Immediately after returning from our Artisan Visit to Ecuador, Fair Trade Partner Jen Parlin packed her bags again, this time for sunny Arizona.

I talked to Jen about her travels before the trip, and there was one thing that became clear right off the bat: This woman is fearless.

Jen attended the International Women’s Summit with Threads last May. At the Threads table, she chatted with every person who stopped by, asking them where they were from. If people told her they lived in Arizona, she asked them if they’d be interested in hosting a Showcase. Every single one of them.

To many people, the prospect of getting rejected again and again and again sounds horrible. But for Jen, it just required a simple mindset shift. She made a game of it, making light of any time people said no.

“I’m not asking them something crazy,” Jen said. “If they’re already passionate about what we’re doing, why not ask them to host a Showcase?”

Well, it all paid off: Jen planned a trip to Arizona in September with 6 Showcases booked in 7 days!

She reached out to old friends, some as far back as high school, for recommendations around town, spare rooms to crash in, and even a car she could borrow.

She talked about this opportunity to do something new, to bring Threads to an area where we haven’t had much exposure. Many people would be nervous to walk into the homes of 6 complete strangers, but Fearless Jen was just excited.

“In some ways there’s less fear because you don’t know what to expect, you come in open-minded,” she said. “I have no idea what’s going to happen that week. It’s kind of exciting!”

As I listened to Jen’s excitement, I realized this fearlessness is exactly what makes her so successful in her Threads business. She has this perspective, this wisdom older than she is, that makes her unafraid to tell people why she does what she does and how they can help. In exchange, she’s one of the top-earning Fair Trade Partners at Threads Worldwide.

During the trip, Jen’s sales were amazing. She held one of her highest selling Showcase ever (!!!) and booked several more for a few months later.

Jen’s boldness is inspiring not only for our fellow Fair Trade Partners, but for anyone facing the prospect of doing something new. Instead of facing something unknown with anxiety, imagine what would be possible if we all took a cue from Jen and instead saw it as an exciting new adventure!

Start your adventure with Threads and launch your own social impact business today.