My heart’s been thumping with pride this week…Pride for being a small business owner in a community of other small business owners, and pride for my kid.

I know the pandemic has been hard on small businesses.  But one of the silver linings, for me, has been the network of support we’ve created for each other…Meeting for drinks to swap stories about successes and failures, challenging each other with ideas, helping make sense of each new mandate…looking for ways to help each other.

One of my favorite relationships has been with Anthony and Vivian of @plowsharescoffee.  They have two shops in NYC; one on the upper west side, the other in Harlem.  Their “forever home” is just down the road from us here in West Fulton.  When we wanted to start a cafe six years ago, they took us in hand, worked with us to build our coffee program, and even let us barter for our beans until we got to more solid ground.

Early in the game, Saoirse took an unexpected interest in what we were doing.  Dialing in became a Saturday  morning ritual for us, and she came to love tasting the espresso, evaluating all the flavor nuances to dial in the perfect shot.  Before we knew it, she was Empress of our Espresso bar, her head an encyclopedia of each regular customer’s favorite drinks.  Anthony and Vivian got to watch her grow in her passion.

Covid has led us to move our cafe to a seasonal business, giving us three months off in winter.  Meanwhile, Plowshares coffee is in the thick of it, negotiating holding a business together in a major hot spot.  Their hard-working employees need some time off, and they need to be ready if anyone gets sick.

And so, one more business collaboration has ensued.  Anthony and Vivian invited Saoirse to come work with them this month. She is helping to fill in for their labor needs, and simultaneously learning to up her coffee game.

And so, she packed her backpack with fresh N-95s, and has relocated temporarily to the Big Apple.  We talk over the computer each night, and as much as I miss my kid, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing that glowing smile on her face as she shares what she’s learning….Nor the self-confidence and joy that emanates from knowing she is needed, and knowing she can help.

Sure, money’s tight again this winter.  But dang, this is a rich experience for us all.  ​​​​​​​