches the surface of the issues surrounding gold and diamond mining. 26:45 - We need to focus our energy on change that impacts the small-scale miner. Certain purchases don't actually make a difference, and we need to focus on impacting the lives of small-scale miners. Fair Trade Versus Fairtrade 31:50 - "Fair Trade" refers to the broader movement where organizations source products from artisan communities. The idea is that your business or organization is directly connected to the community, and therefore, your customers' purchases directly impact the lives of those who are making them. 33:09 - The term "Fairtrade" is trademarked by an organization out of Bonn, Germany. It's called Fairtrade International, and the organization conducts audits and provides certifications to small-scale gold mining operations. The organization ensures companies are upheld to a high standard of ethical practices. 34:52 - If you're a jeweler working with metals and gems, you need to begin the process of determining where your source material is being produced. The Problem With Purchasing Lab Created Diamonds   38:00 - The lab created diamond industry is up-and-coming. Millennials especially like them because they typically cost a fraction of the price of dug diamonds. However, buying lab created diamonds doesn't address the issues associated with small-scale diamond producers. Start Small  45:30 - Whenever we talk about shopping ethically, listeners tend to get overwhelmed. After all, it's a tricky task to totally overhaul your lifestyle and buying habits. Remember, change starts with baby steps. You don't have to completely revamp your wardrobe overnight. Instead, slowly change your buying habits. Find one ethically-made product you like, and start there. Think of it like a diet. You don't get in shape overnight. It takes time, and you have to be patient as you're going through the process. A Change Of Heart  49:00 - The process of pursuing social justice starts with aligning your heartfelt values with economic decisions. It's not always easy to do that, and it requires you ask questions along the way. A Memorable Moment: "This process is about aligning our heartfelt values with our economic decisions." - Marc Choyt To visit the Business With Purpose website, click the link:

It's Thanksgiving and that means it's Thankscycling time! The Earth911 team gathers around the table to enjoy a sustainable family day of simple swaps for a healthy Thanksgiving.Sarah Lozanova explains seven Thank-worthy DIY decorations and Trey Granger explains how to recycle cooking oil. Evelyn Fielding-Lopez talks 12 ideas to reduce or eliminate food waste on Thanksgiving, and Mitch Ratcliffe explores his memories of deep-fried Turkey. We also discuss recent Earthling surveys and new innovator interviews with Chris Wilke of Puget Sound Keepers, who are fighting for better regulation of cattle-feeding operations in Washington state, and Marc Choyt of Reflective Jewelry, a pioneer of the fair trade jewelry industry. And, as always, we have Earthling questions and answers. This week, we look at recycling hair and waxed cardboard boxes.

It's Thanksgiving and that means it's Thankscycling time! The Earth911 team gathers around the table to enjoy a sustainable family day of simple swaps for a healthy Thanksgiving.Sarah Lozanova explains seven Thank-worthy DIY decorations and Trey Granger explains how to recycle cooking oil. Evelyn Fielding-Lopez talks 12 ideas to reduce or eliminate food waste on Thanksgiving, and Mitch Ratcliffe explores his memories of deep-fried Turkey. We also discuss recent Earthling surveys and new innovator interviews with Chris Wilke of Puget Sound Keepers, who are fighting for better regulation of cattle-feeding operations in Washington state, and Marc Choyt of Reflective Jewelry, a pioneer of the fair trade jewelry industry. And, as always, we have Earthling questions and answers. This week, we look at recycling hair and waxed cardboard boxes.

Marc Choyt, the founder of Reflective Jewelry, talks with Earth911 about fair trade jewelry. He recently published an extensive and critical expose on the ethical jewelry business. Sustainable and humane metal and gem mining has caught on in Europe, notably in the U.K, but has been slow to establish itself in the United States. Learn what questions to ask when buying precious metal, diamonds, and other gems to ensure that the people who produce the raw materials are able to lead safe and increasingly prosperous lives. Choyt explains the persistent presence of diamonds and gems produced under slavery conditions in war zones. If you are interested in making your jewelry a statement about your values, learn what to look for when shopping. Seeking out fair trade gold helps families and small communities while industrial gold mining is a source of mercury pollution and causes environmental damage.

Marc Choyt, the founder of Reflective Jewelry, talks with Earth911 about fair trade jewelry. He recently published an extensive and critical expose on the ethical jewelry business. Sustainable and humane metal and gem mining has caught on in Europe, notably in the U.K, but has been slow to establish itself in the United States. Learn what questions to ask when buying precious metal, diamonds, and other gems to ensure that the people who produce the raw materials are able to lead safe and increasingly prosperous lives. Choyt explains the persistent presence of diamonds and gems produced under slavery conditions in war zones. If you are interested in making your jewelry a statement about your values, learn what to look for when shopping. Seeking out fair trade gold helps families and small communities while industrial gold mining is a source of mercury pollution and causes environmental damage.

Our guest this week is Marc Choyt.  Marc is the co-Founder of Reflective Jewelry and one of the leading activists for fair trade jewelry in North America. Marc works on marketing and publicity for the company (like the websites), strategic planning, and the like.  He also focuses on their supply chain, seeking ways to create jewelry that has exceptional environmental and ethical sourcing standards. Marc is also the author of The Ethical Jewelry Exposé, a new guide that explores the history of misrepresentations in the jewelry industry that seeks to hide the fact that millions of people have died in conflicts financed by precious gems and metals and great environmental and social harm continues to happen despite the narrative mainstream jewelers branding themselves as "ethical" and "responsible". . Thanks for listening!  And if you'd like to be part of a dynamic social impact entrepreneur community, check out the Awarepreneurs Community.