Today we’d like to introduce you to Chrissie Lam.
Hi Chrissie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got my start in the fashion industry when I was hired to forecast trends for companies like Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle Outfitters. For 12 years, I translated global trends into successful product lines that generated millions. But I wanted to do more. In 2008, I took a three months sabbatical from my job to volunteer in Rwanda, connecting creatives to causes, raising awareness and funds for nonprofits. While there, I realized that charity is not sustainable and that true empowerment is when people have jobs and can lift themselves up. I noticed disenfranchised artisans in markets and realized that I could help. They knew how to fish, it was just preparing the right type of fish and getting that fish to market that I could lend my talents and connections to. I left corporate for good in May of 2012 and moved to Kenya. There I worked with the Maasai tribe to create the original red LOVE bracelet. The idea was to create a product scalable and marketable to create more jobs.
Soon after, I took the first bracelet around the world with me and asked people in 50 countries what love meant to them and documented it on Instagram. I pitched the concept to my former employer and launched it in all their stores a few months later. I’ve always been a nomad with a passion for making people’s lives better through sustainable international fashion. I’ve traveled the world, visiting 104 (and counting) countries to share and capture stories of love and seek out new ways to make the world a little better. In 2017, I combined my LOVE of travel with my background in concept design and ethical sourcing to launch Love Is Project. We partner with female artisans around the world to create our unique LOVE bracelets. We believe that LOVE isn’t a luxury item, it’s a basic human right.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We’ve learned about digital marketing on the show to help other businesses avoid pitfalls and get their numbers ‘in the black’ sooner than later. We are not the only company struggling with this issue. Our online advertising was our achilles heel in the past, we paid our ‘tuition,’ we’ve turned a corner, and we won’t repeat our mistakes. Facebook and Instagram are moving targets and my best advice is to never get complacent. Keep researching and learning, and never put all of your marketing eggs in one basket (or platform)! My biggest challenge has been wearing too many hats and spreading myself too thin. For the first two-and-a-half years, I was responsible for all parts of the business including: product creation, marketing, sales, customer service, business development and operations. This was not sustainable. And without a business background in operations, accounting, finance or digital marketing, I had to learn on the fly.
In the beginning, we worked with various digital marketing agencies and fulfillment centers, which didn’t work out. We dealt with misspent budgets, incorrect campaign setups and massive mistakes like duplicate orders. We had to learn how each platform and marketing channel worked so we could better manage everyone. We are now working with agencies that are delivering profits, so we can scale. My strengths are my creativity, passion and resilience. I overcame these issues by using my problem-solving skills and being resourceful, by taking classes and finding coaches to learn from, evolving our brand and product offerings, and by tapping into my global network for help. Now, I’ve been able to delegate many of these tasks to others, which has freed me up to focus ON the business versus IN the business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Love Is Project is more than just jewelry. We create jobs for more than 2,100 female artisans in ten countries, supporting families, their children’s school fees and investing monetary proceeds toward various LOVE-packed projects. We give agency to our artisans to empower themselves. In addition, Love Is Project donates a portion of all proceeds to non-profit organizations. All of our bracelets are handmade with LOVE and reflect the pride and heritage of the artisan maker and the artisan’s home country. Celebrate diversity and share what LOVE means to you. After all, LOVE connects us all! We were just featured on ABC’s Shark Tank Jan 15th, 2021!
We’ve had celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Jeff Bridges, Brooke Shields, Ali MacGraw, Bella Thorne and the Creative Director of Gucci, Alessandro Michele, photographed wearing our Love bracelets—unsolicited by us. Over the years, Love Is Project has been featured on Good Morning America (11/2018, 3/2019), Today Show (2/2020), The View (3/2020), CNN (3/2019) and Univision. We’ve also been featured in Oprah Magazine (2/2019), Paris Vogue (6/20), Glamour Magazine, Refinery 29, InStyle Magazine, DestinAsian Magazine, Cathay Pacific in-flight magazine (9/19), Starter Story and Mission Meats podcast. In January 2020, I was excited to win NYNOW’s “best new product” for our photobook The Greatest Love Story Ever Told and our Spread the Love deck of cards. Love Is Project’s beaded Love dog collars were highlighted as one of “Oprah’s favorite V-day gifts” in her February 2019 magazine, and I was featured on Good Morning America on Women’s Entrepreneur’s Day (March 8, 2019). Also in 2019, I won “best new product” for our Mexico Corazon bracelet collection at NYNOW.
In 2018, I was a finalist for the Tory Burch Fellows Program. We, our artisans, and partner agencies all work from home. This helps to avoid a large factory footprint and cuts down on commuting time. For our artisans, they receive fair ethical wages for their region to be able to care for family and community. To them, every purchase means financial independence, water and food security, educational opportunities, access to healthcare, situational relief with programs like those developed around Covid-19, and so much more. When the pandemic hit, we developed a mask making program and began our LOVE Grows program to provide our artisans and those in their communities with food independence. We donate a portion of our profits to Black Lives Matter, Green School Bali, and It Gets Better Project. I love connecting people, creating and traveling. Love Is Project is a culmination of all these things. It is a labor of LOVE and an expression of me and the world.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love all the creativity in Los Angeles! The quirky and colorful designs, street art & backdrops, the hidden gems and interesting people. I’m a huge foodie too, so there are endless supply of diverse, healthy and delicious places to try. I’m a beach and ocean lover, so it’s big plus to have it so accessible… The traffic and air pollution is a deterrent for me.
Pricing:
- $15-50
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.loveisproject.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveisproject/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveisproject.co/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/l0veisproject
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOqNTWkCj-6AXDCztYSWaiw
Image Credits:
Chrissie Portrait – by Alanna Hale Kenya Maasai – by Georgina Goodwin Bali Indonesia Chrissie portrait – by Zissou Ecuador – by Martina Orska Guatemala – by Anna Watts
