Trailhead Coffee Roasters came to us with a simple problem. They needed help with their B Corp recertification - and fast (the due date was in less than a month!) This is a pretty common reason organizations come to us - for either first time B Corp certification or recertification. And yes, we help with that! We quickly got Trailhead Coffee Roasters ready for their recertification with the help of a strategic roadmap based on their priorities as an organization and access to our extensive template library.Charlie shared this testimonial: “Grateful for your work. Without your skills, I'd have been highly stressed and likely unsuccessful. Instead I experienced a low stress positive outcome. I loathe forms and paperwork in a near pathological way. You guided me through this minefield of anxiety with ease and grace.”
But that’s not where it ended. The recertification process was a chance for us to really get to know the organization and more importantly, the humans that make it up - their unique strengths, passions and vision for a better future for the coffee industry. We were deep into the numbers associated with the B Impact Assessment, but we also developed care for the humans behind the numbers too. We presented a decision matrix that weighted and ranked the potential initiatives for their roadmap, and then we talked about it. We talked about what the team was excited about, what they were nervous about, what they were dreading and what they could do with ease. Then we made adjustments to the numbers accordingly - because our process is to bring humanity to numbers.
Throughout the recertification process, we also got to hear about some of the challenges unique to Trailhead as a result of their commitment to using their business as a force for good in a very competitive industry. We worked with them to develop a 6 month Impact Strategy, with a goal to improve Trailhead’s bottom line so they could also scale their impact. Then came execution. We don’t believe in handing off a plan and walking away, so we regularly met with the team while they were in the process of executing, to help guide and adjust as needed. Things always change, and plans are great, but there will always be new circumstances that require adjustments. We believe it’s important to be there for that. This is also where coaching came in. We’ve noticed that often what gets in the way of implementing change isn’t so much capacity or resources, it often has more to do with human beings - the things that get in our way as leaders and changemakers that are harder to quantify. Coaching our clients as they implement our consulting recommendations is in line with our ethos to work with whole humans and whole organizations - it’s a both/and approach rather than an either/or, because we recognize that it’s all connected, and we want to honor both the important analytical and business problems and also the (perhaps more important) leadership development opportunities along the way.As we worked with Trailhead throughout our engagement, by using both our heads and our hearts, we got to witness so many exciting changes.There were outcomes that could be put to paper - larger orders from top clients, new connections to potential long-term clients, and the development of new partnerships. And there were other, less tangible outcomes as well - a greater ability to prioritize what’s best for the business and the impact Trailhead wants to make, more clarity around where to focus, and a sense of fulfillment from feeling more embedded in a community of other organizations committed to using business as a force for good.It’s been a joy to walk alongside Trailhead on their journey, in a way that feels aligned with both Trailhead’s values and The Impact Collective’s values. We can’t wait to see the impact they’re going to make next. Check them out - not only will your purchase make an impact, the coffee tastes amazing as well!
3/17/2025
