Entrepreneur, self-made millionaire, social activist, nonconformist, mother and wife – Anita Roddick of The Body Shop did it all. Her vision of an environmentally friendly cosmetic store ended up changing the social consciousness of people worldwide. Here are a few of the abundance and wealth lessons we can learn from Dame Anita Roddick.
“I want to work for a company that contributes to and is part of the community. I want something not to just invest in. I want something to believe in.” Anita Roddick, 1942-2007
A common thread among many self-made wealthy women is the fact they want to change the world for the better. Self-made wealthy women have a desire to give back and make a difference. Anita Roddick was one of these special women.
Anita Perilli was born in 1942 to Italian immigrants in a bomb shelter in Littlehampton, England. Her mother Gilda owned a small café in town and it was there she learned about recycling. Little did she know what an impact this environmentally friendly and cost effective habit would have on her career and her “mission in life.”
As a young woman, Anita traveled the “hippie trail” learning the habits and life style of many different cultures. This training would come in handy for opening her new business, The Body Shop. After marrying Gordon Roddick, with two young girls and on a small budget, in 1976 she decided to open an environmentally conscious and natural cosmetic store. Her new company was the first to prohibit animal tested ingredients in any products.
Her first shop carried fifteen natural skin care products, all of which were developed and stored in her garage. She used packaging made of low cost and recyclable plastic.
Anita and Gordon Roddick are often credited with “inventing” the idea of franchising. Most of The Body Shop franchises were and are currently owned by women.
The Body Shop was sold to L’Oreal in 2006 and Anita’s profit was reported to be somewhere around $237 million. When asked how she could sell her stores to a company who at the time still animal tested, she said she was sure she could make a difference in changing their animal testing policy.
What separated Anita Roddick from others in her field? She had a relentless desire to change the world for the better. As a powerful activist she led the fight for fair trade with third world countries. She was also a tireless volunteer for ethical and green consumerism, a champion for children in Eastern Europe and Asia, and a proponent for “moral leadership.”
In 2004 Anita was diagnosed with hepatitis C from what she believes were transfusions received while delivering her second daughter. She campaigned for increased awareness of the disease that brought her death at age 64 in September of 2007.
What are the abundance and wealth lessons? Use your wealth to make a difference in the world. Anita Roddick was a pioneer and crusader who thought out of the box and wasn’t afraid to take a risk. Her passion and belief for saving the environment and helping others turned into a movement adopted by millions. Her principles drove her business ethics. She became a self-made wealthy role model for thousands of women by staying true to her passion, ethics and core beliefs.
“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.” Anita Roddick
Here’s a link to Amazon.com and Anita Roddick’s book Business as Unusual: Business As Unusual by Anita Roddick
~~~~
You may want to take a few minutes to visit my website www.SharonMichaels.com for more empowering suggestions, tools and tips.
