Thursday 30 August 2012


A Different way of doing Business
We opened Global Tribe in 1999. It was a really good year. I met my wonderful wife and began the adventure that has become Global Tribe. We both wanted to create a business that cares about quality, service and creating community. There is a different way to do business. A world apart from the Corporate models. We believe in respecting our clients, suppliers and the environment. We wanted to be part of creating the future that we want to see. A brave new world begins one step at a time.
We opened our doors tentatively, offering kindness, love, an attentive ear and some fabulous products. Everyone is made welcome and treated as if they were in their own homes. As a result, our clients have responded in a similar way. There is a lot of love within the doors, something we both cultivate and cherish. We are very lucky that our clients are such wonderful people. It is completely natural that if we treat people well, they will return the kindness. That pretty much articulates the idea behind Global Tribe.
The old ways of business are about competition and aggressive promotions. We are all about cultivating friendships, trust, community and steady growth. There are no hard sells within our doors. When our customers are ready to buy something, they know where we are. This approach has led to a softer and kinder way to do business. We grow each year, due mostly to word of mouth.
A friend posted this picture on Facebook recently.
 
 
It reminded me of a book I read in 1992, that changed my perspective on life. The book was the Celestine Prophecy by James Readfield. The ideas in the book are very simple but they expand into a much more amazing philosophy in life. This is why we wanted to create a vision of the future, to be part of the change. We want to focus on bringing people together, sharing space and time, exploring our consciousness, being gentle and kind, looking for new ways to create a better world. This change can only begin in our own lives and then be exported.
There are a lot of people in Leeds, West Yorkshire and the rest of the World, who are already part of this quiet revolution. This community is easy to find online. There are some fantastic movements that we can connect with.  There are also places being lit up all over the planet that have a more altruistic attitude. We are one of those.
We have wanted to open a cafe since we first opened the shop. It has taken us more than 12 years to finally open our little Cafe. It’s not big or fancy, but it is honest and homely. We have met some fabulous people and groups since we first opened the cafe. There is a really fresh vibe around people who are considerate about what they eat. We had a wonderful event with Susan Laing, who brought some fine people together to discuss the benefits of Wheatgrass and living food. Graham, who had come from Sunderland turned out to be full of amazing dietary advice. In fact he completely blew me away. Peter Caiser, from Ecuador gave a presentation on raw food that inspired and informed. There was a guy there who had lost 16 stones through changing his diet. Just normal people making a difference in their own lives, who can inspire others just by being themselves.
Next month there will be course on meditation and in December there will be a seminar on how to make Raw Chocolate. The cafe is a place for likeminded people to meet and share food, information and kindness. We are very happy to have lit up a place of the future. A place where happiness, joy and kindness are celebrated.
There are also a few other places in Yorkshire, also doing wonderful work. I can heartily recommend The Happiness Centre in Ilkey,
Physis Health and Well Being in Adel,
The Veggie cafe in Ilkley,
Mystic Moon in the Central Arcade,
Leeds, the Otley Apothecary,
Crystal Space in Silsden,
Roots and Fruits in the Grand Arcade, Leeds
and The Cheerful Chilli in Otley.
Oh yeah, The Ilkley Complimentary Medicine Festival and Health and Healing Fairs in Leeds and York are also little gems that come and go.
The future is looking bright. We are very happy to be embracing the positive and allowing that acceptance and love to be reflected back into our lives.
Thanks again for reading.

Thursday 16 August 2012

Green Shoots

We opened our crystal shop in 1999 and I remember chatting with Bev about how much we wanted to open a cafe. Well 12  years later, we finally managed to open it.
Global Tribe Crystals has become a hub in an alternative community within the Leeds and Yorkshire area. We are over the moon with the opening of the new Cafe. Now, there is a wonderful place where people can gather to have healthy food and uplifting conversations.


It's turning into a fabulous experience. We have always loved the shop and the people that it attracts. The Cafe has proved to have a similar draw. We are meeting some amazing people who are truly investigating food and learning how to integrate that into their lifestyles.
It is a real joy to see Coeliacs able to come into a restaurant in the city and have a three course meal. We have some beautiful raw food options, which continue to attract raw foodies and simply food lovers alike. The Raw Chocolate mousse has been a great hit as has the orange and fennel  salad.


I have to thank the wonderful Susan Laing, who has a boundless enthusiasm for food and healthy lifestyles. She kindly brought a wonderful group of people together to discuss the benefits of wheatgrass. It was a great day, which opened up the space to its first community event.

We have some more events in store including an introduction to meditation, a workshop for making raw chocolates, and an advanced meditation course.

So it is with joy that the Global Tribe Centre is now open on three floors, with the crystal shop on the first floor, the cafe on the second floor and Sacred Elements therapy room on the third floor.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Cheers,

Mario