There’s Far More In You
Last summer, we at Northern Vessel were blessed with an invitation to sell our signature Oat Milk Cold Brew Lattes at the Downtown Des Moines Farmer's Market. If you've never been to the Des Moines farmer's market, it's quite the spectacle. It draws a massive crowd and is regularly named one of the country's top five markets. We were beyond excited to set up shop at the market, but had no idea what we were doing. What tents do we need? What about signs? What products should we serve? How should the process flow? What equipment do we need? So many questions to answer, with only one way to find out: test, tweak, repeat. We improved a lot over the course of the summer, eventually hitting a point where we consistently served 60-65 gallons each Saturday morning. The numbers became steady enough that it felt like we had hit our ceiling. It was a fun season, and we were grateful for every bit of it!
Entering the 2024 market season, we knew 60-65 gallons was roughly our ceiling. However, the tweak, test, repeat cycle is in our blood. We experimented with new equipment, different processes, and altered personnel roles. By the third week, we realized there was far more in us; we had unlocked an entirely new gear. That 60-65 gallons rose to 80, then 95, then 110, and eventually 120. 120 gallons of coffee in a five-hour stretch!?!? It was bonkers. That's more than five cups per minute for five straight hours…..unreal. We entered this year believing 60-65 gallons was our ceiling, but now we live in a reality of double that number.
The crew celebrating their 120-gallon grind. Andrew, Michael, TJ (founder), and Jon.
I think about this a lot. There's far more in us than we believe. Whatever you think your ceiling is, double it. Heck, triple it. 10x?!?! I don't know what the real ceiling is, but I promise you it's much higher than you think it is.
It reminds me of a client I met with last week. They are an amazing young couple with a ton of student loan debt. They started with $115,000ish of combined student loan debt when they were engaged. Over a period of 3+ years, they paid off approximately $50,000. They were winning, but progress was painfully slow (for their taste). That's when they brought me into the fold. Deep down, they believed there was more in them, but it needed to be unlocked. They wanted this $65,000 of debt to die…..and die quickly. They aren't quite there yet, but the end is in sight (we have a debt-free celebration dinner planned for August!). When all is said and done, they will have paid off this last $65,000 in eight months. Eight months!!! There was far more in them.....and they unlocked it!
Like this young couple, there is far more in you! Whatever areas of life this may apply to you (you know which ones!), you deserve it. Find it. Test, tweak, repeat. Stay curious. Be confident. Keep growing. Know your purpose. Unlock it.