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Business Resources
Expected Practices
The Fair Trade Federation Code of Practice outlines how retailers, wholesalers of handmade goods, wholesalers of agricultural-based goods, and cafes can live FTF's nine Principles.
For inspiration, visit the Federation's Case Study Gallery to see real world examples of how members live each Principle. and consult the Fair Trade Federation University's Fair Trade Federation 101 course.
Opening a
Fair Trade Business
FTF members are often willing to share their experiences with aspiring entrepreneurs. Their advice includes:
- Fair
Trade Federation 101 - This free on-line
course will help you identify the distinctive
requirements for different FTF membership
categories, as well as deepen your knowledge of
how to live the FTF Principles
- Glossary
of Fair Trade and General Business
Terms
by Maile Smith, Fair Trade Federation
- How
To Get Retail Buyers on Your Side by Tex
Dworkin (taken from the Fair
Trade Resource Network Business
Blog)
- Incorporating
as a Non-Profit Retail Store by Jim
Goetsch, Manager, Third
World Shoppe of Fort Wayne
- Introduction
to Importing to Canada by Janice Dotti,
Fair Trade Federation
- Introduction to Importing to the United States by Janice Dotti, Fair Trade Federation
- Starting an Internet-based Fair Trade Business by Megy Karydes, Founder, World-Shoppe.com
- Six Keys to Starting a Fair Trade Retail Store by Brian Smucker, Co-Founder, Baksheesh
- Incorporating your new Fair Trade organization - for-profit or non-profit? by Scott James, Founder, Fair Trade Sports, and Nathan George, Co-Founder, Trade as One
- To Drop Ship or Not to Drop Ship: Advice for Wholesalers by Kevin Ward, President, Global Crafts
- Growing a Wholesale Business with Integrity by Bob Chase of SERRV International and Kevin Ward of Global Crafts
- Strengthening a New Retail Operation by Brian Smucker of Baksheesh and Tony Hall of Hall-Wray Consulting
- Leading the Media to Your Business by Megy Karydes of Karydes Consulting
The Fair Trade Resource Network's Guide
to Starting Successful Retail
Business also offers insight into
the elements of creating a fair trade retail
operation and includes examples, such as a start-up
budget.
Find Suppliers
Businesses can:
- Source from members of FTF,
- Work
directly with producer groups,
- Find producers from IFAT - the World
Fair Trade Organization or purchase from Fairtrade
Certified farms.
Consultants and
Advisers
Some firms specialize in helping Fair Trade Businesses begin and thrive, including:
- Economic
Development Impacts - A strategic advisory
firm that works with clients to deliver both
financial and mission-driven results.
- Hall Wray Consultants - Consultants on all aspects of Fair Trade, Ethical Business, and Social Entrepreneurship, working in the South and North.
- Have questions you would
like answered? Visit the Ask
the Experts section or contact
FTF.
Work with an Established Fair Trade Organization
- Franchise a Ten Thousand Villages Store - Learn about joining the oldest and largest chain of fair trade stores in North America
- Jolica Fair Trade Consultant - Jolica home-based fair trade businesses offer individuals a chance to earn income and support artisans at the same time.
- Visit the Fair Trade Job Board to see what fair traders are hiring.
Plan Your Organization
Starting a fair trade organization requires the same skills as opening any business. Visit the following general resources for advice:
- IRS' Checklist
for Starting a Business
- Small Business Association's Small Business Planner
- Introduction to Starting a Business or 501(c) 3 from the Internal Revenue Service, including Top Seven Tips for Taxpayers Starting a New Business
- Cooperative
Development Institute's Guide to Starting a
Cooperative
- USDA - How to Start a Cooperative - The process of organizing and financing a cooperative business.
- Roasting
101 - a basic foundation of coffee roasting
knowledge.
- JumpUp.com - Advice to get a new businesses up and running.
- General
Templates for Your Business - Including
Financial and Planning Worksheets from
SCORE
- Small-Medium
Sized Enterprise Toolkit from the
International Finance Corporation
- BBC's Advice on How to Write a Business Plan
- How
to Prepare Your Business Plan from
UNCTAD
- Entrepreneur.com's How To Start a Business - Advice on starting your own business
- Basic Importing and Exporting Guidelines
from the US
Department of Customs and the Canadian
Border Services Agency
- USAID
Small Business Resource Center from the
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization and Minority Resource
Center
- SCORE
Advice on Starting your Business -from the
Small Business Association's SCORE network
- Center for Non-Profit Advancement -
- Management Library - Library of 650+ topics on the leadership and management of for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations.
- AllBusiness.com - Resources, articles, example forms, contracts and agreements, expert advice, blogs, business news, business directory listings, product comparisons, business guides, and more.
- The Crafts Report asks 18
Questions to help you decide between
wholesale and retail
