Holy Shift #12 - Entrepreneurship and Choosing to Stay with Ben Crandall (Banner Coffee Co)
9 snips
Nov 20, 2024 
Ben Crandall, owner of Banner Coffee Co and former worship and youth pastor, left ministry to build a specialty coffee shop. He talks about launching during COVID, choosing a multi-roaster model, learning business through mentors and spreadsheets, and balancing church ties while running a cafe. Short, candid stories about the highs, lows, and boundary-setting of entrepreneurship.
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Serving Community Felt More Purposeful Through Coffee
- Ben discovered starting Banner felt more purpose-filled than pastoring because it combined serving community with a product he loved.
- Moving from ministry to a multi-roaster cafe let him apply pastoral impulses (community, mission) in a tangible local business.
Opening A Cafe In April 2020 While Income Hit Zero
- Ben and his brother opened Banner on April 18, 2020, after COVID delayed their March launch and his wife was laid off, leaving household income near zero.
- They leaned on a mission to create local community and persisted month-by-month despite financial crisis.
Therapy Revealed An Entrepreneurial Calling
- Therapy and group work revealed Ben's entrepreneurial drive and clarified that exploring it would add fullness missing from his ministry role.
- Group affirmation and processing uncovered latent desires and practical next steps toward Banner.