Source: Pura Vida Bracelets

An enterprise previously featured by The Costa Rica Star is now being recognized by the prestigious business magazine Forbes. Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall are the cofounders of Pura Vida Bracelets; in the past, we described their entrepreneurial spirit as follows:

When Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman traveled to Costa Rica in 2009 after graduating from San Diego State University, they were just looking for a fun trip to celebrate their accomplishments and unwind before starting the job hunt. They never imagined that a finding in a small beach community would be the catalyst for their own successful business, one which not only generates profits, but also provides jobs and contributes to local and national charities. Their La Jolla-based company, Pura Vida Bracelets, now in its second year, sells string bracelets that are produced by Costa Rica artisans. To date, the venture has created a nationwide fashion statement, funneled profits to hundreds of charities and helped more than 35 Costa Ricans find full time work.

Goodman and Thall are now part of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 business visionaries to watch for 2015 within the retail sector.

On a press release posted on the Pura Vida Bracelets site, the company expands on their recognition by Forbes:

Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall came up with the idea on a surf trip to Costa Rica after graduating from San Diego State University.

They met two homeless men who were selling the bracelets on the beach.

They bought 400 to sell to friends and family. “Within two weeks, we sold 400 bracelets,” said Goodman, so they decided to buy 1,000 more. “We sold those and kept going with it,” he said.

Twenty percent of the sale price of many of the bracelets goes to charity.

The company gave more than $300,000 to charity groups last year and even the non-charity bracelets help out. “Every bracelet purchased helps provides jobs for people in Costa Rica,” said Thall.

Those two homeless men Goodman and Thall first hired, well they’re not homeless anymore and 80 other Costa Ricans now have fulltime jobs.