What I love most about founding Grace & Fire is that I get to serve two customers—and in doing so, I get to live inside two worlds at once.

On one side is the woman who carries a Grace & Fire bag: a mother, a professional, a creative, a thoughtful human who cares deeply about how she spends her money and what her choices say about her values. On the other side is the mother who creates: a woman in rural Guatemala whose hands hold generations of knowledge, whose work provides food for her children, and whose dignity is restored through meaningful, fairly paid work.

Building Grace & Fire has allowed me to learn from two very different demographics, cultures, and lived experiences. It has taught me that while our circumstances may be vastly different, our desires are remarkably the same—to care for our families, to contribute something meaningful, and to be seen and valued for who we are.

Research consistently shows that serving others is not just beneficial to communities—it profoundly shapes the person doing the serving. Studies in positive psychology and child development tell us that generosity and purposeful work increase life satisfaction, resilience, and empathy. Children who are exposed to service and philanthropy early on are more likely to develop a strong sense of purpose, emotional intelligence, and social responsibility. They learn that fulfillment doesn’t come solely from what we accumulate, but from what we contribute.

Grace & Fire is an invitation into that way of living.

When a mother carries one of our bags, she’s not just carrying a beautiful, functional piece—she’s carrying a story. A story that opens the door to conversations with her children about gratitude, dignity, and global responsibility. About the reality that not everyone has the same access to opportunity, but that we can choose to be part of the solution in thoughtful, sustainable ways.

This brand has become a bridge—between cultures, beliefs, and markets; between comfort and courage; between what is and what could be. And in that space, I experience gratitude from two perspectives: the woman who feels proud of a purchase that aligns with her values, and the mother who feels proud of the work she does to provide for her family.

I believe this is a culture worth exploring. One where service is woven into daily life. Where our children grow up understanding that success is not just measured by what we achieve, but by how we show up for others. Where philanthropy is not something we talk about in abstract terms, but something we practice—together.

Grace & Fire exists for women, for mothers, and for anyone who wants more than beautiful things. It exists for families who want to raise and influence conscious, compassionate children. And it exists to remind us all that when we choose to serve with intention, we don’t just change lives across the world—we shape the values that live within our own homes.

Much Love and Happy Holidays 

-Kristin