Solid Gold Values And The Venus For Restart Collection

When I started mazi + zo, my jewelry company, I focused on creating beautiful jewelry for people who care about style, original design, and quality. It was also important to me to use sustainable materials, handcraft our product, and do it here in NYC. I didn’t, however, expect to weave in my broader political values as well, but that’s how things have turned out!
Back in 2020, when nothing felt more important than engaging in election news, Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” organization selected our VOTE necklace to help raise money to promote voter participation. It felt great to raise more money than I could afford to donate personally (the small biz struggle is real) and it was a thrill to see photos of people all over the country wearing our necklace–everyone from Stacy London to Monica Lewinsky to Kara Swisher has one!
My experience with the VOTE necklace taught me that I *can* make a difference and I’m ready to do it again: Along with the majority of the USA, I am enraged that the highest court of our country has determined that people cannot choose for themselves when or if to have a child. In 2019, poet laureate Amanda Gorman expressed the importance of standing up for reproductive freedom better than I ever could, opening with “ When the penalty for rape is less than the penalty for abortion after the rape, you know this isn’t about caring for women and girls. It’s about controlling them.”

Reproductive rights are human rights, and this decision impacts men, too.

Juliana Kim wrote for NPR about why overturning Roe v. Wade is tragic for our whole society, and not just a women’s issue. Notably, she referenced a study by Dr. Bethany Everett at the University of Utah which “found that young men who were involved with a pregnancy and whose partners had an abortion were nearly four times more likely to graduate from college than those whose partners gave birth.”
I want to help the people who are tragically affected by the laws being passed all over the country, and I want to have as big of an impact as possible!
This time around, I’ve partnered with Stix, another women-founded company. Stix provides doctor-approved products related to pregnancy, ovulation, UTIs, yeast infections, and emergency birth control (aka the morning-after pill.) That last one, Stix calls their product Restart™, is clutch right now, when people in many states are being denied access to the morning-after pill. The amazing founders at Stix have committed to providing Restart™ free of charge to people who need it, no questions asked. It’s easy: people in need fill out a form on getstix.com and Stix ships it out in a generic package so no one can guess what’s inside. This is a literal lifesaver.
These tests aren’t free to provide, though. So to help them continue to provide this service, Stix established the RestartTM Donation Bank, where anyone can donate to defray the costs of distributing this critical health care.

Want to help?

As a sign of my support for reproductive rights, I’ve been wearing mazi + zo’s minimalist Venus sign jewelry which represents a goddess deified as a warrior, lover, and “bringer of victory.” And when I explained the significance to others, I had an “a ha!” moment and knew exactly what to do:
I’m using those designs to support Stix’s efforts: When you buy any piece from our gorgeous Venus for Restart™ collection, mazi + zo funds a dose of Restart™. The delicate Venus pieces include a charm necklace, stud earrings, and (my favorite,) threader earrings. Like all of our jewelry, each piece is available in sustainable solid 14k gold or pure .925 sterling silver, is handmade in NYC, and ships in our signature reusable tin.
So you can shop, shine, and help someone in need receive the urgent health care they deserve. That’s gonna feel good. You can also donate directly to the program here.
Thank you for supporting the RestartTM Donation Bank and sharing our solid gold (and sterling silver!) values. You’ll look great in our Venus threader earrings, necklaces, and studs and they make great gifts, too.

About The Author

Lizzy Klein lives in NYC and is the founder of mazi + zo, a company that makes jewelry that ups your personal style with original, high-quality, easy-to-wear, easy-to-layer designs. Shop mazi + zo and find your next favorite jewelry!

Give Back As A Family: Involve your kids in the non-profit community.

As a Mom and a supporter of the non-profits community, it’s important for me to show my kids the importance of giving back and how our actions, both large and small, can impact our communities. After working for a Kansas City based non-profit HALO for many years, it became clear that many people contributing a little can go a long way. It’s also a good way to get your kids to think bigger.

 

We also have mixed our non-profit careers with our family life. My husband is the Founder and Executive Director of Boys Grow. Boys Grow is a youth farming program in Kansas City, Missouri. Teenage boys in Kansas City get hired to work on the farm. In addition to earning a paycheck, they learn important life skills, farming and culinary experience, public speaking and business knowledge. It also serves as a mentorship program and the boys develop a brotherhood and pride in working together to grow food. On the farm my kids get the opportunity to see first hand how the daily effort we make adds up and makes a huge impact.  We also get to see how much hard work goes into growing food, and how hard work can result in very sweet results.

 

Ways to help involve your kids involved in the non-profit community and giving back.

 

Act of Kindness

Choose one act of kindness to do with your child on a regular basis. This could be daily, weekly or monthly. Whatever you choose. It could be something really simple- like making a meal for someone, petting the cat, helping someone pick up, making a piece of art for someone, sending a little note in the mail. Whatever it is- it’s a good way to get your child thinking about others and expressing compassion and empathy.

 

Volunteer for a local non-profit together.

There are lots of volunteer opportunities kids can help with. HALO is a Kansas City based non-profit that has a specific opportunity for kids to get involved called ClubHALO. Lots of other non-profits offer youth & adult volunteer opportunities and will cater to your schedule and availability.

Donate gently used toys, clothes and supplies that kids no longer play with.

Involve your kids in picking out toys that they no longer need or want. Letting them know they can brighten someone else’s day by sharing them with someone in need.

 

Collect school supplies, art supplies or other needed supplies and donate to local charities.

Many charities will list out high need items and drop off locations and times, making it super simple to contribute.

 

Support local businesses- when choosing to buy something from a big box store, chain or online meca vs. a locally owned business

Teach your little ones to choose the locally owned business. Let them come in the shop with you and they may even get to meet the owner. Explain to them the difference between a chain and a locally owned shop and how making even small purchases can make a difference.

 

Get kids out of their comfort zone by trying out new activities, outings and events.

Bringing your kids to a local farm to pick fruit or see where their food comes from is a great way to expand their horizon if it’s an experience they’ve never had before.

About The Author

Lacy Gordon is a Mom and photographer at Photostreamkc. Motherhood helps her better navigate the challenges of photographing little ones in family photo shoots, and also fuels her passion for capturing special moments, especially candid moments that include Moms. You can find her here.

Simple yet Superb Marketing Ideas for your Business

You can be the one to create marketing opportunities for businesses of all types and sizes. This month, many customers are preparing to shop, enjoy the holidays, and spend quality time with their families. So it’s important to increase your marketing efforts to address the unique needs of people this season.

Start by identifying your target group, and then tailor your marketing message to that audience. Ensure your company’s website is aligned with the right marketing efforts. Also, be sure to come up with innovative marketing ideas, so you can stand out from the pack. Here are simple yet great ideas for marketing your business: 

 

1.      Send a Holiday Greeting to Your Customers

You can commence your marketing efforts by sending a personalized holiday greeting or short newsletter to all your customers. Countless bulk email services are available online, so creating and sending a personalized message to your whole customer base won’t be a problem. You may incorporate ads specific to this time of the year into your greeting. For such ads, you might want to partner with a digital marketing agency, such as SEO services in New Jersey that can do it for you. After all, they are experts in this job and your customers will definitely be impressed.

 

2.      Start a Coupon Program

Any month may be the ideal month to start a coupon program for your company. Start by creating a coupon brochure that features all sales offers available throughout the month, and then mail it to your customers. For instance, a triple-fold coupon brochure may feature weekly deals specific to Thanksgiving, from food items to wine. On top of food-related items, the brochure could also feature bargains on any kind of family-oriented products like furniture, electronics, or cars.

 

3.      Take Advantage of the Black Friday Craze

Black Friday is undoubtedly the largest shopping day of the year. It usually happens a day after the Thanksgiving holiday in the US in November. For the last three decades, the Black Friday bandwagon has defined the American holiday season. But thanks to widespread Internet access, it’s now a global phenomenon. As a business, you can gain from Black Friday by not only saving on business purchases but also raking in some extra income from your own sales. Consider buying in bulk so that you can pass some of the cost-saving to your customers in the form of discounts and freebies.

 

4.      Participate in Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday is another big shopping day that can benefit your business in November. Select a few offers and deals to run on this day. Provide shoppers with a fast and affordable payment method by integrating click funnels PayPal into your online store’s page.

If you don’t have a website for your brick-and-mortar store, you can still benefit from Cyber Monday by running promotions on your social media channels. You can also run them on paid social platforms or you might seek help from an SEO consultant  who will do that for you. One option is to give a specific deal to a few of your most loyal customers on Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media account that you have built a presence.

 

5.      Host After-hours Events

Hosting an after-hours event is a surefire way to attract evening shoppers who prefer getting their shopping done after work. Open longer than usual at least once or twice a week. Alternatively, host a unique shopping event with the best local DJ, seasonal snacks and drinks, and a variety of great deals.

 

6.      Give Back to the Local Community

Giving back offers you a real opportunity to nurture and strengthen bonds as well as engage your customers. Identify a local charity or cause you can support with your products or services. You can provide a discount to shoppers who bring in a donation like non-perishable foods or clothing. You can also partner with a non-profit organization that requires what your business has to offer and provide them with the support they need to increase their efforts. For instance, if you operate a restaurant business, you can team up with a food bank.

 

The Bottom Line

There are many simple yet excellent marketing ideas for your business. You just need to be creative and come up with ideas that will help you take advantage of the momentous consumer activities at this time of the year. The above 6 marketing ideas would be a fantastic place to start.

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About The Author

Freya is a Math teacher, Yoga enthusiast, and a beloved mother of three lovely daughters. She is always looking for ways to grow and help others around her thrive through self-learning, meditation, and physical fitness. When she is not teaching or spending time with her family, Freya regularly writes on topics related to self-improvement and women empowerment.

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