Up From The Dust: Empowering Women Worldwide

[HTML1] Mary Schnack, the Founder of Mary Schnack and Associates, a public relations and communications organization with more than 30 years of experience in journalism, public relations, crisis communications, media relations/training, writing, and marketing communications, joins us today to share her “passion business,” Up From The Dust.  The baskets shown above are from Africa and are made from recycled telephone wire by grandmothers supporting their grandchildren in school.

More about Mary Schnack
Mary has won numerous awards for writing, reporting and as a publics relations professional.  During the 1992 Civic Unrest in Los Angeles and the 1991 U. S. Air crash at Los Angeles International Airport, she handled hospital crisis communications.  She assisted and counseled the Seventh-day Adventist Church during the Waco cult standoff and, subsequently, helped the world church establish a crisis communications plan.

She went to Africa for ADRA, a humanitarian aid agency, to help with communications during the Rwanda Civil War. After her original experience with ADRA, Mary conducted extensive communication seminars for ADRA’s field offices in Russia, Azerbaijan, Ghana, Guinea, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru. She also has worked for other NGOs, including International Medical Corps, World Vision and Vital Voices.

This international work and her love of shopping lead to Mary’s “passion business,” Up From The Dust.  During speaking engagements around the world, Mary met and purchased products from women showing their hand made products at exhibitions.

At first giving these native arts, including quilts, jewelry, baskets and much more, as gifts, the enthusiastic response to the products encouraged her to start ordering and importing from these talented women in Africa, South and Central America, Mexico and elsewhere.  She has since established a sales channel for these strong and inspiring women.

Mary shares her desire to “help sisters” who have had the strength and creativity to establish micro-enterprises expand their businesses outside of their native countries.  What’s more, Mary has started a home party and virtual home party sales channel for the products so that other women can benefit as well as community organizations.

Listen in to the show to hear more details on how you can personally participate and enjoy helping women around the world.  Visit, Like Social Impact Marketing’s Facebook page and join in the discussion about the show.  Like the Up From the Dust Facebook page, and learn more about their products.  Follow Mary Schnack on Twitter.

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About Robin Eschler

Robin L. Eschler, the founder of Social Impact Marketing, started her career in developing foundational marketing strategies for companies of all sizes, from Fortune 500 to individual entrepreneurs and local businesses. She has developed and implemented international campaigns to launch high tech products and services and guided new business owners to successfully navigate the difficulties of growing a business.

Her life-long passion for helping others led her into nonprofit work for over a decade. Early on, she recognized the need for nonprofits to adapt to a rapidly changing world in which technology dominates and for-profit business practices are central to success. Her determination to help social causes in a sustainable way led to her creation of the Women's Radio show Socially Conscious Investing.

Impact investing in for-profits with a mission of social change such as the fight against extreme poverty is a blossoming business sector around the world. With the economic decline, it's clear that Wall Street requires change. Social impact investing addresses that need in a way that provides financial and social ROI.

As the Host of Socially Conscious Investing on WomensRadio, Robin's goal is to educate people about the growth of social impact investing and social venture. Interviews are conducted with socially conscious business experts including foundations and nonprofits, social venture investment firms, micro-loan organizations, investors, educators, authors and social entrepreneurs.

This show's mission is to help change the world through sustainable business practices that contribute to the economy, combat poverty, end hunger and provide better lives to all.

Twice, Robin has been recognized and received the highest honorary award that Rotary International gives, the Paul Harris Award, for service above self. Her community work has included developing local programs for disadvantaged populations such as foster children, troubled teens, and people with disabilities.

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