In the realm of importing goods from far off lands, you would never think a simple thing like a shell could cause a commotion. Now, I have a broker, and a really good one too. Remember, when starting a new business, make sure you get a good group of people around that are experienced in their profession around you. I knew from the start that dealing with customs and all the paperwork would take someone with a lot more experience than me! My broker loved to tell me this story about a person that owned a beautiful antique piano. It required repair and the only place for the repair was back in Germany. So it went. Upon its arrival, the beautiful piano was held up in customs because the keys were made of ivory. Now, each time my broker was telling me this story, you would think it might dawn on me that in my order coming from Peru are these beautiful earrings made of shell, you know mussel shell, and they might cause the same problem as the piano keys?



So the day arrived, my shipment was in Boston. I'm all excited to see the beautiful stuff from artisans in Peru and get it up on my website http://www.mamacuna.com/ when I receive a call from my broker's office. The young lady asked me about the shell earrings - perhaps they were in the shape of a shell?? No, I replied and I also began to feel a little faint because I could sense that these cute little earrings might hold up this big shipment. Do you have a license, she asked me? Drivers? License to Kill? Business? Nope, I needed a Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit.



Even though I could sense the fact that my brokers office probably shook their heads over my license "newbieness", they helped me to get the license moving that day. Now, fair warning to all of you potential importers. A shell is not a shell when its a shell. In other words, you better get familiar with your scientific names. And this is not for just shells, my importing friends, but egg shells, bone, leather, anything that ever had life potential.



Now speaking of shells, we just got in this wicked cute little evening purse from our Fair Trade producer in Vietnam. Check it out in our sidebar.