“When determining a new strategic direction, we’ll need to try something new and perhaps be uncomfortable. I help co-ops figure out how to internalize that and turn it into an opportunity.”

Molly Phipps, welcomed to the Columinate consultant team in 2023, has centered her career around three key passions: food, people, and the natural environment. As a result, this warm and analytical cooperator’s resume exhibits an eye-catching variety of job titles, including evaluation and research associate, farmer’s market manager, board member, and lab manager. The breadth of Phipps’ experience and her leadership in planning/evaluating strategy are sure to generate a positive impact for co-ops in the grocery industry as well as for resident-owned communities in manufactured home parks.

Rooted in the West Side of St. Paul, Minnesota, Phipps came to co-ops via a path familiar to many—a love of food and cooking, and close relationships with food producers. “We have such opportunity to build back local food economies, and co-ops are a clear part of that. My work with the West Side Farmers Market made clear how important the smaller links in the food system are. We’re here, farmers and growers are here, and food doesn’t need to be transported on a train,” Phipps asserts.

Her background in small-scale food distribution partially motivated Phipps to work to improve food co-ops. “There is a big difference between the haves and the have-nots, and the co-op model shows that one person doesn’t need to become obscenely rich for a successful business to exist.” She sees her work for co-ops as “a lever I can press and have some impact.”

Getting useful data, engaging stakeholders

Phipps’ zeal for local food economies is enhanced by a research and evaluation background and expertise in free-choice learning. While earning her PhD, Phipps was immersed in how to learn in non-school environments, asking research questions such as, “How are people using this space?” and “What’s the best way to convey information?”

Her subsequent work inside museums allowed her to lead evaluations of environmental science and technology-based exhibits and programs. “I conducted learning sciences research and have a lot of experience figuring out how to write surveys that get to data that is useful. I also love helping groups plan strategic direction and strategic vision.” Leaders in management and governance at co-ops routinely consider how shoppers use their stores and what kinds of educational materials are available during any regular grocery visit. Phipps’ dedication to learning and to research, specifically within the context of strategic visioning/strategic direction, is sure to be of great use to cooperators in the coming years.

“It’s not just going with one’s gut, it’s actually taking time to engage with stakeholders—because co-ops need to understand the people they are serving and maybe not serving,” Phipps comments while discussing the challenges of arriving at a shared direction. “As co-ops engage with food access issues, for example, we need to know how people are looking at our stores now, and why. Being able to take in negative feedback can be challenging. And when determining a new strategic direction, we’re going to need to try something new and perhaps be uncomfortable. I help co-ops figure out how to internalize that and turn it into an opportunity.”

A sharp and thoughtful governance, learning, and evaluation specialist like Phipps works with boards and management to explore their co-op’s ability to tolerate or withstand risk and to bring definition to their long-term strategy: “I like to ask, ‘How do you know that what you are doing is working?’ and ‘How do you know what is not working?’”

Phipps adds, “I believe it is okay to be vulnerable and take risks with data. It’s exciting when you go through the process and see an organization hit some benchmarks—we can see the results. Then we may try the second thing and see it brings improvement. All of this can be great for staff morale and a boost to say together, ‘We all know it works!’”