A Reason to Celebrate

We live in an exciting moment in time! Today, more women than ever are powerfully stepping into the business world to further innovation, build community, preserve traditions and create lasting legacies. Whether they’re rising through the ranks, pursuing positions in fields previously closed off to them, or starting their own businesses, women are utilizing business as a tool to empower themselves and the world around them.

We were fascinated by what fuels women to push boundaries and write their own stories...so we went out and asked! When we spoke to these trailblazers about what inspired them to pursue their dreams we were struck by one common denominator - they were all driven by a desire to leave the world a little better off than they found it.

We’ve met incredible women around the world who have devoted their lives to empowering others through their unique businesses and in honor of International Women’s Day, we’ve partnered with Google to create a series of videos that celebrate the ways that women around the globe are harnessing the power of business to create a positive impact.

We’ve had the incredible opportunity to tell stories like that of Anna Fiscale, Founder of Progetto Quid. While working towards her degrees in International Relations and Political Sciences, Anna was drawn to causes that empower disenfranchised women across the world. Spending time volunteering and working abroad opened her eyes to the issues that women in her hometown of Verona face every day. Despite the beauty and wealth of history that Verona offers, many women are living on the fringes. Whether they are living below the poverty line, battling addiction, or struggling to reintegrate after being incarcerated, there are far too few opportunities for upward mobility. Anna found herself constantly thinking about how she could merge her studies and her innate desire to uplift marginalized women until she finally had her big “aha!” moment and Progett Quid was born. She decided to use her love of fashion to create a sustainable clothing company that employs and empowers disadvantaged women. Employees of Progetto Quid are given the training and support they need to succeed in and out of the workplace. Anna has found a way to create fantastic products with an even more incredible mission behind them.

Or the story of Natasha Case and Freya Estreller, the Co-founders of Coolhaus, who, in the midst of a fledgling relationship with each other, took a chance and bought an old beat up postal van that they turned into a makeshift ice cream truck. What began as young couple’s crazy dream and shared passion for ice cream, turned into a fleet of ice cream trucks, three scoop shops, and an internationally distributed ice cream brand! These two enterprising women believe that being an entrepreneur is a powerful way for women to live out their dreams and their success was fueled by a desire to pave the way for women in business. They are creating a better world by demonstrating that anything is possible, if you set your mind to it.

Or Fatima Alvarez, Co-founder of Someone Somewhere, who noticed that the traditions of the indigenous people of Mexico were quickly being forgotten. She figured out that the best way to preserve the traditional embroidery techniques of indigenous artisans in Mexico was to share them with a new generation. This realization led her to create products for millenials that utilize traditional design elements. Inspired by her passion for her culture and heritage, Fatima is creating a better world by building a business dedicated to preserving tradition.

The entire team at Xpedition is grateful for the opportunity to champion the successes of women around the world by sharing their inspiring stories. There’s nothing more rewarding than work that celebrates diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities to live out our dreams.

This International Women’s Day (March 8th), and every day, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating the ongoing achievements of women in business!