I recently met up with a former Toastmasters alumni. Whenever these reunions happen, there’s always the question: Where should we meet?

For me, High Five Coffee has always been my “in-town” meeting place. It’s central for almost anyone living in Asheville, it’s local, and after losing one of their three locations during Hurricane Helene, it felt good to intentionally support them.

As I pulled into the parking garage and gathered my belongings, I walked in and immediately recognized a familiar face, someone I had worked with years ago in the outdoor industry. We both laughed because we had the exact same reaction: “I know you… but you’re not who I’m meeting.” It was one of those unexpected moments that instantly warms your heart.

While standing in line to place my order, the person behind the register clipped a handwritten order onto a clip and sent it sliding down a wire to the barista. Something about it sparked pure joy in me.

“That was so fun — can I try?” I blurted out. I think the question surprised both of us.

“Well… no one has ever asked,” they replied laughing, “but I don’t see why not.”

“Perfect,” I said. “And if you get in trouble, have your boss come talk to me.”

They handed me the order slip, and I clipped it onto the line myself. Watching it zip across the room filled me with childlike joy. I laughed so hard that people around me started smiling too.

For a moment, everyone shared the same goofy happiness.

My time catching up with my former Toastmasters friend was interrupted several times by our awe over how beautiful our drinks were. We took photos before diving into the deeper conversation: How did COVID shift our businesses? How did we survive the hurricane? What does rebuilding even look like now?

When we finally said goodbye, I climbed into my car, grabbed my phone for one quick scroll before heading back to the office, and saw the headline:

“High Five Coffee burned to the ground in the River Arts District last night.”

“Stop it,” I said aloud to the walls of my car.

“They just rebuilt after the hurricane.”

By the time I got back to the office, more information was surfacing online.

Arson.

“Damn.”

How do you come back from that?

Then I saw a message from the owner, Jay:

“It is pretty hard to make sense of this whole situation. And honestly my aim is to not try to. Something like this is so beyond understanding that I am looking at what it is here to show me. And without question how beautiful and meaningful it is to be a part of this community.

This was true throughout recovering from Helene and is all the more so even just days after this tragedy.

I have every intention of bringing that special place back so we can find each other there and rediscover the peace and joy it brought to us all.

Thank you again and again for showing me, my family, and the H5 crew just how lucky we are to be a part of all of your lives.

Onward.” — Jay

Back-to-back insults.

A hurricane.
Then arson.

And yet, through the devastation, Jay’s answer surfaced clearly:

Community.

At The Mann Group, we have also lived through seasons that challenged our very existence:
The market crash of 2008. COVID. Children deciding not to continue the family business. Economic uncertainty. Identity shifts.

The list could go on.

But being deeply connected to why we exist has carried us through moments beyond our control. Owning a business is not simply about becoming rich.

That may have once been the American dream, but building something meaningful requires more than money to sustain it.

Maybe your “why” is:

1. Creating entry-level opportunities where people can learn and grow.
2. Carrying forward a generational family business.
3. Building a new quality of life for your family.
4. Creating a gathering place where people feel seen and connected.

Whatever your reason is, it will be challenged.

Arson happens.
Employees steal.
Markets crash.
Pandemics hit.
Life changes.

The unfathomable eventually arrives at everyone’s doorstep. And still, you wake up and choose to do it again.

Why?

That answer matters.

Because if your identity is only attached to profit, status, or survival, devastation can wipe out more than your business, it can wipe out your sense of self. But when your “why” is rooted in meaning, contribution, impact, and people, resilience becomes possible.

If you’ve never done this work before, we would love to help you.

If you have done the work before but your vision and mission no longer resonate, we would love to help you rediscover what could wake you up for the next 20 years.

And if you’re simply exhausted and ready to leave the business, we can help with that too.

But the bottom line is this:  If you wake up to a message that your business has burned to the ground and you have no idea why you would rebuild, you may already be standing on a slippery slope.

5 Things You Can Do to Discover Your “Why”

1. Identify the Moments That Made You Feel Most Alive

Think about the moments in your career or life where you felt energized, fulfilled, or deeply proud.
What were you doing?
Who were you helping?
What impact were you making?

Your “why” often leaves clues in the moments that made you come alive.

2. Ask Yourself: “Who Benefits Because I Exist?”

A meaningful business is rarely just about the owner. Who is better because your business exists?
Your employees?
Customers?
Community?
Family?

Purpose becomes clearer when you understand who you are serving.

3. Separate Money From Meaning

Money matters,  but it cannot sustain you through devastation by itself. Ask yourself: “If I already had enough money, would I still want to do this work?” The answer often reveals deeper motivation.

4. Pay Attention to What Pain You’re Willing to Endure

Every meaningful mission comes with sacrifice. Long hours. Stress. Risk. Failure. What pain are you still willing to endure because the mission matters that much? That is often connected to your “why.”

5. Reevaluate Your “Why” Every Few Years

Your purpose can evolve. What motivated you at 30 may not motivate you at 50. Growth is not failure. Sometimes the most courageous thing you can do is admit your old mission no longer fits and give yourself permission to uncover a new one.

If this article stirred something in you, perhaps that’s your signal to pause long enough to ask yourself a simple question: Why do I still choose this? Because somewhere inside that answer is the resilience needed to survive the next storm.