Jennifer Coates

Business Spotlight writer

Posted 6/17/20

My journey as a spotlight writer began nearly ten years ago in the backyard of a longtime friend.  That day, a conversation with the former spotlight reporter launched me on a path of discovery, …

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Jennifer Coates

Business Spotlight writer

Posted

My journey as a spotlight writer began nearly ten years ago in the backyard of a longtime friend.  That day, a conversation with the former spotlight reporter launched me on a path of discovery, knowledge, enduring friendships, and wonder. Let me explain.

In her book The Moment of Lift, philanthropist Melinda Gates defined the word “wonder” in this way: “Wonder has two meanings for me.  It can mean awe and it can mean curiosity.” 

As I have interviewed the owners of local businesses throughout our region, I have been repeatedly struck with wonder ~ the kind that fills you with awe and the kind that feeds your curiosity.  “Awe” because I feel the passion of each business owner; “curiosity” because I always want to know more about each business, even the ones that seem at first glance to have the least appeal. 

One example of this is an assignment I had to interview the owner of a propane dealership.  The dealership’s office was shabby and worn-out, reminiscent of some long-forgotten roadside gas station on some deserted highway.  The owner of this 50-year old family-run business was equally as “rough around the edges.”  As I began my interview, I did what I always try to do, I paused to take in the whole scene, gleaning what I could from my first impressions and the clues around me.

At first, I could only think of two questions to ask Bob about propane, a topic that I immediately thought was boring, at best.  Once I got talking to this business owner, however, my whole attitude changed. He became animated and excited talking about how his family got in the propane business over half a century ago. He explained the many uses and benefits of propane. Our interview lasted nearly an hour as I was caught up in his enthusiasm. What I came away from here was that sense of wonder that Melinda Gates described – awe for this man’s pure passion, and a curiosity about something that I had once known little about.

This one interview has stuck in my mind over the many years that I have been writing for Beacon Communications.  It is emblematic of how virtually every story has begun and ended for me.  I have learned how much these businessmen and women love what they do, no matter what it seems like at face value.  Most have invested their every penny into their product or service.  Most have sacrificed everything to be successful, and many have survived natural disasters, economic downturns, and even pandemics. Yet many have also failed, and I have felt a deep pang of sorrow when I drive by their shuttered stores or offices, knowing that what was lost was so much more than a business, but rather a dream, sometimes a lifetime of dreams. 

What will keep the dreams and goals of these many diverse business owners alive is your continued patronage.  Shop at your local stores.  Support your local, family-run restaurants, salons, service stations, retail stores and propane dealerships!  They need you to stay alive.  We need them to thrive. 

It has been the greatest privilege of my life to tell the stories of these friends and neighbors.  I hope you will get to know them as I have, and to be filled with wonder at all they do and all they are.

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