Hedija on Etsy - 2010 Cottage Industry

it’s not just because the earrings have my name. this jewelry is hottttt.

Turns out, Etsy - a great place to buy handmade artisanal goods - was the company that founded/funded Postling. I don’t have any affiliation with Postling (though this would be the second time in a week I’m talking about them).

Perusing the gorgeous jewelry and scarfs on “Hedija” got me thinking about my graduate school thesis. The thesis was based on a World Bank Development Marketplace grant/project we won while in school - Cottage Industry, Global Marketplace.  Under the brilliant advisement of Dr. D. Linda Garcia, we explored layering technology-based networks (internet) on top of social networks (cooperatives) to facilitate commerce and economic sustainability for female artisans in rural India. Today, we call this exploration social media or social networking. But in the year 2000, no one really had a word for it . It wasn’t a familiar part of our lexicon. Dr. Garcia was (once again) well ahead of her time in spearheading this project. Who knew that 10 years later, the idea would be second nature to Millennials? Thank you, Professor-ji, for letting me be a part of that project and sharing your thinking.

Etsy - nice work. I know some amazingly talented artisans in Himachal Pradesh, India that I hope will soon sell their pashmina shawls on your site.

But I deviate from the point - Hedija on Etsy…made by a talented artist in NYC who hand-makes stunning pieces. Her own Cottage Industry.

Go on - Click, Add-to-Cart, Check Out. NOW.