In 1986 Samuel took the decision to leave the craft organisation that he worked for, as he believed its producers were not being treated as fairly as he would like. Financially, this move cost him dearly, as he had to inherit some of the debts from his employer. Undeterred, he took his first steps into an alternative way of trading with local craftspeople around his hometown of Moradabad, northern India. From the beginning he was determined to ensure that artisans would be provided with the best rates available and with the support to enable them to be freed from the grip of exploitation.