Oversight, not an oversight

Yesterday I gathered together the Opo Coffee Board of Directors for the first time, Zoom-style. They’re incredible individuals bringing years of widely-ranging experience to a group whose role is to hold me and Opo accountable to our stated mission, vision, and values. There are different kinds of ways that a board can function for a company, and for Opo it leans towards serving as an advisory board.

Aside from it being a requirement of our company structure and bylaws, I actually want that objective oversight from wise, seasoned business and community leaders. I know I don’t have all the best ideas 100% of the time, and I know that I can sometimes get tunnel vision and may not consider all the relevant factors when it comes to a given decision. These board members will be asking me the hard questions, challenging my assumptions and helping me to stay focused on what matters.

As we move forward to make the dream of Opo a reality, I welcome the difficult conversations that will inevitably take place in our quarterly board meetings. I’ll be new to this type of relationship - I’ve never had a Board of Directors before, and I’m used to just running with any crazy idea that pops into my head, living with whatever consequences that flow out of those decisions. This will be a new experience of intentional transparency and collaboration, and the journey of building a values-driven company together with others.