The Dream Team

We couldn't have picked a better team to make it happen.

Coffee Company was created in Central Asia ten years ago as a business-as-mission initiative. The vision behind the original business was to produce freshly roasted coffee to be sold and distributed to cafes, restaurants, and hotels throughout the country. The business would create opportunities to interact with nonbelievers through sales, customer service, and employee relationships. 

A recent, unanticipated leave of absence by key personnel led Access Partners to be called onto the scene to assess the business' needs and help it stay afloat. 

An initial round of analysis revealed that the business was in need of much help in various departments -- there was a need to build a strong sales team, put a feasible financial model in place, and streamline operations.

Based on our initial analysis from the US, Access Partners recommended a project to assess Coffee Company's viability as a business. We sought to determine whether a sufficiently sustainable business model could be developed, and if so, how best to proceed in reviving the business.

To answer this need, Access Partners rounded up a pro bono business consulting team from one of our partner churches. This team was comprised of an entrepreneur with several years of experience running his own companies, a church administrator with years of experience as a business consultant for the government, a recent graduate of an international business university program, and a church worker whose focus is on outreach and evangelism.

Armed with collected sales and market analysis questionnaires, personality profiles, and numbers to build an initial financial model, the team traveled with one of our staff members to Central Asia. There they could witness the context of the business first hand, assess its viability, and if it was recoverable, re-engineer a business plan.

On the ground, our team was pleasantly surprised. The two principal church planters that the Lord had recently put into place to work in the Coffee Company filled out some much needed expertise.  We also discovered an under-served coffee market in the country where they were situated.  In the end, it was clear that the potential for sales existed, and all they needed was a dedicated and skilled sales team. The Lord heard our prayers and providentially provided an experienced sales director/church planter to Coffee Company that week.

After eight days of intense meetings, on-site visits to coffee shops and hotels in the area, and other on-the-ground negotiations, our team helped the church planters put together a strong plan to make the company profitable and even helped them jumpstart the implementation of the new plan by assisting with two major sales presentations.

By the end of the trip, we decided to make a significant attempt at reviving Coffee Company.  We made initial plans for moving ahead and presented the following deliverables:

1. An executive summary of our research findings
2. Cash flow analysis and planning projecting break-even by the end of 2009
3. Recommended refinements to the business organizational structure
4. Initial sales training for the current staff
5. A unified presentation to the mission sending organization which resulted in unanimous buy-in from critical decision makers

When we asked one of members of the team what he thought of his experience in Central Asia, he wrote:

My experience with Access Partners and Coffee Company was simply one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences I have had in recent memory.  This positive experience is due in large part to the focus of the work we were doing in Central Asia, the high caliber nature of the consulting team, and [the church planting team] on the ground. It is a joy and pleasure to serve as part of this team and I look forward to continuing my work with Access Partners on a pro bono basis.

Even after returning to the US, the team has extended their support as ongoing pro bono consultants to Coffee Company. The business continues to receive high quality business coaching and support services from them today.

To date, Coffee Company provides a credible presence for four church planters in its region and potentially another three church planters in a neighboring city in the future. Due to the highly relational nature of business transactions in Central Asia, this business provides natural opportunities to build relationships and share the gospel through evangelism and discipleship. Additionally the business provides employment opportunities to locals.

We praise God for the great success that He has brought to this project. Not only has He provided an excellent team of pro bono consultants to help turn the ailing business around, but he has also placed a competent church planting team to run the business going forward.  We praise God for His faithfulness to all who have been involved in this business project, and we pray He will use it for His kingdom's sake.

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To learn more about how your church can participate as a pro bono consulting team, contact us at info [at] access1040.com