Work in Progress : Renae Adam of Global Mamas
5 questions with entrepreneurs making their business a success.
Ever wonder how some businesses got their start? We do, and always find it fascinating. So we sent 5 questions to a business owner to get their honest answers and find out what keeps them and their businesses going.
Renae Adam (left) and Kristin Johnson (right) are co-founders of Global Mamas, and began their entrepreneurial journey together when they formed the nonprofit “Women in Progress” in 2003.
How did you get started with your business / in your role? What made you get into it? Was this path planned? Was there an a-ha moment when you realized you were on the right path?
Starting Global Mamas wasn’t part of the original plan. After completing my Peace Corps service in 1995 and earning two master’s degrees, I envisioned a future in the global corporate world. However, after five years of IT consulting, I thought there must be more – more impact I could make beyond solving IT issues and accumulating personal wealth. Reflecting on our Peace Corps days, Kristin (Johnson) Doherty, my closest fellow volunteer, and I recognized the untapped potential to help Ghanaian women achieve financial independence. Although neither of us saw ourselves as entrepreneurs, we took the leap and founded “Women in Progress” in 2002.
Starting anything new is hard, and in Ghana, you can multiply that by ten. We learned a lot of hard lessons along the way. But the “a-ha” moment came when we realized our fair trade product brand, Global Mamas, had gained more recognition than our original nonprofit name. The rebranding solidified that we were on the right track, giving us confidence that this was more than just a project—it was a movement.
What was business like at first? Was it slow, overwhelming, confusing? Did you feel like you were in over your head? Or was everything as you expected?
Looking back, we underestimated how tough those early years would be. If we press the re-start button, we’d prioritize generating income to sustain our nonprofit programs rather than chasing grants. We had full confidence in our economic approach to women’s empowerment, but securing funding was a steep uphill battle. We didn’t have connections in donor circles, so we faced rejection after rejection. It was disheartening but taught us resilience. We kept a crystal clear focus on our mission and never sold ourselves short by chasing money to achieve a donor’s objectives that didn’t align. We took the path of slow, organic growth in a way that we knew made sense for the organization’s sustainability without being controlled by external donors.
My husband, Dave, and I used our savings to keep the organization running, with me volunteering full-time in Cape Coast and him working in Accra while also setting up our IT systems. Kristin juggled a part-time job in Minnesota while managing sales growing from home parties and fairs to larger-volume wholesale purchases from retail stores. Inventory began spilling over from the bathtub to the guest room, and once it started creeping into the living room, it marked a milestone—it was time to secure dedicated office space.
So I guess I’d say that nothing was as I expected but that everything happened the way it was supposed to? We just knew the destination — empower more women — and then figured out how to get there as we went along.
“You’ll never have all the answers at the starting line, and the quicker you get out there and fail, the faster you will thrive.”
When was it that things clicked? When did you feel like you started to figure things out or feel comfortable with how your business was performing?
Although Global Mamas products look so flawless when displayed at stores or on our website, many things behind the scenes can be chaotic and comical such as my “grading” of patterns for girls’ dresses at 11 PM when I had no experience doing this. A turning point came when we established a full-time design team, which brought consistency and creativity to our product line. Personally, I also began feeling more confident when both Kristin and I started earning a fair income alongside the Mamas. Another pivotal moment was seeing our young Ghanaian leaders embody the organization’s values. Watching them spread the “Global Mamas” culture reassured me that the organization would thrive beyond its founders.
Every day at Global Mamas I have received inspiration from the Mamas. They work tough jobs and are the primary caregivers of the family even while lacking basic resources such as running water and electricity. After having lived in Ghana for more than 20 years, I’ve had the privilege to witness many women gaining their voices through building their competence and confidence. While we had our finger on the pulse of each Mama’s empowerment, something transformational happened that we did not see coming – intergenerational impact. Empowered Mamas inspire their daughters to follow in their footsteps and their sons to become allies. This ripple effect of empowerment across families and communities is a testament to the power of grassroots change.
In terms of branding, how much time do you spend thinking about how customers view your brand or products?
Honestly? Not enough.
In the early days, the Global Mamas brand grew organically through a loyal customer base. We leaned heavily on connecting customers to the personal stories of the Mamas, which resonated deeply. While we’ve conducted customer surveys and invested in creating an amazing website, branding often took a back seat to day-to-day operations. It’s something we’d like to devote more attention to, as it’s vital for growth and connection.
Lastly, what’s one of the biggest lessons you learned along the way?
I could drone on for hours about lessons learned by Global Mamas along the way. But one thing stands out for me on a personal level; I didn’t realize until much later in my years with Global Mamas that I was a rarity – to wake up each day energized to go to work, as my own purpose was aligned with Global Mamas mission. I remember once (or twice, or thrice…) a Global Mamas volunteer commenting that I work far too much. After pondering, I responded that even if I only worked eight hours a day with Global Mamas, I’d find an organization like Global Mamas to volunteer my other time. I realize now that I’m so fortunate that my work with Global Mamas never felt like “work”. This kept me pushing through the many setbacks in the African dance of three steps forward and two steps back.
Similarly, I was able to surround myself every day with people I love to work with. Over all these years, Kristin and I have kept a Yin-Yang partnership where we complement each other’s skills and one of us will focus on aspects of the business we love that the other may dislike very much. I was once trying to explain this to my young son and I gave the example of how Kristin is really good at finance and would stay up all night happily tweaking a cashflow spreadsheet. He interrupted to say, “Oh yeah, and like you’re really good at shuffling cards!” I said, “EXACTLY!”
For anyone seeking advice on starting a venture like Global Mamas, my sometimes unpopular, bottom-line advice is simple: roll up your sleeves and do it. You’ll never have all the answers at the starting line, and the quicker you get out there and fail, the faster you will thrive. Success comes from persistence, as Thomas Edison said: “Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” If Global Mamas is considered successful, it’s because we worked determinedly and embraced our many failures as a stepping stone to where we are today.
