Guided by Vision:Taking Over the World, One Sandwich at a Time
Heart of Engagement:The Small Business Forum
Why This, Why Here, Why Now?
Benton Harbor, Michigan may be the last place you would look for a world class coffee shop and café.
If you
know anything about the history of the Benton Harbor area you’d be familiar with the facts, extremely high unemployment, 17% by recent count, and median family income below $20,000. The local economy, currently ranked 347Th out of 366 US metropolitan areas, was devastated by the loss of six large manufacturing facilities in the 1980’s and hasn’t improved much since. But if you show up at 124 Water Street in Benton Harbor on any morning around 8:00AM you’ll be in for a treat; great coffee, service, music and possibly the best ham and cheese croissants on the planet among the other treats that are all made on the premises. So, why this, why here and why now?
Four years ago Elizabeth Frost, owner and muse of the Phoenix coffee shop, was in China following the path of family members from previous generations. If she had continued on her path she would have become the family’s third generation of Montessori teachers. She changed her path.
One afternoon while still in China Elizabeth met a man on his vacation who was starting a school in south western Michigan, a school with apparently similar commitments to the Montessori philosophy and the two clicked in terms of visionary paths. Before their meeting concluded Elizabeth had been offered a position at the new school and an opportunity to participate as a founding member of the faculty.
Fast forward to early 2009. The school thing hadn’t worked out for Elizabeth. The opportunity was not all that was promised. Elizabeth is not cocky but she doesn’t lack for confidence so she left the school and started to look around for what was next. Being stranded in southwest Michigan at this time in history would be daunting for most people but when you get to know Elizabeth you realize that she does not take her cues from the circumstances.She is guided by vision, the origin of authentic engagement.
She hung around Benton Harbor for a while, picked up whatever work she could and waited. Eventually she noticed a combination real estate office/coffee shop that didn’t seem to be doing well in either endeavor. Elizabeth approached the owner and found him willing to part with the coffee shop part of his business and all the associated equipment. She had never run a business and knew nothing about food service. However, a little thing like lack of knowledge and experience was not about to stop her, she had created a vision and that was now her guide.
In her own kitchen Elizabeth taught herself how to bake, she baked hundreds of croissants and gave them away to friends until she got the response she was looking for. She was ready for business! Eighteen months later the Phoenix is a social and commercial phenomenon in Benton Harbor. If you drop by Saturday morning between 9AM and Noon you better plan on take out because you’ll find all twenty or so tables filled with locals and folks who drive over from nearby St. Joseph not only for the croissants but incredible quiche options as well a daily special that by itself makes the trip worthwhile. The environment is very warm and inviting, no one gets rushed at The Phoenix.
According to Elizabeth it hasn’t been all “butterflies and sunshine” but the satisfaction comes from the tiny pleasures of service. I asked her about the choice to stay in the area when clearly she could have moved on. In her words, “There is something special going on in Benton Harbor now, there’s an opportunity to be part of the community’s rebirth, progress is easy to see, the cost of entry was very attractive and it is rare to be there at the beginning of anything.” That’s the power of vision; saying there is opportunity when none is apparent. I can tell you not everyone would have seen Benton Harbor as Elizabeth has. But then not everyone had a plan to “take over the world one sandwich at a time.” And she is not alone.
- So now take a look at your own business. Who has had the say about how things have gone, you or the circumstances? Who will have the say for the future?
