Fossil Group Celebrates International Day of the Girl

“What does a CEO look like?,” asked Maya Penn, who founded her company at age eight.

“An eight-year-old girl doesn’t come to mind.” But that’s just what Maya Penn is: a CEO. In Celebration of International Day of the Girl, a youth-led movement for gender equality and justice and youth activism, Fossil Group was proud to welcome five incredible young women movers and shakers from all over the United States to share their stories. CEOs, founders, creative directors and owners of their own businesses and non-profits, the panelists were all under the age of 17.

Amid a packed room full of more than 250 Fossil employees, community members and kids, the female panelists led a conversation about how they’re creating the biggest impact they can, in the way only they can. The event, which was also streamed globally and recorded to all Fossil Group employees, was the first ever global Opportunity For Her event featuring and inviting youth to participate.

Meet the Panelists

Maya Penn, 17, Maya’s Ideas4 the Planet

Author. Animated Filmmaker. Eco-Designer.

“Young people are the future and girls are a huge part of that future.”

Isabella Taylor, 16, IRT Designs

Artist. Designer. Social Entrepreneur.

“First we find ourselves, then we find our place in this world.”

Isabelle & Katherine Adams, 11 & 14, Paper For Water

Sisters. Non-profit co-founders. Origami enthusiasts.

“It feels really good to know that you can make a difference in someone’s life. If we can do it … so can you!”

Asia Newson, 13, Super Business Girl

Detroit’s Youngest Entrepreneur. Candlemaker. Mentor.

“I wanted to empower young people and teach them about sales and entrepreneurship so they won’t have to grow up and work for someone else.”

  • “Young people are the future,
    and girls are a huge part
    of that future.”
     

    Maya Penn, 17

    Author. Animated Filmmaker. Eco-Designer.
     
    Explore Maya’s Ideas4 the Planet →

  • “First we find ourselves,
    then we find our place
    in this world.”
     

    Isabella Taylor, 16

    Artist. Designer. Social Entrepreneur.
     
    Learn more about IRT Designs →

  • “I wanted to empower young
    people and teach them about
    sales and entrepreneurship so
    they won’t have to grow up
    and work for someone else.”
     

    Asia Newson, 13

    Detroit’s Youngest Entrepreneur. Candlemaker. Mentor.
     
    Read about Super Business Girl in the news →

  • “It feels really good to know that
    you can make a difference in
    someone’s life. If we can
    do it … so can you!”
     

    Isabelle & Katherine Adams, 11 & 14

    Sisters. Non-profit co-founders. Origami enthusiasts.

    Shop Paper for Water →

On top of their amazing entrepreneurship, each girl makes sure their company has a purpose. From underserved girls across the globe to their local communities, the girls all raise money and awareness for a specific cause. “Each of us has something we’re meant to be and we can be and do anything,” Isabella Taylor told the audience. “You can do whatever you want to do if you want to do it,” said Asia Newson. “Do not limit yourself; the sky’s the limit.”

After the event, attendees at the Fossil Group Headquarters were able to shop from the panelists’ pop-up shops and volunteer to fold origami to support Paper For Water. In fact employees from Fossil Group offices around the globe took on the challenge of folding enough origami ornaments to support one water well. The donations from 125 handmade origami ornaments help fund each water well. Greater Together indeed.

Throughout the week, global employees used KIVA cards to empower women by coming together to fund female entrepreneurs as well as donated to causes supporting girls, which Fossil Group matches!

  • Maya Penn, Isabelle and Katherine Adams, Isabella Rose Taylor and Asia Newson spoke to a crowd of employees and their families at Fossil Group in Richardson TX
  • Isabella Rose Taylor spoke to a crowd of employees and their families at Fossil Group in Richardson TX
  • Isabelle and Katherine Adams of Paper For Water spoke to a crowd of employees and their families at Fossil Group in Richardson TX
  • fg-idg-spectator-2
  • Asia Newson, Super Business Girl, spoke to a crowd of employees and their families at Fossil Group in Richardson TX
  • Maya Penn, Isabelle and Katherine Adams, Isabella Rose Taylor and Asia Newson spoke to a crowd of employees and their families at Fossil Group in Richardson TX
  • Fossil Group employees and their families visit the pop up shops of Maya’s Ideas, Isabella Rose Taylor, Super Business Girl candles and Paper For Water
  • Fossil Group employees and their families visit the pop up shops of Maya’s Ideas, Isabella Rose Taylor, Super Business Girl candles and Paper For Water
  • Fossil Group employees and their families had the opportunity to shop and fold origami for Paper For Water
  • Maya Penn signs copies of her book, You Got This
  • Isabella Rose Taylor stops for a photo op on International Day of the Girl at Fossil Group in Richardson TX
  • Feature clothing by Isabella Rose Taylor on display at International Day of the Girl celebrations at Fossil Group
  • Fossil Group employees and their families had the opportunity to shop and fold origami for Paper For Water
  • Fossil Group employees and their families had the opportunity to shop and fold origami for Paper For Water
  • Fossil Group employees and their families had the opportunity to support ONE #GirlsCount by claiming a number and showing support at photo booths on site
  • Paper For Water supports ONE #GirlsCount by claiming a number and showing support at photo booths at Fossil Group

ONE #GirlsCount

Being inspired by change and being the change are two different things. Fossil Group took this opportunity to let its employees take action.
ONE, an organization whose mission is to advocate on behalf of those in poverty, launched the #GirlsCount campaign to draw attention to the fact that, in poverty, boys are more likely to get an education than girls.

By inviting people globally to film themselves counting a number between one and 130 million, ONE is hoping to draw attention to the crisis that 130 million girls aren’t in school, and pressure leaders to take action to fix this.. On Oct. 11, Fossil Group set up various booths throughout offices around the globe where employees and guests could make their own video for the campaign.

In honor of International Day of the Girl, Fossil Group also invited employees and their loved ones—as well as Fossil Foundation partners around the world—to raise awareness for the 130 million girls who currently don’t have access to education. Here’s a look at the videos we collected.

Kate White

Global Brand Manager

Chicago Team
Relic Brand Team
Misfit Team
Wholesale Team
Magdalene Wong

S.V.P., Human Resources Asia Pacific

Global Giving and Sustainability
Licensing Team
Logistics Team
Janiece Evans-Page

V.P., Fossil Global Giving and Fossil Foundation

New York Team
Mexico Team
Miami Team
Order Entry Team, Mexico
Annalise Billings

Leathers Design

Steve Evans

E.V.P., Fossil Brand

Casey Green

Creative Director, Fossil Brand

Carolyn Marco

Sr. Jewelry Designer

Amelia Morgan

Fossil Family members

Sara Bruckner

V.P., Planning

Kara Devita

Community Engagement Director

Sheri Wildeman

Account Executive

Susan Liang

Sr. Director, Regional Planning, Asia Pacific

Roshnie Muscarello

V.P., C.C.O, Fossil East

Jordan Page

Fossil Family member

Nicky Dzialak

Concessions Director, Fossil U.K.

Isabelle Adams

Co-C.E.O. Paper For Water,
a Fossil Community Partner

Katherine Adams

Co-C.E.O. Paper For Water,
a Fossil Community Partner

Going To School

Fossil Foundation Partner

Going To School

Fossil Foundation Partner

Going To School

Fossil Foundation Partner

Going To School

Fossil Foundation Partner

Going To School

Fossil Foundation Partner