Everyone who visits the office of Little Pub Company will notice their mission statement on the wall: well-served. The Little Pub team puts this into practice with their customers, employees, vendors and community, all leading to the employee-driven giving program, Raise the Bar, happening at the 20+ local pubs and bars across metro Denver.
The idea for Raise the Bar came from Matt Doherty, manager of bar operations, in 2016. Matt attended a software conference featuring a keynote speaker from No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to ensure that every child has access to healthy food. Matt, a new dad at the time, was moved to create a program at Little Pub to support organizations like No Kid Hungry.
Around the same time, Mark Berzins, lead dog and founding board member of B:CIVIC, attended the second B:CIVIC Summit. In a session on employee engagement, he learned that employees do best when they are able to take ownership of programs. Mark took this to heart and encouraged Matt to develop Raise the Bar on his own. The Little Pub team had previously held a fundraiser with Goslings Rum – a key ingredient in the hurricane cocktail – to support people displaced by Hurricane Harvey, but “Matt largely figured out how to build the bike while riding it,” Mark said. And the program has continued to be a success.
Each Raise the Bar campaign has brought in tens of thousands of dollars to the selected nonprofit. A campaign begins with a list of local nonprofits suggested by employees. The Little Pub operations team then shares the list with the managers at each of their 20+ local bar and pub spots to put to a staff vote. The cause areas are typically kids, animals and veterans; “Those are the causes that connect with staff and customers,” explained the Little Pub team. Previous partners include Freedom Service Dogs and Second Wind Fund.
During a Raise the Bar campaign, customers can donate directly on their check. The goal for Little Pub has always been to keep the program simple and easy for staff and customers to participate.
Little Pub often provides collateral from the selected nonprofit, so customers can learn about the organization’s work. It is also a speaking point for bartenders who develop a sense of ownership to educate customers on the work being done in the community.
“This program gives our employees the chance to do something bigger than pouring a beer or slinging a slice. This is an opportunity that works in our unique environment,” said Matt.
Matt also involves vendors in the campaigns to match donations or donate on each of their products sold. He built these relationships by demonstrating the mutual value and opportunity for brand exposure which, he noted, is easy to do in a retail setting.
For other organizations looking to develop a giving program, “Your employee involvement is everything,” said the Little Pub team. Raise the Bar found success using internal influencers to direct the program as it grew. Matt continues to keep all employees inspired through constant communication of goals and measurements in the form of a weekly leaderboard.
However, the Little Pub team is intentional not to introduce a “bought” mindset to the Raise the Bar program. “We want employees to participate because they’re part of the community, and it’s the right thing to do,” said Mark. His priority has always been for the C-Suite team to embrace the giving mentality and empower staff within guidelines to do what they’re passionate about.
“This is one of the most rewarding things the company has done,” said Mark. “And one of the things I’m most proud of.”
Learn more about Little Pub Company and their many locations and keep an eye out for the next Raise the Bar campaign.
Share your small business story with B:CIVIC! Email info@bcivic.org or complete this form.
About B:CIVIC:
B:CIVIC, an affiliate of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, empowers organizations, like yours, and their people to build stronger communities. B:CIVIC provides a community where you can access connections, expertise, trainings and tools and inspires action around corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, governance (ESG). We’ve been growing an ecosystem where companies are better equipped to address critical community, environmental and social issues in Colorado.
Written by Olivia Barrows.
