Laurie Finn is our guest from Finnottes. Laurie lives a life of Mission, Nuts and Chocolates. She makes a lasting impact on everyone she meets. Finnottes was established in 1986 by the husband-and-wife team Frank Finn and Laurie (Otte). Merging their lives and their last names, they have grown their business over the years to become Finnottes Nut & Chocolate Shop. This episode may be considered a course in business, but also of caring and realizing the impact that can be made from behind a retail counter; but more importantly, by coming around from behind the counter and embracing those around you as a personal mission to impact your neighborhood, your community and the world around you.

00:00 Introduction

02:10 Laurie’s Background

05:06 Caring for Customers

06:37 Faith & the Chocolate Ministry

11:21 Growing in Wisdom

18:26 Driven by Gratitude

22:53 Doug & Debbie Downers

26:33 More than just a Job

40:07 World Outlook

43:11 What if you didn’t have the store?

44:09 The History of how Finnottes started

44:43 Mark Bertrang’s Book – Investments Don’t Hug

52:10 Seasonal Candy Inventory

55:02 Online Sales & Local Deliveries

57:13 Where did ‘Finnottes’ name come from?

59:00 The Finnottes Family

01:01:42 Creating Special Moments

01:05:25 Conclusion

Mark Bertrang interviews Sarah Gebo, the Program Director of ”The Exchange” the La Crosse Area Furniture Bank.

The Exchange provides donated furniture and household goods to families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness and poverty. It is driven by volunteers and donations of basic household goods and gently used furniture from the community.

The team of volunteers carefully inspect the donations when they enter the warehouse so that they meet our quality standard.

00:00 Introduction

1:47 Sarah Gebo’s First Donation

4:50 Philosophy, Vision, Goals of ‘The Exchange’

6:02 The Team

7:37 Clients and The Exchange Network

10:30 What items we are looking for?

14:16 Why the donations are important

16:48 Volunteer Backgrounds

18:07 How did The Exchange start?

(18:30 Podcast Pause)

23:10 Client Referrals

27:20 Community Support

29:05 Do Not Donate List

(29:31 Investment’s Don’t Hug Book)

32:28 How to Volunteer

35:37 Funding ‘The Exchange’

38:22 How to Donate

42:08 Conclusion

The Exchange partners with social service/community advocates to identify and accompany recipients in need. Recipients must have a confirmed residence before they come to ‘shop’ at The Exchange. Once an appointment is made, the recipient and advocate are invited to select essential household items, free of charge, to furnish their home. At The Exchange, it is very important that each clients’ experience is dignified from the moment they arrive at the warehouse to the moment their home is furnished.

If needed, The Exchange even delivers furniture to the recipient.

The Exchange was founded and coordinated by 4 women. In the first 5 years they grew their regular volunteer base to over 65.

Here's their website -

https://www.theexchangelacrosse.org/

You may also watch the video here -

https://youtu.be/6XD6XQ-XQ0c

You haven't gain real wisdom until you have walked through the pasture of life and unexpectedly step into a fresh cowpie, feeling the warm manure squish between your toes. Life can sometimes playout like a checkerboard of bovine bingo, a unique community activity which oftentimes plays-out on hot summer days in town squares, as townspeople celebrate their local festivals in small gatherings, throughout the Midwest. In this game, you might be the winner, but when it happens in real life, how do you clean-up after the mess?