Which pillar of Conscious Capitalism is best represented by your business?
Higher Purpose
Why did you decide to align your business with this (or other) pillars?
Through many volunteer trips I saw many of these injustices up close and the long term effects of these areas of focus. I was determined to channel this passion into some type of entity that could make ongoing impact. Coffee seemed to be a universal commodity that I loved and most people will gather around.
Can you share the challenges you faced in aligning this way?
To be honest, the lack of any type of experience I am now in. I had never started a non-profit. Never started a business. Never fundraised to the level it took to make this happen. Never even looked at a commercial lease. Never worked in coffee. You tracking with me 🙂 ? So, the learning curve was extensive. The fix was to ask everyone and their mother for wisdom and help. And people came out of nowhere to do so.
What have been the benefits of aligning the business this way?
My favorite is the way The Roosevelt has mobilized people doing great work into meeting in our space. Whether you are a student, city council member, ngo leader, non-profit leader, social enterprise owner, etc. you will find all of those in the shop. Just as not single individuals, but collaborativer personalities interacting together for the good of Columbus and the world.
What advice might you have for businesses considering aligning with the principles?
Have your go to product. The passion to live within these principles is at the center of who you are if you tied into conscious capitalism. Now, it is selling a commodity that people want so the product and the vision are successful.
How have your employees/customers benefitted from this approach?
This is a beautiful thing at The Roosevelt The employees have seen our core values (love, justice, coffee, humility, optimism) in our financial impact and human relations in a retail experience that is rare. They are difference-makers in the community by the connections they have made to our vision and to the doers of the city that come into the space.
Our hope that customers have benefitted by feeling that they are the shop. They are the reason it ticks the way it does. They are the goodwill that is getting passed to the person that is yet to check us out.
Anything else you’d like to share?
When considering business principles, I first reflect on my personal values. My personal principles directly seep into the business, so I must be sure that my higher values are positive, strong, and focused. Take time for yourself to reflect; your business will benefit.
How have your employees/customers benefited from this approach?
Columbus is a great startup town. Especially, for impact. Check out www.socialventurescbus.com to see more about that.
We have a roaster company now, Roosevelt Coffee Roasters. We would love to bring a conscious capitalism business into your sphere of influence. Email me at kenny@roosevelt.coffee for details. We also just opened our official second location, in Franklinton at The Gravity Project.
Adapted from answers provided by Kenny Sipes, Founder of Redeeming Injustice DBA The Roosevelt Coffeehouse
