The Bottom of the Barrel.

"Do you know what you've come to? You've come to the bottom of the barrel, honey. These people are the last people anyone would pick for their team."   I don't know many people who would be excited to hear those words about the new recruits for their business or team, but we were.

 It seems our dream is coming true. Meetings and time with the people at a place called Friendship Mission is proving to be something that was divinely designed a long time ago. We are in awe at the way it's all coming together-not to mention a little scared.

The short of it is this: During the past few months, we have been thinking seriously about what it would look like for us to come to a place within R-I where we were ready to do the thing we exist to do: create opportunities. The desire was there, but the timing was something we wanted to be wise about. The difficult part has been to consider that our intention is not to just "do" something to "do" something. We realize these are lives we are dealing with. Individual lives of people who come from places and have stories we could never imagine. We want to be intentional and specific, and most of all prayerful about the way we proceed. It's not about us. The bottom of line is transformation. And we want to make sure we make room for that to happen!

So here's where we are: We are in the process of training women who live at Friendship Mission to manufacture G.E.A.R. There is SO much happening that we have to admit we are all a little overwhelmed!

We want to invite you to join us in this journey. The story that is being written and the small part R-I is playing is humbling and exciting! The best part is you're a part of it too. Know this: This is so much more than you or me. It is HUGE. It is beyond us and is reaching into places and lives we never dreamed it would. There is nothing more beautiful or humbling than to realize you are but a small player in a grand Story.

The time is now!

It's Happening! High Point Market Week

We've been waiting awhile to start blogging about our latest happenings so we can get you the scoop on all things R-I, but things have been crazy! The time is now...and we are ready to jump on in!

This past weekend, Kellie and Kathie were in High Point, NC for the High Point Market Week.
Designers and buyers from all over the world converged to display their beautiful exhibits featuring the best of the best! There was even a flashmob!

R-I had the opportunity, by a strand of what only can be described as divine appointments, to share space with Paragon, a framed art company in Albertville, AL. You can view their website here.
G.E.A.R. was positioned in Paragon's showroom as if it was a showcase item and was extremely well received. It was more than a hit and was observed as a beautiful, fun, colorful, interesting, fresh and sustainable design! From designers to buyers all who looked at G.E.A.R. were impressed and we are excited to say R-I has a presence in stores across the country. We even sold to a store in Amman, Jordan! We worked with designers and will have our pillows, accent trays, and boards in some gorgeous new homes. Kellie is thrilled that after months of planning, designing and even a few "dumpster dives" something she designed will be a part of somebody's home! What a privilege!

The top news from the weekend is "GEAR is official!" From Nantucket to L.A., Portland to Orlando and places in between we will be shipping to stores all over the country in the coming weeks. Designers and sellers were amazed by the products and wanted to know how they could be involved...incredible!
For the next 6 weeks things are going to be a bit crazy! Kellie is busy cutting and we are working on getting production together. We are working to be able to use the GEAR production process to provide jobs for women...the details are still being worked out, but stay tuned for developments! This, dear friends, is the bottom line for us...changed lives and opportunity!

The time is now. Come Re-invent with us!

Welcome!

Welcome to our little corner of cyberspace! We're glad you found us and are excited to launch our blog in the coming months. We'll be "going live" early this Fall and we are eager to share with you what it means to Re-Invent and to invite you to be a part of helping us establish permanent changes in some of the most vulnerable places in the world and here at home in new, innovative ways. We should go ahead and let you know...this is not business as usual!

To fill in some blanks and let you in on what we're about...Re-Invention is a for-benefit company committed to creating opportunity through social enterprise. We believe the only way to stop perpetuating the cycle of poverty is by creating opportunities. Opportunities for sustainable businesses, sustainable communities and ultimately, lives. We are passionate about freedom and desire to extend it to those held captive by the chains of poverty and those suffering the many forms of exploitation poverty brings.

| The Re-Invention Team |