Teresa Carrington is CEO of a not for profit, Ten By Three

What does Ten By Three mean? "TEN" reflects the number of products we promise to purchase monthly from artisans who live in extreme poverty. "By" reflects a Prosperity Wages model.

10x3 pay artisans at least 2.5 times the fair trade rate, enabling them to care of their families and have enough extra to start businesses. Unlike micro-lending, this ensures financial independence without debt.

"THREE" requires artisans to begin at least three businesses. Each business generates an average of four income streams, giving artisans at least 12 streams of income. This sparks generational wealth and ensures a sustainable exit from poverty.

The group discusses Theresa's charity work and passion for helping those in poverty. She shares her personal story of overcoming hardship and how that has driven her to create a charity that empowers artisans in developing countries. Kevin & Graham praise Theresa's mission and the positive impact of her "Ten by Three" model.

Theresa outlines her goals for the charity, including expanding into more of the world's poorest nations, spreading the "Ten by Three" model to other organisations and governments, and building up financial reserves to provide more stability. We discuss the challenges and opportunities around achieving these goals.

The group reflects on the passion and purpose that drives Theresa and her charity work. They discuss how this level of dedication and commitment is essential for making a real difference, and how it can inspire and motivate others to get involved and support the cause.

Lastly, we touch on the potential pitfalls of traditional aid and development efforts, noting how they can sometimes do more harm than good by not properly understanding the needs of the local communities. We emphasise the importance of trade over aid and empowering people to develop from within.

Graham Arrowsmith

Graham founded Finely Fettled ten years ago to help business owners and marketers market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. Graham founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, where he introduces AI Agents that sit on websites, to increase engagement, dwell time, leads and conversions.

Kevin Appleby

Kevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.com

If you want to get around the world, you need a passport & visa. If you leave things to the last minute to get them sorted, you'll need to speak to Rob Lee. He's our guest today on The Next 100 Days Podcast.

Rob explains that his company helps US passport holders and residents obtain visas to travel to countries like China, India, Vietnam, and Brazil. He describes the process of obtaining visas, including the challenges of dealing with government websites and requirements.

Rob shares the story of how he and his wife started the business after encountering visa challenges while living in Central America. They decided to leverage their experience to help others navigate the visa process.

Rob discusses the day-to-day work of his company, including providing detailed instructions, handling document submissions, and dealing with evolving visa requirements, especially for countries like China. He explains how his team has developed expertise to navigate these complexities.

Rob justifies the pricing of his services, noting that while there is an added fee, it provides convenience, peace of mind, and a higher success rate compared to individuals trying to navigate the visa process on their own.

Kevin raises concerns about the sensitive personal data Rob's company handles, and Rob explains the extensive security measures and compliance standards they have implemented to protect client information.

Rob discusses his and his wife's long-term goal of being able to work and travel more freely, and the steps they are taking to make the business more technology-driven and scalable, including the development of new software tools.

Graham Arrowsmith

Graham founded Finely Fettled ten years ago to help business owners and marketers market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. Graham founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, where he introduces AI Agents that sit on websites, to increase engagement, dwell time, leads and conversions.

Kevin Appleby

Kevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.com

Joe runs an Aquatics business. He is a serial entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience. Joe builds businesses by developing business managers along with systems that support those managers. He’s very proud of the many young professionals he has mentored during his career. Joe’s diverse business experience from food manufacturing to rock climbing gyms, gives him a unique perspective and ability to creatively assess every opportunity. He loves the process of creating a business and turning a concept into a profitable reality.

• Joe transitioned from corporate (Kraft Foods) to entrepreneurship, starting with rock climbing gyms and now an aquarium store
• Niche retail faces challenges from inflation, supply chain issues, and changing consumer behavior
• Adapting business models (e.g. focusing on premium offerings) is key for small businesses to survive economic pressures
• Global manufacturing shifts and tariffs are impacting small businesses, requiring strategic pivots

• Worked at Kraft Foods for 13-14 years, changing roles every 18 months
• Started First Ascent rock climbing gyms while still at Kraft, keeping it secret until resignation
• Sold First Ascent 3 years ago, now owns/operates an aquarium store
• Offers business consulting through Snaggletooth Goby (named after a fish that climbs waterfalls)

• Inflation reducing consumer spending on hobby/luxury items
• 80% of aquarium products come from China, causing supply chain and pricing issues
• Real estate market slowdown impacting new home aquarium installations
• Shift from "superstore" concept with many SKUs to curated, premium offerings
• Focus on high-end systems and service to replace volume of lower-value transactions

• US unemployment low (2-3%) but other economic issues persist (e.g. medical costs, student debt)
• Debate over reshoring manufacturing vs. economic realities of global production
• Tariffs and trade tensions creating uncertainty for businesses reliant on imports
• Short-term corporate thinking vs. long-term strategic planning discussed

• Improving staff training and sales techniques
• Curating product offerings to focus on higher-margin items
• Targeting affluent customers less impacted by economic pressures
• Developing expertise to justify premium pricing and services

Graham Arrowsmith

Graham founded Finely Fettled ten years ago to help business owners and marketers market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. Graham founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, which combines the world's biggest source of 10,000 marketing experiments with AI. Find Graham on LinkedIn.

Kevin Appleby

Kevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on