Carolina Pastrana

Carolina L. Pastrana is the founder of Amano Artisans, a company she started 6 years ago out of her love for jewelry and accessories.1 The name "Amano" means hand-made in Spanish, representing the artisanal nature of their products.1

Background and Motivation

Carolina's business began as an online shop selling handmade items from Colombia. She soon realized the potential for Amano Artisans to function as a social enterprise, particularly given that 70% of artisans in Colombia are women, many of whom are heads of households.1 This business model allows Carolina to stay connected to her home country while providing income opportunities for artisans, including those without formal education.1

Business Model and Partnerships

Amano Artisans works with various artisan groups and individuals in Colombia:

• Organizations working with Tagua seeds, employing 3-10 people depending on size and season
• Individual artists creating unique pieces
• Male artisans from the Magdalena Medio region, an area affected by guerrilla warfare

The company focuses on sustainability, using natural resources and recycled materials such as excess wood from manufacturers, orange peels from juice vendors, and horn byproducts from the meat industry.1

Growth and Future Plans

Under Carolina's leadership, Amano Artisans has grown from working with 1 artisan to 14, increasing its impact and employment opportunities.1 The company has primarily sold products at flea markets and festivals in Washington, DC, but has been focusing on expanding its online presence.1 Carolina's future goals include:

• Opening a brick-and-mortar location in Miami, FL
• Growing the online business to match the success of their flea market sales

Carolina Pastrana's LinkedIn username is carolinalpastrana, as mentioned in the query.