Meet Amber Solomon, Marketing Advocate for GOEX

Amber models Fair Trade

I recently met Amber Solomon through social media, and more specifically through Twitter. It seems we're two of the most active Fair Trade Federation members "working" Twitter.  From this a  friendship has blossomed. Amber is the Marketing Advocate for GOEX, another proud FTF member.  Recently GOEX and Dunitz & Company collaborated on a social media marketing campaign for Mother's Day. I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here. I asked Amber if she was willing to have me interview her for our blog. She said yes. That means we'll hear a bit more from her about this campaign.  Frankly, she was the brains behind it.  We all can learn a lot from this social media maven.

Keep reading here for the interview.

NANCY: You seem to be an integral player at GOEX. Can you tell me a bit more about this company you work for and what you position is there?

Helping Children in Haiti

AMBER: GOEX Apparel is a fair trade, sustainable apparel company and the marketplace initiative of The Global Orphan Project. GOEX's purpose is to use a simple tee to connect the consumer and the maker. GOEX customers sustain fair wage jobs that liberate families from poverty and empower them in their families and communities.  GOEX values high service, high quality, excellent design and integrity.

As a Market Advocate, I act as the person with the megaphone on the soapbox.  If there's a way I can get GOEX's name out, I find it and then do it.  Through marketing, social media, event management, promotions and partnerships I let the masses know "we're here!" I advocate!

 

NANCY: Were you a fair trade advocate before joining the GOEX team, or has working at GOEX turned you into one?

GOEX Cardigans

AMBER: I actually knew very little about the world of fair trade before working at GOEX.  Prior to  GOEX, I had worked in the entertainment industry.  Working at GOEX has changed my perspective and my life. I am now very much an advocate for ethical consumerism.  That will never change and I am happy about the journey that's brought me here.

 

 

 

 

 

NANCY: Was there one event in your life that propelled you to work at and in a fair trade business?

AMBER: I like to think fair trade found me. I was laid off from my job in the movie theater industry due to COVID-19. It was a terrifying time for me but I took the opportunity to sit down and think about exactly what I wanted from life.  I quickly recognized that I am a person who desires purpose and that purpose, to me is more than cutting a check to a cause. I need to be out there making the change, being the change.

NANCY: I always thought I had a jump on social media.  After working with you on our joint Mother's Day campaign, I realize there is so much more to learn.  Can you share just a bit about what exactly that campaign was? You had me "take over" your accounts for a day and honestly, I still don't get quite how that works.

AMBER: Sure! At GOEX, we work to sustain fair wage jobs that keep families together.  I thought what better way for families to empower others than to expose people to fair trade products.  As part of the bundle, I wanted to dive into what it means to be a working mom in Fair Trade worlds, showcase the work that working moms do, and show that the contributions that mothers' make to our world is vital. I wrote a blog about women in fair trade and another about some working moms of GOEX, educated out subscribers through email and social media posts, in addition to the awesome Instagram takeover. (GOEX Instagram, DUNITZ Instagram The Instagram Takeover means I posted and provided stories on the GOEX account that spoke to our collaboration. Truth be told, those posts looked like they came from me. Amber did all the work. I do not have their passwords!)

NANCY: If you'd like, you can brag about the fair trade bundle we put together for the collaboration. 

 

Mother's Day Bundle

AMBER: From the laser cut earrings (has an vintage botanical image of dahlias) provided by Shop Dunitz & Company, to the cardigans and tees made by our makers, so many working mothers touched that product before these bundles met their final destinations. I mean, what a great story, right? Someone buys a Fair Trade product for their mother. That purchase in turn empowers another mother. That's IMPACT! 

 

 

 

 

NANCY: For a small fair trade business, do you have a best recommendation for where or what they should focus on in the social media realm?

GOEX on Twitter

AMBER: The world of social media is at a very exciting point in it's evolution, in my opinion. You have the Metaverse, the new Twitter, TikTok all empowering people to become stars. What a time to be alive! My advice to small fair trade businesses is to find where your audience is and meet them there. Also, don't be afraid to make videos. Even just a zoom in on one product or service you offer is a great for the frustrating world of algorithms.  Go beyond the sales pitch. Remind your followers that there are indeed people behind the logos and the add to cart buttons.  People want to know who you are and what you stand for. Show them.

NANCY: Tease us! Do you have a favorite item from GOEX that you wear on your own time?

 

Woman Up Hoodie

AMBER: Yes! I LIVE in GOEX cardigans and the Woman Up Weekender Hoodie.  I have a cardigan in almost every color. The Woman Up Weekender hoodie is the best to sit back with a cup of tea and play video games or watch movies.

 

 

 

 

 

NANCY: And I know you've been browsing the Dunitz Collection recently. Maybe you're lusting for one of our designs? Which one might that be?

AMBER: I'm a sucker for all things Virgo and butterflies. Your

Virgo & Monarchs

ceramic Virgo earrings and the Monarch laser cut stud earrings are saved to my wish list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NANCY: Anything else you want to share with me today?

AMBER: Thank you so much for working with me and with GOEX. I am a firm believer that collaboration is greater than competition and together we can make the world better. (Are we two peas from the same pod?)

--end of interview--

This was such a fun collaboration. I adore connecting with others that believe collaboration over competition is the way to go. You might think that most fair traders feel the same. I've learned over the years this often is not the case. Human nature kicks in and many small businesses and their owners are more concerned about protecting their turf and don't want to promote others.  I already knew that this was not the case with Amber. Did I mention that we met through Twitter? (Yes!) She's one of the few fair traders I know who actually re-tweets what I share. Bravo for Amber.  Bravo for GOEX Apparel. 

Here's my pitch for GOEX.  You know you wear tee-shirts and sweatshirts. Why not buy ethical? Check out the GOEX site and you're bound to find a gift for you and everyone in your household. 

And after you've found that new shirt, consider the jewelry you'll wear with it. Dunitz & Company, with our fair trade jewelry from Guatemala is always ready to decorate your ears, neck and wrist. -ND