People often get caught up in fast paced lifestyles and do not slow down to take time to appreciate the little things in life. It is always a good reminder to take a break once in a while and count your blessings. Two young, fresh out of college entrepreneurs realized that people need this reminder when reflecting on their time spent in Costa Rica and seeing how the Costa Ricans lived with a spirit of gratitude for the simple things in life. This is how their company was born.
Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman went on a trip to Costa Rica to celebrate graduating college. During their time there, they met two artisans that made bracelets and asked them to make 400 bracelets for them to take home with so they could display them in a local boutique. The artisans agreed, and the bracelets ended up selling out of the boutique in only a few days. Seeing the huge opportunity, Griffin and Paul wanted to develop a company with the bracelets. Branching off their inspiration from the lifestyle that the Costa Ricans embraced, Griffin and Paul decided to create a movement around their grateful attitudes for the simple things in life. The Costa Ricans called this lifestyle “pura vida”, so that is what they named business. Griffin and Paul partnered with the artisans in Costa Rica to launch their business, and now their employees have expanded to artisans in El Salvador, India, and more in addition to Costa Rica. They now have over 800 employees for this business, and it is continuing to grow.
Not only are Griffin and Paul spreading an inspirational message with their bracelets and jewelry, but they are also giving back to communities in need. They are providing artisans with reliable and good paying jobs with positive work environments, neither of which they had in their previous jobs. In addition to this, they have partnered with hundreds of different charities and donated millions of dollars to important causes. This is no ordinary bracelet and jewelry company. Their passion and mission for this business is apparent, and it is an inspiration that they have such a heart to give back.
These entrepreneurs helped solve the problem of low wages and poor work conditions for hundreds of people in other countries while selling a product with meaning. They are clearly driven by wanting to help others, and they are succeeding in multiple ways. This makes them unique in the jewelry business because genuine giving hearts can be hard to find. I am inspired by their story, and I have learned that seizing an opportunity is sometimes all it takes to make a big impact.
Shop here: https://www.puravidabracelets.com/collections/all
I was very intrigued by this article because I have bought from Pura Vida before but I was not aware of the back story of the company. I think that it is interesting that their drive came from a culture that wasn’t theirs. This also shows that the men are promoting the work of others and their culture by selling products like those that they can make.
Pura Vida is a story to inspire. Other cultures have a lot to offer and Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman’s showing of conscious to slow down, connect with the locals and learn some of their culture is amazing. It also shows the importance, especially for entrepreneurs, to broaden our horizons and explore the world around us for more then just inspiration. Furthermore, experimenting by bringing 100 with them to sell shows that sometimes its if you have an idea the only way to know if it could work is to try it out!