Click on image to enlarge
I was excited to receive this email. I read it and thought “Yeah, I know I definitely leave an impression. Wonder what one it was this time?” with a smile on my face.
A few hours after that I received a call from Mark Pinsky, the President and CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network. After a little bit of phone tag I saw his call come in and pulled my car over. I grabbed my notebook and made some notes. Mark was very apologetic about the phone tag and that he hadn’t gotten in touch with me sooner. Sooner? I was grateful to get a call just two days after the meeting. In fact, I was barely back home and back into the swing of things. I told him what an honor it was to talk to not just Howard that week, but now to another CEO and President of an important organization. Mark asked me a few questions about where I was at with my financing and what I had already done and knew. In the end, he offered to connect me with Mary Mathews at the Entrepreneur Fund in Duluth, MN. He had worked with Mary previously and called her an “entrepreneurial genius”. Aside from that, he didn’t have any other specific things to offer. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed to hear “You are doing what there is to be done. Just keep doing that.” I wanted a secret Easy Button or access to the dollars in one easy move. I suppose it is assuring or even a compliment that I am doing the right things. I am just always hungry for more.
What really made the most difference to me in that phone call with Mark? What he said his experience was of me from Wednesday. Because remember how I said how defeated I was leaving the shareholders meeting? Well, all of a sudden I understood that wasn’t the experience that other people had of me. I was so relieved.
Here are the things Mark said: That he was sitting in the front row with the presidents of divisions, CEOs of other partnering Starbucks companies from other countries etc and, of course, Kenny G (he is shareholder and personal friend of Howard’s and is there every year). That he looked around where he was sitting while I was talking and that everyone found me to be “really moving”. He said that he was personally moved by my admiration of Howard, my story, and that Howard himself had asked him to follow up with me. My favorite thing he said was “You definitely got Howard’s attention.”
After the call, I did get connected with Mary Mathews and she connected me with the CEO and owner of the Keeley Group in Atlanta, Georgia, Kathy Keeley. Kathy was involved with the American Girl(R) Dolls and French Meadow Bakery businesses during their early years. It was another conversation where I was told that I am doing what there is to be done. She suggested thinking of other ways that I can start WeatherVane Creamery on a smaller scale. About an hour later she called me back and left a message apologizing for being a downer. I appreciated that. And I was honored by her authenticity to be able to do that. And I have considered a few smaller options.
So that’s it. I never heard back from Starbucks or Howard, but that is not to say that I still won’t. It was a wonderful ride and there is still more to be done. My next blog will be about where we are at on that ride and what we need. Stay tuned!