Be Generous

It is tempting in a teensy business to keep all of the cash in the business ---to keep investing in the business to make it sustainable. 

Let me argue in favor of generosity. 

This has been a good year for my little business, AvantGarb. Besides giving a few raises, and paying myself just about every payday, we have been able to give money away. 

We make wonderful big mascot heads and bodies. It's a joyous business. We try to spread the joy by donating to some cool, do-good orgs. 

Some cool, do-good orgs we support 

We give to the Heifer Project, one of the coolest organizations I know. They give animals to people for whom an animal makes an economic difference. If you're at a loss for what to give the person who has everything, may I suggest the Heifer Project. You can give a hive of bees, a bunch of chicks and even an ox in their name, to support people around the world for whom a bunch of fluffy chicks is a big deal.

I'm an artist in business. In the interest of promoting the arts and entrepreneurship, AvantGarb is an ardent supporter of CreativeCapital, an organization that promotes innovative and adventuresome artists with funding, counsel and career development. 

Sometimes I even get on a plane & fly to NYC go to their wonderful parties where I get filled to the brim with art, conversation and pure delight.

 Other do-good, feel-good things we do 

During the summer, we spend some time working with children, in something we call the Handmade Parade. 

The children make big critters with cardboard and paint, tune up the kazoo band, practice some moves and parade through the neighborhood.

 Our Awfully Big Puppets have been making yearly appearances at the PRIDE Parade.

Our holiday balls and shiny, holiday trees appear in community parades

Generosity is good for the heart and soul.


©Jennifer Smith 2014