Ep. 44 | Jacqui Gustafson - Intentional Living And Creation of Aesthetic Brands.

Jacqueline Gustafson is the founder of The Abeba Collection, an ethical lifestyle brand that sells handmade artisan goods and empowers women business leaders in the developing world. Jacqueline is also a University Dean and Professor, with 20 years of experience in higher education, and has been conducting research and developing programs and curriculum to promote equity and access for underserved populations in both local and global settings. Her education includes graduate degrees in psychology, education, and community development and she has worked extensively throughout the world, to include regions of South America, Africa, and Europe.

Her work in the university setting expands into the community where she serves on community boards, to include those in her local community, with Big Brothers Big Sisters and Olive Crest, and has partnered with numerous non-profit organizations as a public speaker, consultant, and researcher at the national level, most recently with the Christian Alliance for Orphans. Though she is almost certainly an introvert, she loves to share her story, to include her family’s story of becoming an adoptive family with two sons from Ethiopia, and learn others’ stories; usually finding commonalities and shared universal human experiences in places and with people where it is least expected.

In this episode,Jacqui and Jenny talk about Jacqui’s journey to Ethiopia and how it opened wider doors for the growth of The Abeba Collection. They further talk about creating an aesthetic ethical brand that is elevated and shares the same quality as the product as well as the making of intentional decisions in running a business.