Build a destination property in a place NOBODY goes, said no one ever. And yet, that is exactly what the indomitable Zita Cobb and her Shorefast Foundation have done. AND, they’ve done it with great success based on the following belief:
All businesses can be community businesses. Business is a system, a social and economic instrument, and a tool that can be used to support place and shape relationships. Done well, business allows all of us to contribute our individual and collective capacities to society. – Shorefast Foundation
This model resonates deeply with me. It’s healthy for all involved and it’s what I strive for with my own business Alberta Food Tours, Inc. So, when I recently vacationed in Newfoundland and Labrador, staying at the Shorefast Foundation’s Fogo Island Inn, the destination property in question in my opening sentence, was at the top of the places I wanted to experience.
While staying at Fogo Island Inn was a dream come true and I’ll be writing lots more about it, I never expected to meet Zita Cobb the founder. BUT…. just as we were checking out…. Zita Cobb was popping in. Kismet. We shared a brief chat about the Inn, positive tourism and food, of course. She was as warm and down-to-earth as I thought she’d be.
This post will share a bit about the full circle community centred life of Zita Cobb. If you are looking for a mentor for your community-minded business, like I always am, the clarity of Zita Cobb and Shorefast Foundation’s principles could provide solid direction.
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