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.

Bringing the Newborn Business Home

With a great deal of Buddha belly rubbing, www.mamacuna.com finally went live, very quietly on September 8, 2007. But behind the silent birth of our brand new Internet baby, our doctor (known to most people as a web master) was still busy with life support (otherwise also known as tech support). You see, those of you who shop onthe Web, never see the wizards behind the curtain. For those of you insane enough to spend all your hard earned money (or better yet, someone else's) on creating a Web based business complete with online shopping capabilities, it's not so apparently seamless. There are various layers; the design shell or the pretty website, the merchant services or those kind people that service your credit card transactions leaving only small bruises on your bottom line, the shopping cart itself, the all-too very important accounting software, and finally, the software that acts much like a conduit between all of them, making everything appear magical. You shop, you find, you like, you buy, you click!

Not necessarily so. For about a week after we went live, one system wasn't fully talking to another and no one on either side seemed to be able to figure it out even when we were able to provide the snippet of information that needed to be changed. Here is where a good technical person is invaluable. Our guy was on point that entire week dogging these companies up the ladder from bored receptionists to self-important techs to the invisible but all-seeing programmers. I like to think that our guy not only made our lives easier from that point, but brought two companies together in a more spiritual way - at least through the divine province of code.

So, if the insane idea of opening a restaurant isn't for you, but the insane idea of starting an Internet retail site is, then make absolute sure you invest in a good web master. He or she is not only responsible for creating a wonderful illusion for your customers, but building that business rocket you can ride.

Now, back to Buddha. This Fair Trade Laughing Buddha from the Mitra Bali Foundation in Indonesia is the first prize to be given away at the end of September to some lucky Mamacuna Traders Enewsletter subscriber. So, if you aren't on the list, you won't be rubbing belly anytime soon. Subscribe at www.mamacuna.com.

And, just to keep you salivating. I unpacked some beautiful Talavera ceramics from Mexico and some very cool scarves, bowls and shell purses from Vietnam. Keep your eye on Mamacuna Traders for new stuff every week!

Mamacuna Traders Has Launched!

PORTSMOUTH, NH (September 2007) Mamacuna Traders, LLC, a Portsmouth, New Hampshire company, has launched a retail Internet site, http://www.mamacuna.com/ for the sale of global handcrafts and Fair Trade products. The site features home décor items such as baskets, ceramics, table ware, statues, lighting, bedding and a variety of handbags, jewelry, hats, scarves, and belts. Handcrafts from Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Nepal, Indonesia, Ghana, Swaziland, Kenya, Uganda, Thailand, and Vietnam are all represented on the site.

Many of the handcrafts are produced by organizations that are Fair Trade Certified and several are within the certification process for fair trade practices in their various countries. They receive fair compensation for their products by wholesalers and retailers. Mamacuna Traders provides up to 50% of the cost of production up-front to help the artisans buy supplies. The Fair Trade Federation is an association of wholesalers, retailers, and producers whose members are fully committed to providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide. For more information on the FTF, logo onto http://www.fairtradefederation.org/.


“We were inspired to start an import business, while on vacation in Peru, earlier this spring,” Laura Burgess, President and Co-Owner of Mamacuna Traders. “The handcrafts we’ve received from the various Fair Trade artisan groups are steps above any tourist items in quality and detail. Plus, working with Fair Trade organizations and artisan groups practicing Fair Trade concepts, assures us that as a company we are making strides in helping to lift disenfranchised men and women out of poverty throughout the world. Many of the handcrafts created by these artists would slowly disappear if it wasn’t for the efforts of organizations and retailers, like Mamacuna Traders, to bring them to market.”

Every month, Mamacuna Traders will feature a new handcrafted doll from around the world. For the month of September the featured doll comes from Guatemala. The site will also provide information on an artist or artisan group. September features Malindi Handcrafts out of Kenya, Africa. The cooperative is owned and operated by member woodcarvers with a full 80% of its profits returned to its members. The Featured Non-Profit page will take a portion of the sale price of a particular product to help a special cause anywhere in the world. Mamacuna’s first non-profit featured is U.S.A. based DonorsChoose, an organization that engages individual citizens in an online marketplace where teachers describe and individuals can fund specific student projects partially or completely. The DonorsChoose program will run through November 2007 with the purchase of any Baby Alpaca Teddy Bear from Peru at http://www.mamacuna.com/.


For more information on Mamacuna Traders, LLC or any of its products, log onto http://www.mamacuna.com/ or call 603-436-1748. To stay on top of what’s happening at Mamacuna Traders, LLC check out the blog at http://www.mamacuna.blogspot.com/.

About Mamacuna Traders™, LLC:
Mamacuna Traders, LLC was founded in March 2007 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire as an Internet retail site for globally sourced handcrafts and Fair Trade products.