Organization: Ten Thousand Villages
Mission: Ten Thousand Villages, as an expression of Christian faith and caring for those in need, enables artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to its markets through long-term, fair trading relationships.
Background: At the start of 2023, Ten Thousand Villages engaged Rising Sun to help its leadership team develop a turnaround plan for the organization. Ten Thousand Villages had experienced several years of financial losses and needed to enact a series of short-term decisions to improve its financial outlook. Additionally, the organization sought leadership coaching to enhance workplace culture in light of these challenges.
Why Rising Sun: Ten Thousand Villages selected Rising Sun for their expertise in facilitating strategic plan development. “Rising Sun’s ability to empower our leaders to take ownership and act decisively transformed Ten Thousand Villages,” said Dan Alonso, CEO. “Their strategic guidance provided us with the clarity and urgency we needed to turn the organization around.” Ten Thousand Villages had previously engaged Rising Sun in 2021, which had enabled them to quickly drive change.
Engagement Overview: Between January 2023 and March 2023, Rising Sun facilitated a series of meetings with the Leadership Team of Ten Thousand Villages. Ten Thousand Villages’ fiscal year begins in April, so this engagement took place during the three months following the end of the holiday shopping season, shaping the organization’s plan for the upcoming year.
Results: The engagement with Rising Sun resulted in an infusion of both capital and hope for the organization. With Rising Sun’s guidance, Ten Thousand Villages established three guiding principles: 1) simplify, 2) be accountable, and 3) act with urgency. These principles enabled Ten Thousand Villages to act decisively. “What sets Rising Sun apart is their deep commitment to our success,” noted Dan Alonso. “Rising Sun didn’t just provide a plan; they walked with us every step of the way, ensuring our team was aligned and equipped to execute with confidence.” In the following months, Ten Thousand Villages sold its warehouse, which enabled it to pay off debt and use the proceeds to relaunch its e-commerce platform and begin improving its store operating model.
Impact: The three guiding principles continue to influence Ten Thousand Villages’ actions. The culture has improved, and there is a renewed sense of hope. In the months since the plan’s initiation, Ten Thousand Villages has used the capital to invest in its future.
