Founder/CEO Shannon Keith
Nine years. Just shy of a decade. I am amazed at all that has happened here at International Princess™ Project since our inception back in 2006 when our first pair of PUNJAMMIES® was sewn. Our beginning was a simple one: 6 women employed in our first sewing center with plans for many, many more. One thing we knew back then was there was much to learn. We wanted our growth to be slow and sustainable because the women we employed were counting on it as a way to remain free from sex-slavery and would need to earn a steady income in order to work towards a better life.
And indeed, slow and steady, we have watched this beautiful endeavor mature into a company that to this day overwhelms and excites me.
Through the years we’ve been able to add multiple sewing center partners, employ hundreds more women, and see life change unfold, unleashing Freedom in ways that I could only dream of back in 2006. And now, as we embark upon our tenth year as an organization, I am once again amazed at the prospect of even more growth. The past 12 months have been an incredible time of planning and poising the company for the changes ahead. Changes that compel us to hone in with laser focus on the most effective way we as an organization can fulfill our mission of bringing freedom and life-saving opportunities to more women in India.
The journey thus far has indeed had its share of twists, turns, valleys and mountain tops. Through much learning about ourselves and the people we partner with, it has reinforced that we want to be a company who not only provides a stable, safe job to these brave women, but also exists to help empower anyone wishing to break a cycle of generational poverty. Doing so means the women who need it have access to transitional housing, education and medical services that might otherwise keep them trapped in a never-ending cycle.
But the big nagging question that continues to keep me up at night and is at the core of our discussions as a team is: “how can we help more women?”
Invariably the answer continues to be doing our absolute best to sell more products so that we can employ more women in search of dignified work. This means expansion. New freedom-filled products that allow people like YOU to purchase gifts and items that help grow this business and create demand for new jobs.
Offering you, our customers, partners, fellow world changers the best version of ourselves is our passion and my personal promise to you. So with that, I am over-the-moon excited to announce that we are indeed bringing our best to you this Spring: A new name, logo, website and new Spring prints that will make you swoon are all launching April 1st. For any of you worried about PUNJAMMIES®, they’re not going anywhere! They will continue to be a primary product we offer. But our overall company name will change in order to allow for more products that reach more people. In short- New name, Same BIG mission.
We’ve adored our current name and logo and they have both served us well for nearly a decade… we will always fondly remember our beautiful International Princess™ and consider her a life long friend. Just like the truthful saying my mother taught me goes: Make new friends and keep the old- One is silver and the other gold.