First, we got some dumb cow jokes "What do you call a cow who has just given birth? De-calf-inated." "Why do cows have bells? Because their horns don't work." Then, we got a very short, but informative and fun tour of the facility. Then, we got to sample the upcoming flavor! It is still top-secret, but I can tell you it had strawberries in it and it was really good! :-)
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Our sample of the new flavor was really small, so we had to purchase a regular size bowl in honor of our visit. Jim got some wonderful Frozen Greek Yogurt with hot chocolate sauce and I went for two different kinds of CHOCOLATE! They were both very tasty.
While we were eating our wonderful ice creams, we were able to watch a video about Ben and Jerry and the history of their company. I learned a number of great principles from listening to their story.
First of all, Ben and Jerry were men of guided by principles, not money. The primary principle was that they were going to make a difference in the world. They wanted to support small local farmers, so they only used Vermont milk and cream in their products. They also looked for ways to help other "do-gooders". When they found a non-profit bakery that employed at-risk youth, they looked for a way to incorporate the bakery's brownies in their ice cream. That led to the creation of their Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream. (I am still trying to figure out a way to eat lots of that ice cream in order to promote a good cause!). All kidding aside, there were any number of stories of Ben and Jerry coming up with creative solutions to problems they had to deal with.
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
One of the funniest, and most compelling stories, was about when Pillbury, the owner of Haagen Daaz brand ice cream, tried to manipulate distribution in such a way that Ben and Jerry's would be squeezed out of the market. Recognizing that it was impossible to file a lawsuit against a company as big as Pillsbury, they came up with a creative solution - Jerry would be a one-person picket line in front of the Pillsbury headquarters. Here is a link to hear more about what happened. While it is a funny story, it reveals the way they considered creative options, rather than putting on the gloves and duking it out.
FINDING A VOICE
Not only did they find ways to advance the business, they also found ways to further their own anti-war perspective through their company. Regardless of your political perspective, the idea of finding creative ways to make your point is refreshing - like, Ben Cohen's "cookie" explanation of military spending - a link to that is found here.
APPLYING THESE PRINCIPLES IN MY LIFE
Besides the fact that I am from the same generation as these two, I found their philosophy compelling. As I listened to their story (and not everything works out wonderfully), I was struck by some challenging thoughts. For one thing, they ran up against problems all the time. They would figure out how to handle one thing, and something else would show up. If they were going to grow the business, they were going to face obstacles.
I think it is so easy to think that an obstacle means we are on the wrong track. But, the truth is that no matter what track you are on, there will be obstacles - challenges that seem to get in the way of reaching one's dreams. Hearing their consistent pattern of finding creative solutions to problems was a challenge to think outside the box when difficulties arise.
Secondly, I liked the fact that they found whimsical strategies that had clout, at the same time. The picketing in front of Pillsbury was only one example of a creative, fun and effective way to deal with a very serious problem.
Third, they have not been stopped from making a difference in the world just because Unilever bought them out. Ben and Jerry's was taken over by a bigger company and they lost their exclusive ownership of their "baby". That had to have been devastating. But, even that painful loss did not keep them from getting involved in the lives of people, speaking out on their political beliefs, and finding creative ways to keep helping others.
Lastly, they were the little guys who made a mark. There is a certain humility to their demeanor. They just knew they wanted to impact the world, and two dessert makers found a way to do that. I find that extremely encouraging!
THINGS TO CONSIDER...
As I face challenges in the coming years, I hope I can find whimsical, but effective, ways to address those issues. I hope that I will remember that one person can make a difference, and I hope that I will think of even more creative ways to help and promote others as I move forward myself.
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