Global Entrepreneurship and Social Responsibility: An evening with Stephanie Odegard, Founder and President of Odegard Inc.Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Stephanie Odegard began her career trying to preserve traditional artisanal crafts in developing countries. From her beginnings serving in The Peace Corps, to The World Bank and ultimately growing her company to become the largest US importer of Tibetan rugs, Stephanie Odegard has proven an economic theory. Her work has transformed ancient art forms into commercially viable industries capable of raising the standards of living for thousands of people. Most importantly, despite challenges and competition, her company has not sacrificed quality or level of labor standards. Odegard rugs are certified as child-labor free.
Stephanie will discuss the following:
- What key strategies are deployed to grow a niche market while continuing to maintain margins in slow economic times?
- What are the key decision points/criteria for growing a business to its next phase? What are the main business drivers to leverage?
- How does one navigate international politics when you're more used to dealing with corporate politics?
Co-sponsored by the Wharton Club of Northern Califormia and 85 Broads, we are pleased to have Stephanie Odegard join us for a spectacular event hosted in her very own San Francisco Showroom. View Stephanie’s modern and unique designs as she discusses how she manages the politics of developing nations and grew her company into one of international acclaim.
Register OnlineDate: Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Time: 6:00pm-6:30pm Networking Reception & Registration. 6:30pm-8:00pm Program
Location: San Francisco Design Center, Odegard Showroom,
2 Henry Adams Street, Suite 330 (Off Townsend Between 8th/9th Street)
Cost: WCNC members, members of affiliate clubs and their accompanied guests: $20 per person. Non-member alumni and other guests: $40 per person.
Registrations after 12:00pm Monday, October 19th an extra $10 per ticket, if available. Cancellations after 4:00pm Tuesday, September 29 at the discretion of the WCNC.
No charge for Wharton Club Gold Ticket Members (but remember as always to register via the above 'Register Online' link.)
Stephanie Odegard
In the mid-1980’s when she traveled to Nepal on assignment for the World Bank, she worked particularly as consultant to the emerging carpet industry being developed by Tibetan refugees with whom she lived and worked until 1986. After helping to stabilize the Tibetan wool market and having developed relationships with the most reliable suppliers, she formed her own company later in New York to import her specially produced carpets and designs into the States. Her lifelong interest and expertise in design, product development and technical aspects of the textile and other traditional industries combined with her merchandising experience uniquely qualified her to build the international success of Odegard, Inc.
The hallmark of Odegard designs is Stephanie Odegard’s sophisticated and subtle use of color in carpets made of hand-carded, hand-spun, hand-knotted Himalayan wool. Integrity of the raw materials is paramount. Inspiration comes from sources as varied as traditional Tibetan motifs such as tiger pelts and Buddhist symbols, ornate ironwork filigree, architecture and the antique textile collections at The Art Institute of Chicago and The Museum of International Folk Art, Sante Fe, New Mexico.
In all her products, Stephanie Odegard requires strict adherence to social responsibility in countries where production takes place. She is a Director of RugMark, a carpet industry foundation, for which Odegard, Inc. is its largest U.S. contributor. The foundation maintains the only recognized certification program to insure that carpets are made free of child labor; its funds are used for education and welfare of the children. All Odegard carpets bear the RugMark label.
