Global Entrepreneurs, getmilkshake.com - Unique Products and Services
Written by Katrina Daniel Tuesday, April 12 2011
Snapshot: Pam Caffray and Amy Jurkowitz
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| Pam Caffray, left, and Amy Jurkowitz |
There’s a rush to do good these days and www.getmilkshake.com, a “sweet site with a charitable heart,” as the founders say, is at the forefront.
Milkshake is a website and a free daily email that allows subscribers and readers to discover people, products, and needs around the world – needs that can be met with a purchase of a unique product. Or, a Milkshake reader might take an “eco-cation” to Australia and spend a day helping to protect sea turtle hatchlings.
The hybrid of a brainstorm by business graduates and entrepreneurs, Pam Caffray and Amy Jurkowitz, getmilkshake.com is a unique way to do good while also creating awareness of issues of need around the world and buying unique products and services.
Jurkowitz is from the Midwest, has been married to Dan for 21 years and is the proud mom of five children, ages 12 to 16 (the 16 year olds are twins).
Caffray has a 22-year-old son. She majored in textile design and communications at the University of Vermont and says she managed to combine school and still ski three days a week. Both women live in Greenwich, Conn. 
Womenetics: I can’t say it any better or more professionally – this is so cool. Tell us how it works.
Amy Jurkowitz: With our site, you can buy a chic watch made of recycled wood and by doing so you are supporting a tree-planting initiative. You can wrap yourself up in a cozy cashmere sweater and also help the education of a girl in China, or you can buy a fleur de lis bracelet and help ongoing rebuilding efforts in New Orleans.
Womenetics: How did you two come up with this?
Jurkowitz: Pam had spent six months working on milkshake – only we hadn’t called it milkshake yet – drawing up a loose business plan and concept for the daily email.
Pam Caffray: Then a mutual friend in Greenwich told me about Amy. Amy had her own marketing business, so I went to her for advice and to see if she might be interested in taking the idea on paper to help shape it into a viable business. Amy saw a lot of potential in all the work I had done, and she felt that our skills complemented each other well.
Jurkowitz: I have a background in marketing, design, and business; Pam has a background in forecasting as a trends writer, so we have a leg up on that front. 
Womenetics: Why did you elect to start a business that is good for the planet instead of just simply for profit?
Jurkowitz: Our new campaign says it all: “Why Wouldn’t You?” The concept came straight from the idea that the world was ready for the next generation of Daily Candy. Daily Candy (a website and daily email that sends readers and subscribers tips about hot new products) is fantastic and hits a certain audience, but we are trying to hit a different audience – one that is not “all about me,” but is instead looking for a way to give back and help others. In saying that, we are the first people to say we love cool finds, but we much prefer those that also have a social platform.
Womenetics: What is your mission?
Caffray: Our mission is to increase awareness to those who are giving back. We hope to reach as many people as possible so they can learn about the many causes and charities and entice them to contribute in some way, whether purchasing products, being an advocate, or sharing the information.
Jurkowitz: We know how difficult it is for charities to get funding when there are so many worthwhile causes vying for the same dollar, so we hope to assist them in finding sponsors and products that will further their development. 
Milkshake has a giving component as part of our business philosophy, and we are developing a Milkshake Project that will highlight a different charity to help raise funds and contribute to every month.
Womenetics: What is it that inspires you to get out of bed with a smile on your face every morning?
Caffray: The idea that we all matter, and that every day I can find a way to make a difference in someone’s life, whether by offering a smile, an offer to carry bags, or to spend time volunteering.
Jurkowitz: The fact that time always moves forward and knowing each moment must be appreciated, so don’t lose it.
Womenetics: If you could wave a magic wand and create whatever you wanted, what would it be?
Caffray: Other than our goals for Milkshake, I would spend the rest of my life traveling nonstop, learning about other cultures, and taking in all the beautiful sights.
Jurkowitz: I would say what one of my boys wrote when he was asked what he would do with three wishes: (1) Cure the world from all hunger and disease; (2) Stop people from fighting each other; (3) Turn my house into a candy store.
| Example from the Milkshake Website Any true blue pie lover knows that there's nothing in the world a warm, sweet slice of homemade pie can't fix. There's something about sitting down to a plate of pastry that makes you think, even if it's just for this moment, everything in the universe is exactly as it should be … The founders of the PieLab in Alabama's Black Belt have taken the concept of pie as therapy one step further. The Black Belt is a part of Alabama with a deep history of slavery. Even today, they're ridden by poverty and deep social and economic ills. It's widely considered to be Alabama's (and America's) third world. The Pie Lab opened in the Black Belt just two years ago as an experiment. They hypothesized that the best way to revitalize the small, disheartened community of Black Belt was to unite them with pie. When it first opened, Pie Lab was considered a pop up spot. Nobody thought it would last longer than a few weeks or months. Surprisingly, it worked and it lasted. Pie Lab's philosophy is simple:Founded by Project M, a design cooperative that says, "We want to change the world." Project M brings together design students who want to turn their skills into meaningful change. While it seems too simple that baking and serving pie has the power to entangle deep-rooted social issues, it's actually working. Pie Lab has become a safe space for community members to come together and exchange ideas. They partner with organizations like Youth Build, an organization dedicated to empowering youth in impoverished neighborhoods to get involved and change things for the better. Support the Pie Lab by perusing their online shop, where you will find recycled tea cups, letterpressed tote bags, and tee shirts. Make a donation, or stop in for a slice of pie and conversation next time you find yourself in the heart of Alabama. |
Katrina Daniel is an award-winning journalist and broadcast reporter/anchor. She has worked in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and as a national correspondent for several networks. She commutes between Miami and the Carolinas, writing for magazines and news organizations. She lives with one horse, four dogs, and a cat.
