Grow Your Business

Welcome! Lisa Malmarowski and Pam Mehnert, Flying Squirrel Milwaukee LLC

By Thane Joyal|2023-06-27T14:59:57-04:00June 27th, 2023|

Sometimes the road to Columinate is a direct line, and sometimes it’s a leisurely path with many twists and turns. For Lisa Malmarowski and Pam Mehnert of Flying Squirrel Milwaukee LLC, joining Columinate has been a logical extension of the work each of them has been doing at Outpost Natural Foods in Milwaukee. They have been sharing their skills with fellow cooperators for years, putting into practice the cooperative principles of education and cooperation among cooperatives.

For Co-op General Managers: Unpacking Total Compensation

By Carolee Colter|2023-07-25T16:33:40-04:00June 27th, 2023|

You can compare your co-op’s general manager (GM) compensation with over 100 others in the Columinate Compensation Database. And the more co-ops that use the database, the more useful this tool will be for all co-ops. If a co-op GM has not already registered for the database, they can do so by going to compensation.columinate.coop and following the prompts. If the co-op is a member of NCG, database registration is free.

Jeanie Wells’ Mighty Community Markets Wins Innovation and Achievement Award

By Kelly Kristl|2023-06-19T17:47:05-04:00June 19th, 2023|

Independent grocers and co-ops face formidable challenges to survival, from WalMart to dollar stores, while often lacking the resources they need. Columinate's Jeanie Wells is providing these retail operations with essential skills and tools. At the June 2023 CCMA conference, Wells' Mighty Community Markets (MCM) training program was held up to its national audience as an outstanding example of cooperative innovation and achievement. (Go [...]

Ari Derfel: It’s Fine to Love Finance!

By Mike Houston|2023-06-21T14:44:17-04:00June 15th, 2023|

Ari Derfel has been advocating for natural and organic foods for the past few decades. He’s been translating his personal values of sustainability and food justice into business practices.

David Cruz Ramirez: Translating, a Catalyst for the Common Good

By Thane Joyal|2023-06-21T14:48:51-04:00May 22nd, 2023|

“The movement toward housing co-ops is very important for low-income and underrepresented communities. It excites me to be able to apply my theoretical knowledge in a practical way.” David Cruz Ramirez learned early the lessons of being resourceful and adaptable. And now, his translation skills and organizing experience are broadening the reach of Columinate. Cruz, bilingual from childhood, was born in Mexico City, raised in northern California, and loves to travel. When I caught up with him to interview for this article, he was in his sister’s smoothie shop and buying the warm clothes he needed to take his dad for a birthday trip to Anchorage, Alaska.

Introducing L. A. (Ahzjah) Simons: Diversifying the Co-op Ecosystem

By Kelly Kristl|2023-06-21T14:49:18-04:00May 16th, 2023|

I was born to Jamaican parents in Hartford, Connecticut, and later migrated south with a company (the food retail group Ahold), landing in Ellenwood, Georgia. I was working as a commercial property accountant. My husband and I met in Connecticut during our music days as writers, performers, producers, and recording artists on the reggae scene. After our first son was born, we continued to produce and record music, literally changing diapers between recording tracks. Creating music is still a love for hubby and me, but now, creating in our home studio, it's more of a solace for me and personal therapy for both of us. We've also included cooking in our therapy toolkit. After almost forty years together, each moment is precious, and we're making the moments count. My dad has passed on, but my mom is about an hour away and loving life. Our sons are both young adults now and are amazing human beings. And I love to write; I'd love to publish a couple books one day.

Mark Mulcahy is Bringing the Joy

By Mike Houston|2023-05-12T11:16:50-04:00May 9th, 2023|

There is an entire genre of films and TV shows dedicated to pointing out the soullessness and drone of American workplaces, with 1999’s Office Space perhaps the most famous example. Columinate consultant Mark Mulcahy has the prescription for both the workers at Office Space’s fictional Initech, and for the real workers at co-ops and independent grocers across the country. “I’m working on bringing joy and balance back to the workplace. That’s gotten lost. That’s what makes people want to come to work: to find joy and purpose in their work. Everyone carries the same products and margin pressures will continue. Businesses who build a culture of doing real work through joy will thrive.”

Assabet Co-op Market: Getting creative in the face of financial headwinds

By Kelly Kristl|2023-05-05T20:04:35-04:00April 25th, 2023|

Ten years ago, the Assabet Co-op Market recruited its first member-owners in the small mill town of Maynard, Massachusetts. Today, the co-op boasts more than 2,100 member-owners from 40 communities, and this spring they'll celebrate the grand opening of their 8,000 square-foot grocery store along the Assabet River. "It's been a pure grassroots effort from the beginning," says Lorne Bell, the co-op's operations coordinator. Bell estimates that he and co-op volunteers have "tabled" at more than 500 farmers markets, festivals, and community events over the years.

Mining the Library: “What Resources Do Our Clients Need?”

By Hether Jonna Frayer|2023-05-05T20:04:37-04:00March 22nd, 2023|

Shared challenges in board governance have perennially driven co-ops to establish shared resources and services. Consultants and collaboration around governance and leadership development have been key to building cooperative identity and local community impact. From the early days of the Cooperative Board Leadership Development (CBLD) program, consultants serving co-op boards and other mission-driven organizations have been asking the question, “What resources do our clients need?”

Thoughts on Excellent Facilitation and Love

By Thane Joyal|2023-05-05T20:04:41-04:00February 22nd, 2023|

More and more often, it seems like I am the messy person in the meeting: you know, the one who has something (or more often some feeling) that feels so important to express that I can’t read the room. I especially can’t see that the discussion is winding to a close, or that others in the meeting are beyond tired; or, worst of all, that my point was actually made by someone else fifteen minutes ago. This is where good facilitation comes in. I have always been aware that excellent facilitation requires a degree of intuition and compassion, and I realized recently that it also requires love. Messy contributions can be made valuable with the help of skilled and, yes, loving facilitation.

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