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October 24, 2010

Celebrating the Everyday with Rubina Design



As we wrap up our series on market solutions for community development, we speak with Kari Litzmann, founder of Rubina Design. A design company focused on “celebrating the everyday” through its lifestyle products, Rubina Design gives back a portion of its time, talent, and profits to help women entrepreneurs around the world. Read on to learn more about Kari’s inspiration and her hopes for Rubina Design!

What inspired you to start Rubina Design?

Kari_in_Studio_Cropped As a graphic designer, I have always been passionate about tapping into the power of design to create strategic solutions to help others. In 2005, when I was completing my Masters in Design Management at Pratt Institute, I was involved in a group thesis project that focused on how design and business practices could be utilized within microenterprises in impoverished communities to help alleviate poverty. Together, my team interviewed three organizations in three different countries: a microfinance organization in Honduras, an artisan-focused nonprofit in Mozambique, and a church in Pakistan, who were all working to build economic development initiatives within impoverished communities.

During the project’s research phase, my teammate and I traveled to the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan to interview the Church of Pakistan’s participants. As an institution serving a religious minority in a predominantly Muslim country, the church managed various initiatives to help local women build economically viable livelihoods. During my visit to the church’s sewing workshop in Nowshera, I met Rubina, a trainee eager to start her own business using the sewing skills she had recently acquired.

My meeting with Rubina was both poignant and inspiring. While I was struck by her determination, she faced numerous financial, cultural and logistical obstacles in achieving her dream. Over the next few years, I often thought about the lack of options for women like Rubina to overcome those barriers to build better lives for their families, and if there was any way to leverage my experience and resources to turn their lives around.

Last year, I established Rubina Design, a design company that incorporates entrepreneurial artisans like Rubina into my business model and supply chain as producers. To begin laying the groundwork of our mission as we build up resources and partners, we donate our time and design skills to nonprofit champions of women’s causes and a portion of our income directly to women entrepreneurs in developing countries through kiva.org. This first year has been about testing our market and understanding our customers’ needs to help us develop a sustainable model for working with Rubinas around the world.

Looking ahead, what are your plans for Rubina Design?

Nywse_rubina I am working with Pauline, one of my thesis collaborators and a designer at Macys, to create our first artisan collection for Rubina Design. Our goal is to create an array of urban lifestyle products that reflect the inspiration behind our company. The Rubina look will maintain the vibrancy and urban style of our very first line of goods, while adding the cultural essence and story of the women that crafted them.

Our next phase is to incorporate women artisans from developing countries into our supply chain as artists and producers, and help them develop sustainable businesses. Over the next few months our small team will to travel to several impoverished communities to meet with community leaders, learn their needs, understand their goals, and build partnerships to help them achieve those goals through design.

What lessons can you share from your experiences?

Being a social entrepreneur is a labor of love! It is a humbling experience to be patient, listen, network, seek advice, connect with those who have gone before, and let them help shape my business. Over the past year, I learned that the best-laid plans may not necessarily happen and that I have to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities. 

There has to be balance in the initiative as well. In addition to my full-time job as a graphic designer, I find myself playing the roles of visionary, fundraiser, marketer, designer and idea generator for Rubina Design. Pauline has been a wonderful collaborator, as she constantly reminds me of the Rubina brand and the need to balance passion and pragmatism. 

It is also important to be part of an encouraging network of women, such as NYWSE. I am constantly surprised and delighted by the number of people who are excited about the Rubina mission and are willing to contribute their time, money and effort.

Last but not least, Rubina’s story is the driving force behind my mission and efforts. Whenever I encounter an obstacle, I remind myself of the Rubinas in the world and continue to be inspired by their strength and perserverence.

If you could recommend a good read for aspiring social entrepreneurs such as yourself, which book would it be?

I love Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen, as I have been to Peshawar and can relate to his experiences in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. I am inspired by his humility, his connection to the people and his passion for achieving the extraordinary to improve the lives of others.

To learn more about Kari's product line and support women entrepreneurs in developing countries , visit http://www.rubinadesign.com

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