gift – iLearn Technology

Support Small Business Saturday: Koostik #technologymadenatural

November 30, 2013November 30, 2013Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment2881 views

Two give aways in two days. That is pretty awesome!

Today is support small business Saturday in the United States. I’m particularly fond of this cause for shopping because my family has always owned small businesses. My dad is the ultimate craftsman. He is always dreaming up new inventions and he uses one of my favorite mediums to carry out those inventions: beautiful cuts of wood. There is something about having wood in your home, it evokes feelings of warmth and a connection to nature. When my dad started Koostik, I was especially excited because it connects technology (which you know I love) with the natural beauty of wood. These are not just functional, they are truly pieces of art. Each Koostik is handmade and unique. Because no cut of wood is exactly the same, each one has a slightly different feel. Every time I visit the shop I want to take more product home. I constantly get the, “but Kelly, you already have a Pivot.” My response, “I know but it isn’t THIS Pivot in the Ambrosia Maple!”

Koostik is a true small business. My dad works on the woodwork with a few other guys in his shop, and my mom does the finishing and packaging. My brother works sales and does all the photography and website design. There is a passion and attention to detail that you find in small businesses that just doesn’t exist anywhere else. I support small business because I appreciate that attention to detail. I appreciate the craftsmanship and passion that go into every product. I like knowing that I am supporting a neighbor, a family.

In honor of Support Small Business Saturday, I’m offering a giveaway for the Koostik product of your choice. Sorry international friends, this one is for US citizens only! To enter you will need to do one (or all) of the following:

Tweet about Koostik with the hash tag #technologymadenatural and a link to this post OR http://koostik.com
Pin your favorite Koostik product on Pinterest. Make sure to use the hash tag #technologymadenatural with your pin.
“Like” Koostik on Facebook and leave a comment with #technologymadenatural
Put a picture of your favorite Koostik in your Instagram feed with the hash tag #technologymadenatural

A winner will be chosen on December 6, 2013. Hurry and get as many entries in as you can! The winner will be announced on iLearn Technology and contacted through the social media that you used to enter.

Don’t want to wait to see if you’ve won? Koostik is currently running a sale for 30% off all products and 50% the Mini Koo! The sale runs through Cyber Monday (December 2). You could be the star of the holidays with your awesome Koostik gift giving skills!

Responsibly: Gift Wine to Fund Education

December 23, 2010December 23, 2010Kelly Tenkely1 Comment2268 views

What it is: Responsibly is a new way to gift your friends, released just in time for the holiday season. Purchase Responsibly wine for your friends and 100% of the purchase price gets donated to a Donor’s Choose project. Talk about killing two birds with one stone! It works with 3 easy steps:

1. Go to Facebook and choose which friends you want to gift.

2. Friends are encouraged to pay it forward by gifting their friends.

3. Funds are matched and donated to fund a Donor’s Choose project.

Cool huh? I love gifts that are further reaching than just the physical gift given. Not only will you be spreading cheer to your friends, you will be spreading cheer and learning to classrooms and students everywhere. That is a big deal.

From the about page (because I couldn’t have said it better myself!):

Responsibly is creating a platform for social philanthropy. We have created a mechanism that allows individuals to simultaneously share with friends and give back to society. We at Responsibly believe that doing good and feeling good do not have to be mutually exclusive. By connecting products in which 50% of the price tag funds corporate matched projects validated by Donors Choose, we can proudly say that 100% of whatever you spend at Responsibly.com will go towards helping our children get a step closer to the gaining access to the education they deserve. Coupling this with the social network that Facebook has created, hopefully, you can help inspire others to contribute to this cause.

One of the things that continues to astound me is the way that social networking is being used to change the world. I see this on a regular basis through Twitter, organizations like Donor’s Choose, TED and the movements that it spurs, and now Responsibly. Genius I tell you!

What are you waiting for? Head on over to Responsibly now and start gifting, spreading the word, and making the world a better place.

Side note: I am talking with Responsibly about how they might be involved in helping to make #TwitAcad (scroll down for all posts that mention this) a reality. Now we are talking!