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The Gift of Work

12/14/2017

16 Comments

 
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by David Hagenbuch, founder of Mindful Marketing & author of Honorable Influence

What’s the nicest gift anyone has ever given you?  Maybe it was a special toy when you were a child, or a critical gift of cash when you were in great need.  There’s another very important gift that many of us take for granted—work.  Thankfully, one caring company gives that opportunity to a special group of people who otherwise may never enjoy it.
 
“Really?  How is work a gift?” you may be wondering.  That claim understandably draws skepticism.  After all, work can be unpleasant, difficult, and even dangerous.  Some people spend the better part of their day, and their lives, trying to avoid work.  So, why call work a gift?
 
First, work is a source of livelihood for most of us.  We’re able to put food on the table and pay bills because we work.  Even more, however, meaningful work provides a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.  When we’re fortunate enough to do work that we’re good at and enjoy, work isn’t a curse, it’s a blessing.
 
Unfortunately, however, some people, don’t get the opportunity to work, through no fault of their own.  Because they have a disability, others assume they can’t do certain jobs and, therefore, regard them as unemployable.  Such is the situation for many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs).
 
In 2016, Amy and Ben Wright opened Bitty & Beau's Coffee Shop in Wilmington, NC because they wanted to make the world a more welcoming place for those living with IDDs.  Some organizations might advance such a mission by donating a portion of their profits to a worthy cause.  The Wrights, however, act out their convictions in an even more direct way—they employ about 40 wonderful people who happen to have IDDs.
 
Why would the Wrights want to take on such a unique and likely challenging task?  For one thing, the owners have a direct connection to their special employee base.  Bitty and Beau, the shop’s namesakes and the Wright’s two youngest children, both have Down syndrome.  So, parental compassion is understandable at play.

What’s more, the Wrights are moved by the fact that “70 percent of adults with intellectual and physical disabilities do not have jobs.”  But, do people with IDDs need to work?  Certainly, someone will provide for them if they can’t do so for themselves.  Amy Wright reiterates this blog post’s opening as she explains why the value of work is much more than earning an income:
 
“Having a workplace that makes you feel proud of yourself and gives you a sense of community is something we all want. For our employees, I feel like it's the first time they've had that. We figured out what their skill set was and we plugged them in. They're proud to be employed by Bitty and Beau's Coffee, and they will shout it from the rooftops. It's given them purpose and a sense of being valued in ways that we take for granted.”
 
One of those employees, Jesse, shares why she values her work:
“My job gives me confidence and helps me grow as a person. My job brings me joy and happiness.”

Bitty & Beau’s clearly makes a big difference in the lives of the people it employs; however, that’s not the end of the impact.  There’s another group of people who are also very positively influenced: the coffee shop’s customers.
 
A key part of Bitty & Beau’s mission is also to “bring the community together and to help people with and without disabilities spend time together.”  That interaction is an overwhelmingly positive and often eye-opening experience for customers.  Amy Wright again explains:
 
“Creating (Bitty & Beau’s) has given people a way to interact with people with disabilities that (they) never had before.  This is a safe place where people can test the waters and realize how much more alike we are than different.”
 
Of course, not everyone welcomes the opportunity to interact with individuals who are different than they are, but plenty of other people do, and it’s that latter group that has helped make Bitty and Beau’s a success.  Yes, the customers like the products, but “they really come in for the unique customer service experience,” which transforms individuals and can “forever change the way communities view those with IDD.”  As testament to that success, the Wrights plan to open a second location of Bitty & Beau’s soon in Charleston, SC.

By providing meaningful work for individuals with IDDs, Bitty & Beau’s gives an invaluable gift to an often-marginalized group of people.  Those passionate employees, in turn, bless the many customers who frequent the coffee shop, attracted by a truly unique value proposition.  In short, Bitty & Beau’s is an excellent example of “Mindful Marketing.”


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16 Comments
Katie Kramer
1/12/2018 08:58:02 pm

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee Shop is an incredible company with a beautiful mission. Through opening the doors of their company to those living with IDDs, they are putting their convictions to action and making a change in many lives. It is clear to see that the owners personal experience of having children with down syndrome has inspired them to pursue this business model. I love what Amy Wright had to say about how this coffee shop is not only a way to give purpose and achievement to the employees, but it also gives customers who typically don’t interact with IDDs individuals the opportunity to get to know them on a personal level. I agree that Bitty & Beau’s is an excellent example of “Mindful Marketing”. They are a company with a purpose and a passionate cause that is an inspiration and a gift to many.

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Esteban Arango
1/12/2018 10:54:33 pm

I completely agree with the statement “work is a gift”. There are a lot of things that we take for granted, and being able to work is one of them. Sometimes we complain about the jobs that we have or about the things that we have to do for living, but we do not realize that there are millions or even billions of people wishing, desiring, and craving that same job or work that we complain about. However, I also understand that not everyone works on something that they like, which can be annoying and sometimes awful, but we should try to focus on the benefits and advantages of working rather than focus on the drawbacks and disadvantages. If we change our definition of “work” from something that we do because of a monetary reward to something that we can enjoy and use to make a difference in the world, it will stop being just another thing to cross out of our everyday checklist.

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Emily Warren
1/13/2018 02:02:27 pm

Bitty & Beau's coffee shop is clearly carrying out a mindful business that not only serves great coffee, but also gives people the opportunity find meaning in their lives. I have an Uncle who has developmental disabilities. He worked for several years at a local wood shop. When the wood shop closed its doors last summer, his life was turned upside-down. Working gave him a sense of purpose and dignity. Bitty & Beau's gives its employees a true gift by giving them the opportunity to work. We live in a society that tries to avoid work as much as possible. This article serves as strong reminder not to take our ability to work for granted. Reading about this company reminds me that God created us to work and to glorify him through our work. The owners of Bitty & Beau's are carrying our this call.

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Lauren Mast
1/30/2018 10:53:06 am

Bitty and Beau's Coffee Shop is a great example of Mindful marketing. By providing jobs to a population that is often overlooked and underestimated, they help to uplift and empower the people working there. Their employment strategy brings awareness to intellectual and physical disabilities without making those who have them feel victimized, disempowered, or less than others. Providing work for their employees allows community members and other customers to have positive interactions with people who are often discounted for something they cannot control. Bitty and Beau's is a great example for others.

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Kiran K.
2/1/2018 01:35:20 am

Bitty and Beau's Coffee Shop is a true example of what Mindful Marketing is. I absolutely love the fact that are helping people with disabilities by employing them but helping the community bond with them as well. Truly an inspirational story!

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Noah Peters
2/1/2018 01:12:44 pm

This is 100% a perfect example of mindful marketing. This story warmed my heart. Not only does it allow for those new employees to have a new, meaningful experience, it really highlights the coffee shop's societal values and sense of ethics. Further, by having this strong sense of ethics and values, it makes people want to purchase their products, furthering stakeholder value. Lastly, I think by hiring employees with IDDs (keep in mind that these people have most likely been turned down from other jobs because of their IDDs), there will most likely be a strong sense of employee morale or an overall light feeling in the store, which can further and increase customer satisfaction.

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Jordan
2/1/2018 02:05:15 pm

This is my first time hearing about this coffee shop and I will say that these are exactly the types of stories that I love. In much of the media, we are often fed with news centered around negativity. However, this story really shows that there is some positivity in the world. I think it is so great that people with IDDs are given an opportunity to work and add value and purpose into their own lives in a society where they are often neglected. This really is special considering most businesses and companies are seek more monetary gain rather than making a positive impact on someone's life. Of course, businesses need to make money. However, I do think that it is amazing that the shop has figured out a way to make them unique and make an impact on lives in a positive manner.

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Qian Yin
2/1/2018 05:31:39 pm

Bitty and Beau's Coffee Shop is absolutely a great example of Mindful marketing. They take more social responsibility and help more people with IDDs. It has a very strong sense of ethics and values and it makes people like to buy their products and it creates a lot of opportunities for people to know about IDDs. So I totally agree with the title ' Work is a gift', it is truly a great story for me.

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Saijun Lai
2/1/2018 07:32:14 pm

I totally agree the statement "work is gift".In today's society, most people don't like their jobs, they have a terrible attitude about their jobs, many only regards job as the way they earned money, provided for their families, but they think that was different from their desire to do something meaningful. Millions of people in the world wish to have the same job or work that we complain about. Some people may never get a chance to do the work that you complain about because of their disability. Bitty & Beau creates chance for those people and it's marketing strategy makes itself mindful.

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ZIZE
2/1/2018 11:48:07 pm

I totally agree "Bitty & Beau’s" is an excellent example of “Mindful Marketing.” They do a good job to help disability people to rebuild their confidence, they will feel their contribution to the society. Amy and Ben has a good social responsibility. It is good marketing strategic, people will buy their product and the coffee shop provide the job to disability people.

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Leilani L.
2/2/2018 12:20:03 am

Bitty and Beau’s Coffee Shop sounds like an amazing job opportunity for people with IDD. Many people do believe that people with disabilities would be handed money through the government or by family, but it always comes down to the person with the disability, and what they want to do with it. They can stay at home and do nothing or gain money and work experience, and give an eye-opening insight to people in the world, which is what they did. These individuals also had an amazing time working because they are grateful for the job. Many of us take work for granted because we are forced to work to make a living. I mean, we aren’t forced, but we don’t want to be living on the streets, so therefore, we must work. To me, when I make my own money, I feel accomplished because I put hard work into my job. Our own time and effort was used, and when you get a paycheck, that is the best feeling in the world because it is made from yourself. And I am sure that the individuals that work at Bitty and Beau’s Coffee Shop feels the same way. This a Mindful Marketing because it helps people in the world understand that no one can be in the way of what you want to do, and it is also good for stockholders because society values this idea.

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AIQI CHEN
2/2/2018 12:25:52 am

The gift of work

In the blog, Dr. Hagenbuch narrates of our various descriptions and ideologies of gift and work. There is a common saying that disability is not inability. The co-founders of Bitty and Beau coffee shop, Ben and Amy identified a minority group in the society and gave them a gift. The gift of work. Their idea to give People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) an environment to work and use their skills cannot go unnoticed. These people need a source of livelihood just like the others who don't have any disabilities. Such an opportunity not only boosts their esteem, but also raises their confidence. This give them a reason to live and dream on. The community also get a chance to interact with them and through this realize not just their differences, but also the similarity. This ensures that they appreciate their abilities and judge them not by their disability but their skills and competence. Amy and Ben in giving these people an opportunity not only serves as a blessing to them but also poses a challenge to others. The greatest gift a person can give you is the ability to actualize your dreams and ambitions.

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Yunnung Chou
2/2/2018 02:08:20 am

The Wright family have a very mindful strategy to employment "special" group of people as their employee and treated them the same way as other treated themselves by devoting efforts to earn money, and I respect that a lot and they should receive credits. Not only did people with IDDs embrace the difference they have but also find confidence and value in working, maybe this is something they may never think of. The Wright family creates a workplace-friendly environment, and the costumer who come and enjoy the service can also feel the same service as they where in other coffee shop. Hopefully I get to enjoy a cup of coffee from them!!

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Chris
3/12/2018 07:03:19 pm

Bitty & Beau's Coffee Shop is an amazing restaurant. This company truly lives out its mission. I think it is inspiring how willing they are to help people with disabilities get a job and work here. Many people complain about their jobs, but the people who work at Bitty & Beau's Coffee Shop are just glad to have a job. This is a perfect example of mindful marketing. More organizations need to start copying their business model and allow people with IDDs to work at their restaurants.

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Vanessa Rivas
3/13/2018 12:30:48 am

I enjoyed reading about Bitty & Beau’s Coffee Shop, I had not heard about them before this post, but I find what they are doing truly inspiring. They seem to be genuinely mindful of everyone, and I think that sometimes it is easy for us to forget to be aware of everyone around us. It can be very easy for us to cast aside people who we do not think fit the norms of society, and it is nice to see an organization such as Bitty & Beau’s trying to make a difference in the lives of those we sometimes cast aside.

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Megan
11/2/2018 07:00:51 pm

This café is a great example of mindful marketing. Bitty & Beau's Coffee Shop is more than just a business, it is a place for community and people to feel accepted. I love when businesses focus on bringing success to people's lives rather than just finances.

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