Katy Leakey Interview (Part Four)

Katy Leakey Interview (Part Four)

by Niki

The finale of the interview with Katy Leakey, founder of the Leakey Collection. Covering an exploration of the principles of fair trade, a little business advice, and an awe-inspiring dream for the future.

I recently spoke with Katy Leakey, founder and owner of the Leakey Collection, for the final segment of an interview hosted by Shopping for a Change. To remind you, the Leakey Collection is an organization that operates in Kenya, and sells natural, African-made, sustainable jewelry and handcrafted products to a global market. Its principle goal is to give economic opportunities to local communities in Kenya, especially to women.

What does it mean for a company to truly embody the principles of fair trade?

Before I talked to Katy Leakey, I thought “fair trade” just meant that the buyer gave the seller his/her money’s worth for a product – in other words, no cheating in an exchange of goods. Though I had the gist of the concept, the degree to which companies such as the Leakey Collection go to ensure that “fair trade” is carried out astounded me. Here are Katy’s thoughts on the principles of fair trade:

“There are three basic tenets of fair trade…

1)   The Living Wage: It’s relative to the area in which work operation is set up. We make sure that the person working in an average week is able to feed and clothe their families, and have basic medical attention. Even for American families, that’s a lot.

2)   Protect Workers’ Rights: The company works with the employees to set prices, schedule working hours, etc. We always consult our workers to make sure they approve of our decisions.

The Zulugrass Single Strand Necklace, like all
of the Leakey Collection's products,
 abides by all of the fair trade principles.

3)   Give Back to the Community: This one’s optional, but we do it anyway. We believe the company has the responsibility to build infrastructure, schools, etc. – and strengthen the community that works for them.

And, recently, a fourth tenet has been added as well: The Environment.  Your company agrees that the work it does isn’t detrimental to the environment.”

I can only imagine how much improved the average quality of life would be if every company in the world embodied these principles of fair trade. Hats off to the Leakey Collection.

Did you make any mistakes along the way?

I was surprised to find that the advice coming from a Kenyan organization working to improve local women’s quality of life was what I would expect from any ordinary store or business: “Check with customers to see whether they want to buy it.” But, then again, “A business is a business.” The Leakey Collection engages not only in marketing, but also in communication with their costumers, especially through Facebook. If you ever plan to start a business with a consumer market, take an expert’s advice to be sure that you “communicate” with customers, and that your “products speak correctly” to them.

What are your goals for the Leakey Collection?

“I had a dream,” said Martin Luther King Jr. Most of us do. But only a few have a selfless dream like Katy Leakey’s – a dream to make a difference. When I asked Katy about her goals for the future of the Leakey Collection, she immediately responded that “We would like – love – to be big champions of fair trade around the world.” The Leakey Collection is already a “big champion” of fair trade, but Katy wanted to spend even “more time on being international proponents of fair trade – spreading the word and carrying the banner.” If that dream is not inspiring enough, Katy’s second goal for the Leakey Collection is to “expand developing systems, modular systems, that other countries could use” She talks about the “possibility of writing programs for schools” that would help train in business endeavors so that others can replicate her work in the future.

Overall, I found the experience of speaking with Katy both awe-inspiring and educational. Always pursue your dream.

Hi, I’m Niki, and I’m an intern this summer at Shopping for a Change! I’m a rising junior in high school, with a passion for singing and playing the piano. So far, I’ve had a great experience working, learning about marketing, reading inspiring stories, conducting interviews, and now blog-writing. Hope you enjoyed reading the installments of the interview!