A walk through a caffeinated mind!

January 20, 2009

I’ve been reflecting the last couple of days (isn’t that what you are suppose to do in the first month of the new year?)  on two key concepts which are not only critical to the success of our business but can also be applied to any facet of life:  Knowing “where I want to go” and Understanding “what it looks like when I get there”

A business is a means to an end. Nothing more, nothing less. The business owner defines what the end is. This end could be about money, security, accomplishment, legacy, nearly whatever.  At Bald Guy Brew, I periodically ask myself the following questions which help guide my thoughts and in return, my actions.

Business and the Imago Dei

•    What are some tangible ways in which Bald Guy Brew can demonstrate a genuine respect for human life?

•    What is the difference between “customer service” and “entertaining angels” for Bald Guy Brew?

Business and Environmental Stewardship

•    What are five, low cost, eco-friendly projects Bald Guy Brew can initiate and implement that will result in less waste?

•    In what ways can Bald Guy Brew reduce its carbon footprint over the next year? Three years?  Five years?

Business and Social Responsibility

•    What does a socially responsible business look like in Watauga County?

•    How can Bald Guy Brew “do justice” and “love mercy” globally by working in the coffee industry?

Business and Life

•    What does success look like both personally and for our family?

⁃    How much time do I want to take off?

⁃    Where do I want to be in the next twelve months, three years, and five years from a family standpoint?

No business is meant to last forever.  Personally, I believe we are just passing through, sojourners, aliens living in a foreign land.  The key is to learn to live with a loose grip, holding only onto those things which are important.  Learning  to hold loose or hang tight is a process…a process that, for me, always starts with these two fundamental questions:  “Where do I want to go?”  and “How do I know when I’ve arrived?”