For Subscribers

Star Power This BIZ Experiences is enlisting a little help from Hollywood to meet her double bottom line.

By JJ Ramberg

Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.

From the moment she came up with the idea for her Los Angeles-based clothing and accessories company OmniPeace, founder Mary Fanaro says everything just fell into place. "I believe that when you're doing what you're supposed to be doing in your life, good things happen to help you along," she says.

A former events producer in the entertainment industry, Fanaro witnessed firsthand the power of celebrity. Just before starting OmniPeace, she produced the 10-year anniversary of the Hard Rock Hotel. "There was so much celebrity support in that room," she says. "When those people say things, other people listen." So she decided to harness the influence of that strong celebrity network on behalf of a good cause.

The concept behind her company is simple: She creates products ranging from T-shirts to tote bags to scarves branded with the OmniPeace logo, a hand making the peace sign. The issues she's helping to solve, however, are complex: Twenty-five percent of OmniPeace's profits are donated to Millennium Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending poverty in Africa. "I had researched Oxfam, the Red Cross and other organizations, but they were so big that I thought my contributions wouldn't be enough to make the changes I want to make in the time I want to make them," says Fanaro, 43. So she approached the founder of Millennium Promise and offered her services.

She's since helped broker 15 licensing deals, and through her partners' distribution channels, her products are now sold in Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Macy's, Mervyns and other stores nationwide in addition to chic boutiques. The key to her sales, though, has been celebrity support. "Courtney Cox [Arquette] launched the brand for me; Naomi Campbell flew in from Europe to do the launch; Casey Affleck wore one of the shirts on Larry King Live; and Jennifer Aniston was at our anniversary party," Fanaro explains, and her list keeps growing.

OmniPeace projects retail sales of its products to reach $5 million this year, earning the company more than $500,000 in licensing revenue; to date, the company has donated $150,000. Currently, the donations go to Millennium Promise's general budget, which invests in food production, health, education, access to clean water and infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. As her company grows, Fanaro hopes to target her donations: "I'm going to go to Ethiopia to see exactly what the people need. And soon construction for a school in Senegal will begin with funding from OmniPeace."

JJ Ramberg is the host of MSNBC's small-business program Your Business and co-founder of GoodSearch.com.

JJ Ramberg is the author of It's Your Business, host of MSNBC's Your Business and founder of GoodSearch.com, a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates to charity with each search.

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

How Much Does Apple Pay Its Employees? Here Are the Exact Salaries of Staff Jobs, Including Developers, Engineers, and Consultants.

New federal filings submitted by Apple reveal how much the tech giant pays its employees for a variety of roles.

Growing a Business

Forget Investors and Co-Founders — Here's How I Built a Lean, Scalable Business on My Terms

You don't need a partner or investors to build something that lasts. You need vision, systems and the guts to go all in on yourself. Here's how I built alone — and why I still would, even now.

Side Hustle

This 26-Year-Old's Side Hustle Turned Full-Time Business Led to $100,000 in 2.5 Months and Is On Track for $2.5 Million in 2025

Ross Friedman's successful venture started with a "Teen Night" in Boston, Massachusetts.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Social Media

How To Start a Youtube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube can be a valuable way to grow your audience. If you're ready to create content, read more about starting a business YouTube Channel.

Buying / Investing in Business

Meet the Person Who Invented Plastic that Dissolves in Water

"Big Plastic" might hate it, but it's an opportunity for investors in the $1.3T plastics industry.