Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobbi McKee.
Hi Bobbi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, my dream job was to be a special education teacher. This passion had mostly been fueled by my love for my two younger brothers, Eric and Levi, who were both born with Down syndrome. I loved the idea of being a mentor and advocate for my brothers and others for years to come. In my sophomore year of college, my career trajectory changed after a classroom observation. While studying for my music and special education degree, I was subjected to a classroom full of six-year-olds banging on drums, and I knew immediately this was not the career I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
One summer, I began to look back at my family. A few years prior to heading to college, I watched my family start their own business. My dad essentially took his three main joys and made it into an occupation: Farming (he was dairy farmer in Wisconsin for 20 years), Ministry (he was a pastor for 12 years), and his ability to give grace to everyone, especially people with disabilities. With this combination, our family started brewing up the new family business: a farm setting for adults with disabilities, with an emphasis on learning by doing. Downsize Farm Support Services opened its doors for the first time in 2007.
My dad’s passion to start Downsize Farm is what truly inspired me to open the Spotted Cow Coffeehouse. He took his skills: Farming, Ministry, and Heart, to form a business with a social complexity that is inimitable. I thought, what of my own passions could I combine to create something similar. Coffee was that choice. In 2014, I opened the Spotted Cow Coffeehouse 2 months after writing the business plan for my senior business project. Our mission is to be the spot in the community that contributes to opportunity, and we run a full coffee shop in which 50% of the employees also have developmental disabilities.
Today, I manage Downsize Farm full-time as the CEO. I also oversee a manager for the thriving Spotted Cow Coffeehouse, and in about one month, we will be opening the Spotted Owl Coffee Bar- A place with the same mission to support Adults with disabilities in the work setting, but this time we’re going to try it with coffee and alcohol.
Though my childhood plans changed course, being an entrepreneur has been such a rewarding experience. I get the ability to invest in my employees just like students. In today’s culture, people with disabilities often don’t get the privilege of even being asked what they want to be when they grow up. I love that I get to inspire and invest in the lives of these individuals to aim for their dreams too.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Yes and no. I recognize I have been given a lot of opportunity. Not every 20-year-old has parents who believe in their kid enough to invest in their startup company. I feel fortunate to have been raised in a home where even when I failed, I was always praised for the areas I succeeded. For this reason, I think I had it easier than some.
At the same time, being an entrepreneur is tough. I can definitely say the bright-eyed 23-year-old me who started a business isn’t the same girl who lives in my soul today. I’ve been in the room where I’ve been told my ideas wouldn’t work. I’ve been mansplained as to what an LLC is. I’ve had to fire people who I trusted. I’ve juggled the stress of threatened litigation, low staffing, audits, $10k+ repairs, and the list goes on. Part of me sees the world a bit more cynically than before, but it’s a thick skin you have to grow in order to survive business.
Roadblocks and struggles for the true entrepreneur are simply fuel for the fire. They aren’t hills to die on but mountains to conquer. You begin to find ways to use your threats as opportunities and weaknesses as strengths. Once you get over the fear of failure, you begin to get a little satisfaction out of the next bump in the road. Enjoying the smooth road is simply a matter of perspective.
We’ve been impressed with Downsize Farm/Spotted Cow/Spotted Owl, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Downsize Farm: Family-owned business that began in 2007. Started as a day program for adults with disabilities. It has grown to have other services, including vocational habilitation, employment support through job development and coaching, and residential services. The business is almost exclusively funded through Medicaid. Because the business was built as a family-owned business, relationships matter. We treat our individuals and staff exactly how we want our family to be treated. We are very culture centric and make all decisions around our mission statement to be a path and a partner of help and of hope to live purposeful and productive lives. You can also find more info on our website. I took over as CEO in August 2020.
Spotted Cow Coffeehouse: Started in May 2014. We have fair trade and direct trade coffee and use Hemisphere and Roosevelt for our roasters. We also have a great breakfast and lunch menu, and our homemade baked goods are absolutely delicious. We also have a meeting room that is free to rent out and a drive-through. 50% of our employees have developmental disabilities. The model we used is to break out tasks for each person’s skill set and job carving to make our team cohesive. Our Mission is to be the spot in the community that contributes to opportunity. We want to embrace and cultivate opportunities for everyone, but especially those who need a bridge into the next competitive thing.
Spotted Owl Coffee Bar: Set to do a soft opening on August 17th and official ribbon cutting on September 15th of this year! At this location, we plan to appeal to the evening crowd with later hours and alcoholic drinks. We will be continuing our mission to be the spot in the community that contributes to opportunity; We intend to build a classy yet casual atmosphere that cultivates creative conversations. We also intend to employ individuals with disabilities here too. There are other coffee shops with a vision to employ people with disabilities, but we are hoping to set a new trend where people with disabilities are accepted in the bar setting as well. People with disabilities are often stereotyped with a sort of juvenility. I have a goal to wipe this stigma and set up the world to see these individuals are contributors and deserve to be in the classy places too.
What do you think about happiness?
I love watching my people succeed. My inner childhood dream was to be a teacher. Today I get to set up people for success and then watch them win. But what is great about business is that for the most part, I also get to write the rules too. There is a high in doing radically good things for people and being able to see their energy and excitement when they win. One of my inner mantras is don’t just make a point; make a difference. In everything I do, I aim to be intentional for making an impact for the greater good. I think a lot people in today’s culture enjoy getting their wins in social media wars and debates. There is an unquenchable joy in making someone’s day that is far sweeter than breaking it for my own gain. If you don’t want something that deep my hobbies are playing piano, CrossFit, blogging (although I’ve been not as intentional on this one), and spending time with my little family.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.spottedcowcoffeehouse.com; www.downsizefarm.com; theadventurecontinues.net
- Instagram: myrhee4
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myrhee
Image Credits
Kandalyn Green Photography
