At Metaverse, we get the privilege of seeing innovation and creativity first hand. We decided to celebrate this innovation with a new feature to our blog: The Client Spotlight. In our inaugural post, we take a closer look at the amazing social good model behind Pura Vida bracelet business.

Translated from Spanish, pura vida means pure life. Little did two college students know that their vacation discovery would lead to a social good business – and we are proud to be one of their partners.

How it all started

A few years ago, Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman met two local gentlemen peddling bracelets in Costa Rica during a post-graduation vacation. The bracelets were fun – a series of beautiful colors threaded together, highlighted with metal embellishments. Griffin and Paul purchased about 400 bracelets with the hopes of selling them back home and maybe helping these two locals out financially.

In no time the bracelets sold out, creating the opportunity for Paul and Griffin’s now-successful company, Pura Vida. Wildly popular, the bracelets have appeared on celebrity fashionista wrists and been promoted in talk shows, news, and magazines.

Giving back

What initially started as a way to partner with local jewelry makers in Costa Rica to help improve their financial situation, blossomed into a more global giving operation.  They started receiving emails saying, “I love your bracelets! Is there some way I can fundraise or help?” That’s the beauty of the Pura Vida team: they listen and they want to help.

Pura Vida is more than just  a jewelry and accessory business, it’s an incredibly charitable organization. Already this year, Pura Vida donated $199,688.50 to various organizations. In the company’s entire lifespan, Pura Vida has donated $592,638.50 to 160 unique charity organizations.

How May We Help You?

A simple question but with deep meaning for the team at Pura Vida because it goes beyond making sure a shipment is timely or you are happy with your orders, it is about how the bracelets can help causes that make for a better world, a pure life, as they say.  To help them create a great experience that mirrors their fun and approachable brand voice and build a human connection,  Pura Vida brought on our Mods to provide knowledgeable customer support.  As with the case with the majority of our Metaverse clients, the Mods are also Pura Vida customers so they have an intimate understanding of the product and passion for the business..

We wanted to know more about Pura Vida and chatted with Griffin Thall, co-founder and CEO.

The charity part is so integral to the business,  can you share a little about how it works?

From the dozens of emails about alternative charity programs, Pura Vida opened up their product as a platform. Griffin noted that Pura Vida created 222 different products to support various charities, from Boarding For Breast Cancer to For the Oceans.  “We’ve worked with big charities and small. We have a charity department that works directly with organizations or groups who are interested in becoming part of our support community. We’re happy to welcome people involved in fundraising from kids’ soccer teams who need uniforms, to helping those with medical issues or conservation concerns.”

What characteristic do you believe is essential for great customer service?

The most important element in great customer engagement is genuine acknowledgement. I hear you. I see you. “You have to allow people to feel an emotional attachment to your brand,” Griffin believes. “It must be more than a product; there must be ethos, and depth. Purpose. I think people really like our brand because they feel there’s so much personality to it.”

What ways are you spreading the word about Pura Vida?

From free bracelet giveaways, multiple-channel social media programs , reward programs, to joining the Pura Vida representative group and customer meet-ups at festivals and events, our team is energized to share how we can make a difference with the artistic and creative business we have created.  Team for us is not just those inside our building in San Diego or Costa Rica, it is the community we are growing with clients.  .

Just how much do customers love Pura Vida and its mission?

Griffin, “Customers and meeting the need of our customers, both in product and time are our number 1 priority. People come in every day – 5 to 10 people.  They chat with us, ask if we can work with their charity or school. People come in in with pure emotion. Whole families with kids, strollers, dogs – looking forward to visiting because of what Pura Vida has offered them.” One of my favorite customer interactions happened a few months ago. We had a customer fly in and visit from Japan. She opened the door and started crying. She couldn’t speak for 30 minutes.  She came in with an interpreter and just was so happy to be a part of Pura Vida life. It was very cool.”

Thank you to Griffin and the Pura Vida team for inspiring others (including us) to think differently about how businesses can make an impact on society and culture.  Here is to living pura vida!

This entry was posted in Customer Support, Partners, Social Media and tagged bracelets, charity, Clients, customer satisfaction, customer support, giving, pura vida. Bookmark the permalink.