Cup 37

Person: Peggy Brennan  

Drink: Cup of french pressed coffee from MCBW

The day I visited the Green Garage in Detroit was sunny, and the hour-long drive was just what I needed to clear my head from a stressful few weeks of school. When I arrived at the address I found an old building clearly under construction, which I had to circle a few times to make sure I was in the right spot. (photo from www.modeldmedia.com)

I entered the building and tentatively stepped into the large front room and made my way around the corner where I found a few dozen people cluttered around two large tables positioned between various piles of building materials. The tables were covered with sack lunches and leftovers brought from home with baked goods meant for sharing sitting in the middle. I found Peggy Brennan and received a warm welcome before I was ushered to a spot at the table and introduced to the crew.

A friend had suggested I meet with Peggy for coffee, but the simple meeting turned into an afternoon adventure. Together, Peggy and her husband Tom run the Green Garage in Detroit, which is a venture that’s not easily labeled. In 2008, Peggy and Tom bought the 90 year old building, which in it’s glory days was a showroom for Model T-based automobiles before becoming one of Detroit’s numerous boarded up buildings (click here for a great photo gallery). The vision for the purchase was to restore the building (which is listed in the national historic registry) to its original condition and turn it into a resource and co-working space for entrepreneurs to start sustainable businesses. 

It’s an idea based on the triple bottom line business model where the focus is not just profits, but also the environment and the community. The project has been the result of the efforts of 200 individuals working together to make a difference in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood.

Because it’s a group effort, each Friday the Garage hosts a community lunch where anyone interested in the project can come and learn about how the project is progressing. Peggy suggested I join, then we could have a tour of the building before finally sitting down to coffee. That’s how I ended up having lunch with people ages four (kids of one of the main workers) to 74 (an older couple that had been longtime friends and supporters of Peggy and the project). It certainly felt like a community, and the laughter and lightheartedness of the lunch made me feel at home; there was an overwhelming sense of purpose and excitement about the renovation project that has required much problem solving and elbow grease.

When the meeting ended, Peggy took me for a tour of the building and I was blown away by everything I saw. It’s a net zero renovation, which means the project is trying to be as efficient as possible. Just about everything I saw was recycled, reused, or repurposed in one way or another. The building is heated using rooftop solar thermal panels that heat two huge tanks of water that runs through pex tubing under the wood floors.  This provides heat at a fraction of the price of a traditional heating system. They’ve created a staircase out of the old piping system, and the doors to the rooms are beautiful antiques acquired from various places. The best part was going to the roof to see the skylights and gutters designed to catch the rain to water the garden that will line the roof’s edge. I was blown away by the building’s aesthetic and technological glory.

…

With the tour over, we headed across the street to Motor City Brewing Works, a restaurant filled with a vibrant young atmosphere that counteracted the doom-and-gloom picture the news paints for Detroit. We ordered a large french press of coffee to share as I learned more about Peggy. Not long after we started talking, Peggy’s sister and nieces joined us and continue drifted to Detroit’s history. They were realistic about the problems facing the city, but were adamant that the city was filled with opportunity for those willing to get their hands dirty—people willing to start projects like the Green Garage.

They were excited to be a part of it, but I was surprised to find out that their efforts happened almost by accident.

After their three kids were grown, Peggy started working on a masters degree in Library Science while Tom worked as a consultant for Accenture. After 20 years in the business, Tom needed a change of pace and decided to retire, but he needed an idea to occupy his free time.

Some friends sparked an interest in sustainability, testing out ways to save energy, reducing costs, and reducing their negative impact on the environment. The two found themselves beginning to try different things around the house and get together with their group of friends to swap stories, and were enjoying themselves in the process. Before long, the group was holding weekly meetings. They hadn’t planed for something big to emerge from the group, but one day a seed of an idea was planted that grew over the course of seven years into the concept for the Green Garage.

Peggy and Tom started a real estate search that led them to the old historic building in Midtown, and they decided to buy it and make their idea into a reality. Now, 18 months later, they are getting ready to officially open the doors after completing the arduous, yet wonderful renovation project that will add a beneficial element to the city.

I loved the story because it paralleled my own life and really hit home. Two years ago, two entrepreneurially-minded friends and I started getting together for a beer every Friday to talk about ideas and collaborate on projects. We didn’t expect anything big to come out of our meetings, but we started inviting others until our group of three turned into six, then twelve and eventually grew to dozens of people contributing to an exciting entrepreneurial movement on campus (doing things like this and this).

What our group and the Green Garage share is a sense of authenticity. People only join if they are passionate enough to get their hands dirty, which sparks an organic growth with an almost magical quality. People get excited to be a part of something greater than themselves.

It wasn’t until I crowded around a table of volunteers happily spending their lunch break in an unfinished building amongst the company of like minded individuals that I realized belief in a vision creates meaning.

Whether we are conscious of it or not, we are all chasing meaning. We’re all looking for proof that the ups and downs of life—the challenges, setbacks, heartbreak—are worth something. We want to know our lives mattered, that we made a difference.

Yet the magnitude of changing the world can be so daunting—to the point where there seems to be no sense in trying. The Green Garage and the efforts of all involved disprove that. Big change starts small. It takes one person with an idea and enough passion to attract others to join the cause. With time and continuous commitment, momentum builds and positive change happens.

The Green Garage is one of many growing initiatives in Detroit comprised of passionate individuals pushing positive ideas forward.  

But Cup 37 isn’t just a story about Detroit.

It’s a story about finding a community that fits your passion and aptitude and allows you to contribute to something greater.

It’s a story about finding meaning; about making a difference.

It’s a story for everyone.

.

Update

Well, it’s official. I am a college graduate. Saturday, I walked across the stage and received the diploma I’ve spent four years working to earn. 

Unfortunately, all the pomp and circumstance got in the way of my writing and coffee drinking, but that has since resumed and I’ll post Cup 37 on Monday. 

So now that I’m done with college, what’s next? 

Well, I’m going to Europe on May 23 to spend 7 weeks backpacking. I will continue to have coffee while abroad so if you have connections or travel suggestions in any of the following places, send them my way! 

• Iceland
• Prague
• Wroclaw, Poland
• Berlin
• Amsterdam
• London
• Paris

I’m looking forward to the trip and the many adventures that will ensue! The trip was inspired by the many wonderful people I’ve met through this project. A common message I’ve heard is, “travel while you’re young!” so I figured I should heed that advice and explore for a few months before settling into a 9-5 or whatever it is I jump into next!

Cup 36

Person: Tom Izzo

Drink: No coffee this time, just conversation

For fans of college basketball, and especially Michigan State, Tom Izzo is a hero. He has led the team to the 2000 National Championship, 6 Final Fours and 6 Big Ten Championships. In 2011, he earned the prestigious Legends of Coaching Award and in 2010 when the Cleveland Cavaliers made him an offer to coach in the NBA, the East Lansing community responded with a We Love Izzo campaign to show the coach how much they wanted him to stay, which he did.

But as I sat in his office, all his prominence melted away. He was just a genuine guy from a small Michigan town gracious enough to take an hour out of his day to talk with a fellow Spartan.

…

After the numerous conversations I’ve had during the past nine months, I’ve noticed a distinct trend: life does not go according to plan. No one I’ve talked to is doing exactly what they expected they’d be doing 10 years ago. I’ve also observed that, with the right approach, life will take you unexpected and incredible places.

This concept fascinates me; my life is going to go places I can’t even begin to imagine. The closer I get to graduation, the more that thought is on my mind. So out of curiosity, I posed the question to Tom:

When you were two weeks away from graduating, where did you think life would take you?

As I walked past the National championship trophies in the lobby and through the hallway lined with both photos of NBA greats like Magic Johnson and Steve Smith next to photos of the team celebrating big victories, I couldn’t help but assume Tom didn’t foresee this would be the culmination of his career

I was right.

Tom earned an education degree and always thought he’d be teaching somewhere within the K12 system. Yet, when he graduated from Northern Michigan University, jumping into a classroom didn’t feel right so he opted for grad school instead. He had played on the basketball team during undergrad and signed on as the team’s Graduate Assistant. With a love for basketball and strong competitive side, it was no surprise Tom decided to be a teacher on the court instead of in the classroom.

I asked him at what point he realized he wasn’t going to be a teacher. And when he discovered he might have a shot at a job coaching Division I basketball.

Tom told me he and his college roommate (and best friend since age 9), Steve Mariucci, spent time kicking around fantasies of successful coaching careers; creating aspirations they knew were unrealistic but worth dreaming about anyways. Like he said to me, “I’m sure you’ve spent time thinking about what it’d be like to be a millionaire”. In reality, he figured the likely outcome was a coaching gig at some Division II school.

He clearly exceeded that goal. Steve did too. He went on to coach for the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions before becoming a sportscaster for NFL Gameday. Successes they both attribute to the support and guidance of their best friend.

While Tom wasn’t downplaying his success, as he told the story in retrospect, it seemed like the whole thing had been easy. But reaching an ambitious dream is hard enough, exceeding one is unthinkable. So I asked him what made the difference between coaching DII and DI. What separates good from great?

Tom didn’t ponder the question, he knew the answer immediately: sacrifice.

At age 29, Tom was still working as a graduate assistant at Michigan State making $4,000 dollars a year, often working 18-hour days and single (because “what woman marries a man that makes $4,000 a year”). While his friends were working in stable jobs, establishing their careers and settling down with marriage and kids, Tom was fielding an increasing number of calls from his mother wondering when he was going to wise up and get a real job.

It wasn’t an easy lifestyle, but he knew that’s what it would take to reach the next level. He reached an incredible level of success because he was able to stick it out longer than everyone else. But that path wasn’t without consequence. While Tom is proud of the program he has built and grateful for the opportunities he’s had, his life is not without regret. He juggles the pressure of his demanding career with his role as a husband and father; he looks back and thinks of things he may have done differently.

I admired Tom’s honesty—he wanted me to recognize there are pros and cons to every career path.

Tom has an incredible work ethic and finds a way to deal with the stress and pressure that has only intensified with time. It’s a lot of weight for one person’s shoulders. But that’s the price to pay for a chance to cut down the net after earning a National Title, dress up as a Spartan in front of 16,000 adoring fans, watch young freshman players become confident graduates and have a lasting impression on a community and University.

…

We had been talking for an hour when the phone started to ring. He pretended like he didn’t hear it. When his secretary buzzed him to say he had someone waiting to talk—he said he’d be a second and continued telling me stories like he had all the time in the world.

When we finally wrapped up our conversation, he said, “Well, I really hope there was something helpful in that,” and I assured him there was.

Talking with Tom brought me an incredible sense of relief.

The truth is for the past year I’ve had a subtle, yet unceasing, voice in my head creating an urgency to succeed. I’m grateful for the internal drive; however, it becomes a problem when the thought turns into a fear that if I don’t “succeed” in the next year or two, I’ll miss my window of opportunity and, more importantly, let a lot of people down.

After Saturday, I can no longer tell people I’m a college student, which is bittersweet because giving up my college student status means it’s time to prove myself in the real world.

I explained this to Tom and he made it very clear my assumption was wrong. Success does not have a standard protocol or predetermined timeline. Some people fast track to success and others take an indirect route. Then he told me not to worry about the expectations from others—what I expect from myself is a heck of a lot more important than what others expect from me.

Because if I’m willing to take a risk and chase my passion, it’s going to be me putting in the grunt work, working long hours for low pay, living with the pressure  to make something happen—not those with the expectations. In five years I might be a broke 20 something with a string of insignificant jobs that I’ve only taken to get my foot in the door, living off oatmeal and turkey sandwiches, assuring my parents not to worry because I’ll be alright—and that’s alright.
 
Because when the time is right, the hard work will pay off.

Although, before I do that, I need to decide what I’m willing to sacrifice to make it happen.

Near the end of the meeting, Tom looked at me and said, “Decide what you value so you know what you’re willing to pay to get it. Then pursue that goal with discipline and work ethic—but not to a point of obsession.

Because he’s seen coaches put the weight of the world on a Championship game and the reality is if you lose that game—you’re going to wake up the next morning and still have the rest of your life to live.

.

Cup 35

Person: Stacy Bohrer

Drink: Regular brewed coffee

Stacy cuts straight to the chase.

All year I’ve had people advising me to decide what I’m passionate about and turn that into a job. Stacy Bohrer told me she knows what she is passionate about—but consciously decided she wasn’t going to make it her job.

She told me this as I sat in front of my computer, headphones plugged in, coffee at my side. On two different occasions we had tried to coordinate a coffee meeting in Chicago, but our schedules never aligned, so we opted to video chat.  After sorting out some technical difficulties, our conversation got started when Stacy asked, “So, how does this meeting work?” I explained that we talk and then I write, pretty straightforward.  

 … 

 I found Stacy through my friend Christine. The two of them met a little over a year ago while working at a small startup in Chicago. It was clear Stacy had given Christine some good advice over the past year and likely had good insight to pass along to me. Christine said Stacy was a huge supporter of the notion that if you don’t wake up excited to go to work, you should find a new job.

I also subscribe to that notion, so I asked her about that right away. Stacy was straightforward as she explained that she knows herself well enough; when a job is making her unhappy or doesn’t fit well, she isn’t going to waste her time working there. Life is too short.

Stacy currently works as an Account Executive  for an online media network and it was clear she enjoyed her job, which led me to the assumption that this new job was directly in line with her passions. It surprised me when she said this was not the case.
 
She said her true passion is helping victims of rape, raising awareness of the issue and bringing justice to perpetrators. However, after becoming very involved in a volunteer organization associated with Chicago hospitals, she realized she couldn’t emotionally separate her work from real life. To maintain balance she knew the best career fit would be a job she enjoyed in another industry, with a separate volunteer position that was less emotional.
 
Then she explained why.

Stacy was raped during her freshman year at Ohio State University. Like most rape victims, she never expected it would happen to her, especially because the perpetrator was a student she knew from high school. Afraid to speak out about the event, Stacy kept it a secret—a secret that would slowly spiral into a deep depression. Her 3.9 grade point average slipped to a measly 1.4 average. She stopped wearing make up and rarely left the house in anything but sweatpants. She resented her college and essentially everyone connected to it.

It was obvious to Stacy she was drowning—it was only when she made that realization that she found the courage to come out about the attack. She told the authorities and within a few weeks a half dozen other women also spoke up—Stacy wasn’t the man’s first victim. 

 After the attack, Stacy spent sleepless nights studying the constitution and other legal documents researching how to bring justice to the situation—both to her assailant and to OSU for their poor response to her rape complaint. Her efforts were successful. In 2005, she received the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Award for “demonstrat[ing] incredible courage in seeking justice and in working to improve how OSU and other colleges response to student rape complaints.”

When Stacy decided to tell people, she wanted to spread the word to help prevent it from happening to others. Once again, she didn’t tell me the details, but told me I could find them online. The press release from the Jeanne Cleary Campus award explained it all:

 Her assailant, a friend from high school and then a fellow freshman at OSU, pled guilty to sexual imposition in the fall of 2004, and a federal civil rights lawsuit against OSU is now pending over their failure to remove him from campus until a year and a half after the assault was reported. She has also gone public, writing an editorial that appeared in our “Campus Watch” newsletter and doing an interview for an upcoming segment of Dateline NBC that sheds light on problems with how campuses deal with sexual assault.

Speaking out helped Stacy move on, as did transferring to Kent State before moving to Chicago after graduation for a fresh start. She found a job she really enjoys, married an incredible man (whom she refers to as the luckiest man in the world), and found a great passion for life that was evident in her voice. I asked her if she still holds resentment  for the event. She told me that the incident is a part of her past; however, it is not a part of her identity. After the event, the rape consumed her identity, but she decided that she is not letting it control her life anymore.

Although memories do sneak up on her occasionally, especially on the anniversary of the event. She said when she looks back, she feels like she sees a completely different person. Today she is so much stronger than the person that was raped nine years ago. She is in a healthy relationship, has a great job, and is using her voice to help other victims of rape.

Instead of letting the event destroy her life, Stacy chose to fight and overcome it.

After Stacy told me that she paused before explaining that the experience has made her a better person. She paused because she didn’t want the statement to sound like she was giving credit to the man that raped her. Because the reality is that it wasn’t the rape that made her better, but rather how she chose to handle the situation. Finding the strength to speak up and move forward made her a better person. And the support of her therapist, husband, and family helped her in the process.

…

Our conversation continued and slowly drifted to other topics, mainly how I’m dealing with my impending graduation and the stress that comes with it. Christine was right about Stacy, her insight left me feeling better about what the future holds.

Stacy’s story and insight helped me put life into perspective. I’ve been consumed with stress about how things will unfold, but the worry doesn’t get me anywhere. As I talked about my situation Stacy could hear the stress in my voice and called me out on it—she (repeatedly) told me to relax; that life would work out.

And I believed her because her experience shows the strength, power, and resilience of human will.