November 18, 2020 4:00 am Published by

Episode 82:

Lee Wallace is the owner and Queen Bean of Peace Coffee, a company on a mission to craft a delicious coffee experience with communities around the globe. A rare CEO whose area of expertise resides in, in her words, that intersection between mission and money, she is a sought-after writer and speaker as well as a recognized leader and expert in multiple fields: social enterprise businesses, fair trade enterprises, and specialty coffee importers. Lee sits on the Research Advisory Council for the Specialty Coffee Association, and holds active leadership roles in the Climate Collaborative, and the B Corps movement. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to new places, puttering around in her garden, and hanging out with her dogs Ruby and Felix.

Based in the heart of Minneapolis, Peace Coffee has been proudly roasting, pedaling, and brewing outstanding coffee since 1996. Under Lees leadership the company has garnered local, national, and international recognition from being named one of the 10 Most Sustainable Coffee Businesses in the U.S. by Civil Eats, to earning the Best Coffee Roaster title by Minnesota Monthly and Growler magazines, to being recognized as one of the top places to work by Minnesota Business Magazine. The company has also been honored with list placements on Best for the World, Community, B Corp, 2018, and 2019; Ten Most Sustainable U.S. Coffee Businesses; and Most Ethical Coffee Companies, Fair World Project.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

  • Lee’s journey as a female leader in the coffee industry
  • How Lee made the transition from consultant to entrepreneur
  • The lesson’s Lee learned as she navigated the uncharted territory of entrepreneurship
  • How Lee funded her business and got it on its feet
  • How to center yourself in your goals, stick to your vision, and execute
  • What it takes to operate at the intersection of mission and money
  • What the future holds for Peace Coffee in 2021
  • Where Lee finds inspiration

Resources:

The Queen Bean

Lee Wallace is the owner and Queen Bean of Peace Coffee, a company on a mission to craft a delicious coffee experience with communities around the globe. She operates at the intersection of mission and money, bringing thought leadership and expertise to audiences in social enterprise businesses, fair trade enterprises, and specialty coffee importers. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Lee joins us to share her journey as a female leader, and the story behind Peace Coffee. She explains how she navigated the uncharted territory of entrepreneurship and pursued her passion.

Follow Your Passion

Lee has always been interested in the concept of using entrepreneurial tools to solve problems in society and to fuel work that has a distinctive mission behind it. Initially, this manifested itself as a career in consulting. However, during her time as a consultant, she had the opportunity to work with a client that she immediately fell in love with. Lee found her passion and purpose in the coffee industry, joined her client’s team, and eventually, she purchased the company from them in 2016. Believe it or not, she had never anticipated becoming an entrepreneur, but we can learn from her experience. Don’t let your fears and limiting beliefs deter you from following the path that your passions lead to. There is so much to gain from listening to your intuition.

Stick With Your Vision

When Lee made the transition from consultant to entrepreneur, she had to be quick on her feet. If entrepreneurship is a path you’re considering, the lessons Lee shares are of great value. It is easy to get stuck in your bubble while trying to get the business on its feet, but if you deviate from the mission and core values that drove you to pursue your dream in the first place, it will not be sustainable. As a business owner and leader, it is critical to center yourself in what your goal is and create a concrete plan to get there. Stick with your vision and execute it.

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