Transforming a store into a hub for societal renewal
The owners of a small store for organic food found themselves forced to close amidst a rapidly changing market. They wanted to understand their options and turned to studio––gf for help on a journey that would lead to a dramatic reimagining of the store's future.
Through a series of reflective sessions and a deep exploration of what was truly possible, an idea was born that would see the store transformed into the centrepiece of a thriving local network of organic food, revitalizing the future of the community and the region.
Phase 1: The owners
The journey began with a simple request for studio––gf: guide the store's two owners, a couple in their 60s, through the options available to them following their store's closure. To do so, we first embarked upon a quest to understand how they had arrived at their situation.
We explored the very earliest beginnings of the business, charted its ups and downs, from its prosperous years through to the challenges of emergent new competitors, new distribution channels, and previously unknown clients.
We also explored the beliefs of the store's owners and how they had evolved through the years, which led to the discovery of two critical truths:
- They started out as trailblazers and believed they still were until being forced to close. But instead of staying ahead of the market, they had lost their way and were clinging to their past while everything around them changed.
-To become trailblazers again would require an entirely different approach. But they had neither the power nor the wish to do that again.
Instead, the owners decided to step down and close this part of their lives quietly, without bitterness or frustration, so they decided to sell the store. But that's not where the story ends...
Phase 2: A Cooperative
Enter a group of the store's former customers, who wanted not only to preserve their beloved shop, but to transform it into a cooperative and the centerpiece of a local organic food network. They reached out to studio––gf to support them in this transformation.
As a vital first step, we introduced the group to our principle of "inner work for outer impact". This is the philosophy that says everything that emerges in a project or transformation reflects an underlying internal dynamic.
Applying that principle, the group began discussing the type of organization and leadership required to achieve their dream, while negotiating the purchase with the store owners. This foundational work saw the group produce an overarching vision for their cooperative, along with an organizational setup, a set of leadership principles and guidelines for working together, and a plan for the transformation that lay ahead.
Equipped with these tools, they forged a network of organic farmers and local food producers. The store itself was transformed into a communal space, offering far more than just organic food.
Phase 3: A hub for societal renewal
Two years into the project, the group reached out to us again. The success of the cooperative had prompted them to dream bigger, and the question was born: could their space become a hub for bringing about profound societal transformation?
We arranged a set of initial workshops to explore in depth their dream, its inherent challenges and opportunities, and the changes they would need to make by themselves. Each workshop was dedicated to a different topic, such as vision, current dynamics, leadership, or community. Common threads ran throughout every session: spirituality, embeddedness, and our relationship to nature.
The group decided to split up: one team would take care of the store and the network, a second one would work on the process of transformation, while a third group would work as facilitators, helping both parts to achieve their goals and work together seamlessly, and also supporting other groups.
A success for the region
The group's grounding principles laid strong foundations, and the cooperative went on to achieve success because a few courageous people were willing to lead the group for an extended period, providing stability, vision, and foresight.
With our support, they built a powerful network of key social and economic players with the strength to face huge environmental challenges, driven by a new form of transformational leadership.
Key learnings
- A simple question can lead to the transformation of a whole region if you allow the thread to unfold by itself. All it takes is courage.
- Transformation is only possible if people decide, act, and lead.