PPB April 2015

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“We knew that there were several places inside Grapevine Designs
where we could start to train them into our complicated industry,”
Gaunce says. “We started by identifying a vertical market and creating
a telemarketing campaign so that they could learn a script, make
phone calls and communicate a specific message to that group.
“Simultaneously, we taught them the process of inventory manage-
ment in our warehouse along with the skills involved in kitting mer-
chandise.”
The 100 Jobs program provides more than just work opportuni-
ties; it also features an incentive program that allows women to earn
cash for achieving specific goals, such as improving their credit scores,
earning their GEDs and opening savings accounts.
“We have applied for and received two grants to provide the fund-
ing for the incentives as well as seed money for a training program,
along with additional emergency funds to assist a mom who may need
bus fare or car repairs,” Gaunce explains.
The moms also have access to a peer feedback group, where they
gather to review their goals and offer support and encouragement to
one another.
“All of the moms are engaged in the business. Their attendance
has grown from 64 percent to 100 percent by virtue of the incentives
program,” Gaunce says. “Their monthly peer feedback group sessions
have provided us with great comments, where we have come to under-
stand just how meaningful this program is and how much it is affect-
ing their lives in a positive way.”
In a letter to Gaunce on the occasion of her one-year anniversary
at Grapevine, Libby, one of the program’s first moms, wrote: “Prior to
a year ago, I thought that I had nothing to offer as an employee, and
was so grateful for the opportunity to come and work for an amazingly
successful woman and the company she has worked so hard to build.
In this last year I have grown so much. I have a sense of self-worth
and know that I have a lot to offer as an employee, a co-worker, a
friend and as a mother. I have you to thank for this.”
Employers who hire moms participating in the program are
expected to act as mentors, too. Gaunce meets with her “moms” daily,
tracking their progress and offering training and encouragement.
“It is another way to give back to our community,” Gaunce says.
“The satisfaction that our employees get from watching someone like
Libby grow is nothing short of wonderful. And a by-product of this
program is the joy you feel knowing that the children of these women
are experiencing their mom's having success, which teaches the chil-
dren that there is a way out of generational poverty and a future for
them as well.”
The 100 Jobs program has also elevated the visibility of Grapevine
Designs in its community, but Gaunce cautions that a program of this
magnitude can’t be taken lightly.
“Don’t go into this without a long-term thought process,” she says.
“Like so many things, once you go down this road, you cannot back
out because you’ve had a bad day. Many will depend on you.”
Participation in the program also calls for business owners to
familiarize themselves with the social welfare system. Gaunce and oth-
ers volunteering for 100 Jobs have designed a manual explaining the
system, including a list of acronyms and support agencies, so employ-
ers can more easily discuss these topics with the moms.
After two years of preparation and careful growth, 100 Jobs is
poised for expansion. “We see that this program has a huge future,”
Gaunce says. Twenty-two moms are on the waiting list for jobs, and
recent news coverage has garnered two more participating employers.
“Ultimately, we are thinking out two to five years from now and
how we can operate with a program director to alleviate some of the
volunteer coordination, since it is currently 100-percent volunteer
run,” she says.
There is also an opportunity to start similar programs in other
cities. “I know there are areas within each of our individual businesses
where others like us could hire moms and train them, whether you live
in Kansas City or Florida,” Gaunce says about the industry.
Gaunce and her colleagues at 100 Jobs have structured the pro-
gram so that it can be replicated in other markets. “There is no sense
in reinventing the wheel, so to speak,” she says. “Call me. I’d be happy
to share all that I can to help you create this in your backyard.”
APRIL 2015 • PPB • 11
12 Growing Up
EYE ON APPAREL 17
Fashionably
Late
QUESTION 24 Seeing
Green
FEATURE STORY
BE A WINNER!
PAGE 104
DON’T GO IT ALONE
Janie Gaunce, owner of Lenexa, Kansas-based distributor
Grapevine Designs, founded Sister Berta’s 100 Jobs For 100
Moms to aid impoverished single moms in finding work and
building self-sufficiency. But Gaunce hasn’t done it alone. The
program is a partnership between social service groups
Women’s Employment Network WEN, Amethyst Place and
Operation Breakthrough. WEN offers training on interviewing
and business skills, and many of the program’s moms live in
Amethyst Place, which provides low-income apartments for
women recovering from addiction. Operation Breakthrough
provides daytime child care.
To learn more about Sister Berta’s 100 Jobs For 100
Moms, visit
21
What’s Your
Company Worth?
MANAGEMENT