I have always felt I am meant to do something spectacular. My life has either shaped or confirmed this feeling. Until now, my something spectacular has been building a craft brewery in the Swiss Alps with the purpose to make the world a better place one beer at a time. This idea was brewed up through a mixture of life experiences, some opened my eyes, others brought me to my knees. Yet, all have shaped who I am and how I act in the world.
I have found myself in a particularly exciting yet scary situation. My wife and I have spent the past ten years of our lives building our interpretation of a sustainable business. It has been life altering, and certainly the hardest thing we have ever done. This has taken its toll on us as a family, and on me physically. The good news is that it has made our family stronger. The bad news is that it has ruined my body. Ten years of heavy lifting have ruined my hips. I am in the beginning stages of recovery from my prosthetic hip replacement and the second hip replacement is not far behind. Needless to say, my brewing days are over. My body can no longer support the 6000kg and 20 km of effort per week. I need to step away from production and make myself useful in other areas at the brewery.
7Peaks Brasserie is my favorite example of a sustainable business. I am so proud of what it has become, and the people who have helped it along the way. Now it is time for me to shift my attention towards a future with more impact. 7Peaks isn’t going anywhere, and I will be the first one at the bar for a beer at the end of the day. The brewing will be carried on by members of the greatest team. I call them the 7Peaks Dream Team. They are my best example of the behaviours necessary for a sustainable future. Confirmation of this is that they dont even need me anymore. Bittersweet!
So what! Well, I have a new project. I have been accepted to the Grenoble Ecole de Managment(GEM) Doctor of Business Administration cohort for 2024. I’m going back to school.
My research topic is “B Behaviours: Qualitative research identifying key B Corp behaviours necessary for a sustainable future.” I am very excited about this opportunity to dive deep into a subject that I believe is the missing ingredient in our sustainable future. A very important element for a sustainable future is our need to accept interdependence. We need to do a better job of working together. I am definately the worst person to talk to about interdependence. I have always tried to do everything on my own. Even worse, I considered my “lone ranger” approach as a badge of honour. The result of this stupidity is prosthetic hips and a body that can no longer support physical work.
“If You Always Do What You’ve Always Done, You’ll Always Get What You’ve Always Got.” ~ Henry Ford.
It is time for me to try new things. For one, the doctorate will be a life changing challenge. Second, I will learn how to ask for help. So here goes:
I need your help. The program at GEM has a cost of 50,000 Euros over three years. All of our savings have been spent on the creation and evolution of 7Peaks Brasserie. With the current state of affairs, we must pay close attention to our costs, ensuring that our employees and suppliers are paid for the wonderful work they do. This means that sometimes we arent paid. That is the reality of entrepreneurship. It is temporary, but mandatory. I have created a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for my research. Additionally, I have created a website where all of the groundwork for my topic, and all research and findings will be open to all. I look forward to sharing this experience, and am sure that it will be of interest to many of you who want to make the world a better place.
My website can be found here: b-behaviours.com and my gofundme campaign can be found here: gofundme
I would appreciate your help. Any donation, big or small, will be greatly appreciated. And most importantly, I look forward to sharing this learning journey with you!
Cheers!
Robby Collins – the dumb brewer