It’s more than a cup of coffee!? 

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee was established in 2016, and now has 23 locations with over 200 employees. But it’s always been more than about the coffee. 

Ben and Amy Wright are the parents of 4 children. Lillie, their oldest, was born with autism.  Emma Grace is their second, and Beau and Bitty are their youngest. Beau and Bitty were born with Down’s Syndrome. 

As parents of children with special needs, they became advocates for the cause. But in November of 2015, Amy sensed that God wanted her to create an opportunity to create a coffee shop that would employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Three months later–January 2016, Beau & Bitty’s Coffee shop was born. 

The concept took off. Their story has been featured on The Today Show, Rachael Ray, CNN, Harry, Good Morning America, Dr. Oz, HLN, People Magazine and Southern Living Magazine.   

By 2017, Amy was named the CNN Hero of the Year. In her acceptance speech, she spoke directly to her children Bitty and Beau: 

I wouldn’t change you for the world, but I will change the world for you. 

And there it is. A bigger purpose. 

Businesses and families that have a bigger purpose than just making a profit catch the attention of the world. It’s attractive, catching, inspiring.   

Just ask Amy, Ben and Beau & Bitty. What’s your bigger purpose? Your legacy? Your “more than a coffee”?

Photo by Xavier Mouton Photographie on Unsplash.

Bill High

Bill is CEO & Founder of Vyne Legacy. He works with families to equip them with tools to build multigenerational legacies, and he teaches givers and financial advisers on transformational biblical generosity. He is the co-author with David Green of Giving It All Away and Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously.

Published August 15, 2022

Topics: Family Business

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