The Daily Meaning

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Travis Shelton 7/21/25 Travis Shelton 7/21/25

Nightmare Initiated

Yesterday morning, at approximately 4:00 a.m., I was awakened by a flash flood warning on my phone. As I gained consciousness, I heard the sound of a torrential downpour outside my bedroom window. That's the moment it happened. I instantly realized I had made the mistake of mistakes. One of my biggest nightmares had just been initiated. I forgot that I left my convertible top down!

I was able to close the roof, and then assessed the damage. Every single inch of the car was drenched. The dashboard, the seats, the console.....all of it. There were two inches of standing water underneath the seats. Thus began a 90-minute mad scramble to dry every bit of my possibly ruined ride. Yes, my nightmare was on full display. Fortunately, it appears that I somehow managed to come out of that situation in one piece. By some miracle, everything in my car seems to work. I don't know how, but it survived!

I used to worry a lot.....I mean, a LOT. Big things, small things, probable things, improbable things. If there was a chancesomething could go wrong for me, I'd find a way to worry about it. Then, something inside me changed. I realized there were two fatal flaws in my worrying:

I was worrying about things over which I had no control.
I was worrying about things that had very little chance of even happening.

What sense does it make to worry about things I can't influence? If they are going to happen, they are going to happen. My worrying doesn't help in any shape or form. On a similar note, what's the point in worrying about something that has just a tiny percentage probability of even occurring?

This mindset shift began to transform where I focus my attention and what gets my worry. I'm so glad I adopted this new perspective, as I don't think business owners can survive without it (at least with their health intact). The one thing I learned as an entrepreneur is that something terrible will happen almost daily. It's just the way it works.

The truth is, there are a million things I could worry about; far more than ever before. However, instead of letting every intrusive thought win, I frame it through my two questions above:

Does this potential fear even have a reasonable chance of happening?
If so, do I have the ability to influence the outcome?

If the answer to either of those questions is "no," I don't worry. If the answer to both is "yes," I try to refocus the energy that would possibly be spent on worrying to figuring out how I can positively influence the outcome.

I actually do worry about leaving the convertible top down. The irony, though, is that worrying about it doesn't positively influence the outcome. If I had been sharper two nights ago, I would have focused that energy on ensuring a better outcome (i.e., following my behavioral triggers that would have resulted in me successfully closing the roof). Instead, I worried......and paid the price.

Hopefully, someone reading this will be positively influenced by these words. Please don't let my convertible nightmare be in vain! Have an awesome, dry, worry-free day.

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Travis Shelton 7/20/25 Travis Shelton 7/20/25

Imitation and Excellence

You know what they say, imitation is the best form of flattery. Nobody would try to steal our designs if it sucked. Therefore, it tells us that what we're doing is moving the needle.

One of our Northern Vessel One Percent Better shirts was spotted in Hollywood yesterday. It's always cool seeing our shirts all over the country, which comes on the heels of them going semi-viral last fall. So, yesterday, it was fun to receive a photo of another one in the wild in Los Angeles.

However, one problem. Check this out:

The picture on the left was taken on the streets of Hollywood yesterday afternoon. The picture on the right is one of our marketing photos posted on Instagram last September after releasing our new design. They look oddly similar—the color, the word placement, the offset. However, notice how the design on the left is in a slightly different font and doesn't have any overlap in the words. It's an imitation! Someone literally took our design and recreated their own for profit.

You know what they say, imitation is the best form of flattery. Nobody would try to steal our designs if it sucked. Therefore, it tells us that what we're doing is moving the needle. But we have a choice to make. We can either get mad and try to get even.......or we can simply be excellent. Guess which one we'll choose.

One of my close friends recently reached out to me with a problem. Someone opened a similar business to his business, less than a block away. This new business will be a direct competitor, and he's pissed. Imitation is the best form of flattery. I told him that he has two options: 1) Be upset and find a way to feel victimized, or 2) Be excellent.

Remember last September when I shared about how Caribou Coffee was moving in next door to Northern Vessel? The local media wanted to do a piece about how big business is killing the little guy. Instead, TJ shared with the reporter that we're glad to have them join the neighborhood. Hopefully, it will bring more traffic to the area and, perhaps, we'll have an opportunity to serve some of those new people. He also added this: "At the end of the day, excellence wins."

Fast forward 10 months, and we have a better sense of reality. The Caribou next door is struggling. Once in a while, while hanging out at Northern Vessel, the boys and I will walk over to Caribou and buy a bagel. The last time we did this little exercise, there were 67 people inside the small Northern Vessel shop. When we got to Caribou, it was completely empty.....not one soul.

The t-shirt situation is silly. We're just going to focus on excellence.

Yeah, Caribou opened next door. We simply need to focus on excellence.

My friend just received some new competition down the street. He needs to focus on excellence.

If you don't have a similar situation in your life right now, you will soon. You have two options: 1) dwell on it and be upset, or 2) focus on excellence. Excellence always wins!

____

Travis Shelton 7/18/25 Travis Shelton 7/18/25

Anti-Complicated

Simplicity always wins! Whether I'm meeting with high school kids or seasoned business professionals, simple is always best. I wasn't joking in my response; I'm going to teach these kids the exact same thing I teach all my clients. In a world that likes to make every little concept or idea overly complicated, I'm going to approach it with an anti-complicated posture.

In a few hours, I'll have the privilege of speaking to several hundred high school kids. When I was invited to speak, I was instructed to approach the topic of money at the most basic level, as many people in the room will have little to no knowledge of the subject.

"Great, I'll teach the same thing I teach everyone, then!" I replied.

I'm going to use a single visual, which will slowly build as my talk progresses. Here's what it looks like:

We'll talk about:

The importance of work. Work = adding value to others. Adding value = money.
A singular checking account should be the hub of our finances.
Why a savings account tied to our checking account is the perfect execution for an emergency fund—the release valve of our finances.
We must account for all income coming in each month. A budget unlocks everything else.
Debit cards are king. The use of credit cards is a slippery slope that is killing our society. No matter how aggressive I get on this one, it's not enough.
The difference between needs and wants, and why both are important.
Giving changes us from the inside out.
The importance of saving and why sinking funds are a behavioral science hack.
The power of investing, especially at their age.

The goal isn't for each student to walk away as financial geniuses. The goal is for each person to understand this money stuff can and should be simple......anti-complicated, if you will. And if so, they will hopefully feel empowered to embrace these concepts in their own journeys.

I'll let you know how it goes. Please pray that I say what needs to be said, how it needs to be said, and with the flexibility to pivot if needed. Oh yeah, and if you have one more descriptor in your prayer, pray that I'm funny! It should be fun. In the meantime, I hope you have a fantastic day and make a positive impact on everyone who crosses your path.

____

Travis Shelton 7/14/25 Travis Shelton 7/14/25

(Not) Overemphasizing Weaknesses

The name of the game isn't fixing our weaknesses, but rather unapologetically and aggressively leaning into our strengths while bridging our weaknesses.

"What is your preferred process to pull the perfect espresso shot?"

This is a question sent to me after yesterday's post about Northern Vessel and our pursuit to treat every customer like the most important person in the world. In fairness, I write about Northern Vessel frequently, as jointly owning and running the company has become a major part of my life. Therefore, it's natural for someone to ask this very practical and relevant question.

Confession: I've never pulled an espresso shot in my life. Zero. Zilch. I haven't even attempted it. Truthfully, I don't even know if I could if I wanted to. I love coffee so much, but have no skills. It would be the equivalent of my son deciding next week to build a space shuttle and land a human on the moon. It ain't happening! I do recognize the irony in this situation. We'll serve nearly 200,000 drinks this year, yet I've never made (or know how to make) a single drink.

Let's call this a weakness. It's one of many I possess. If you know me well, you could list out the countless weaknesses that plague me. My lack of know-how in making tasty coffee beverages is one of them.

Culture tells us that we need to focus on our weaknesses, striving to improve in those areas. I think this mentality does us a gross disservice. No, not because I don't believe addressing a weakness is a noble endeavor. I do think there's value in self-improvement. My problem with this approach is that it forces us (whether consciously or subconsciously) to divert our attention away from our strengths.

It's true; I have a ton of weaknesses. I also possess amazing strengths. While I don't know how to make our drinks, I can tell you, to the fraction of a cent, how much each one costs to make and the gross margin associated with each. I know how much frother milk gets thrown down the drain, the impact of card payment transaction fees, how much product gets wasted, and the effect of loyalty reward redemptions.

The name of the game isn't fixing our weaknesses, but rather unapologetically and aggressively leaning into our strengths while bridging our weaknesses. Not to be captain obvious here, but the first step in bridging weaknesses is to have the self-awareness that you have weaknesses. Once that happens, which requires humility, only then can we find the appropriate bridges. My assistant, Alyssa, bridges many of my weaknesses. My Meaning Over Money business partner, Cole, bridges some of my weaknesses. My Northern Vessel business partners, TJ and Ashley, bridge some of my weaknesses.....and vice versa!

TJ is an absolute genius when it comes to coffee and hospitality, but he's not allowed to handle the finances. That's a massive weakness for him, which is why I'm here. While finances are a massive strength for me, accounting isn't. That's where Ashley steps in with her beautiful strengths.

Sure, I could spend time and energy trying to fix my weakness of not knowing how to make delicious coffee drinks. But that won't create one cent of value for the firm. On the flip side, me aggressively leaning into my strengths creates hundreds of thousands of dollars of impact.

I encourage you to write out your strengths and weaknesses on a piece of paper; take an inventory. Second, see which ones you spend more time and energy on. Third, find ways to bridge the gap in your weaknesses to dive harder into your strengths. It can change everything!

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Travis Shelton 7/13/25 Travis Shelton 7/13/25

Every Game Is the Super Bowl

I recently received a text from a friend who had just visited Northern Vessel for the first time. She said she was greeted excitedly by the team as she walked in, intentionally walked her through the menu with a smile, and made a killer drink for her. What she didn't know was that we had actually closed a few minutes before she walked in the door. The barista eventually shared that we were closing, but she was free to hang out and enjoy her drink if she desired.

She was blown away. Not only did she receive what she called "the best service of my life," but it was willfully and excitedly delivered even as the shop was closing. This is exactly what we try to accomplish! We're 100% open until five minutes after closing. No cleaning, no sweeping, no trash.....nothing. You won't see any closing-related tasks happening around you, as those are subtle visual triggers that you're no longer welcome. That's anti-hospitality. Using a sports analogy, every game is the Super Bowl. This customer may only ever come in one time, and if that's true, we want to make sure she has a world-class experience. Every customer is the most important customer....period. No, we don't always nail it, but man, we try!

I remember 5-6 years ago when TJ would pop up at grad parties, weddings, and city streets with his little coffee cart, slinging drinks to whoever would give this stranger a shot. He was bootstrapping his dream, desperately trying to eke out a meager living. Something caught my eye when I first met him, though. He treated every interaction like it was the Super Bowl. Every customer who walked up to his cart might as well have been the most important person in the world. That commitment slowly but surely earned him the right to serve more and more people.

Thinking back to those humble (and difficult) days makes what he's built over the last few years all the more special. Just yesterday, we were privileged with the opportunity to serve more than 500 drinks at our shop. That's 80 drinks per hour, or one drink every 45 seconds, for a fun-packed six-hour stretch. As I watched our team work, it provided me with so much joy to see how each team member treated every customer like they were the most important person in the room. Did we nail it 100%? Probably not, but man, we tried! I received countless comments and texts from friends who were thoroughly impressed with the hospitality of our staff. I couldn't be prouder or more grateful!

While I suspect most people reading this probably don't own or run a service-based company, this principle transcends all boundaries. When we approach life, work, and relationships like every game is the Super Bowl, it unlocks something far grander than we could have ever imagined. Give it a try!

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Travis Shelton 6/23/25 Travis Shelton 6/23/25

It’s Not Fair

Pax was visibly shaken after watching Tyrese Haliburton go down early in game 7 last night. Haliburton, a former Cyclone and clearly the most clutch player in this year's NBA Playoffs, was lying on the floor in agonizing pain after tearing his Achilles. He immediately knew he was done (plus next season as well). In that moment, the Pacers' chance of winning a title essentially evaporated.

Pax is right; it's not fair. It was a good teaching moment. It's not fair, and it never will be. Still, Pax was dumbfounded by how quickly everything changed. He went from believing Haliburton was about to win a title to knowing he probably won't see him play again until he's 10 (in October 2026 when the following season starts). It's not fair.

We didn't get too deep into it last night, but this is something he'll see more and more as he grows. Life isn't fair, and there's nothing he can do about it. As a parent, my job is to teach him to simply fight through the inequity, no matter what. Sure, be mad about the unfairness. Yeah, feel frustrated by it. But after that, fight. We fight, or we cower. We push ahead, or we step aside. We persevere, or we give up.

This is going to be a brutal experience for my kids. Time and time again, they will get a front-row seat at how unfair life is. My job isn't to protect them from it, but rather, to train them to push through it. As a parent, watching them deal with unfairness may be one of the hardest things I ever experience. However, it's critical we teach them through it, not try to help them avoid it.

This is something I watch play out in people's lives daily. It's somewhat easy to find success when things are going our way. Then, something happens. Something unfair. We unjustly lose our job. Someone rips us off. An irresponsible driver totals our car. How we handle these unfair situations is what determines if we'll ultimately be successful or not. This is where the rubber meets the road.

It's not a matter of whether we can get to the other side of this adventure without experiencing unfairness. That's an impossible task! Instead, what matters most is how we respond when life gets unfair. That's what I want to teach my kids. We will be closely watching Haliburton's journey back to the court. I have a feeling it will be an inspiring example of what it looks like to attack unfairness head-on.

Life isn't fair. It doesn't owe us anything. We will draw the short straw more times than we'd like to believe. It's all part of the game. Keep fighting.

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Travis Shelton 6/21/25 Travis Shelton 6/21/25

I Don’t Support Him At All

We can pursue support, or we can pursue excellence. Noah never asked for my support; he's too busy trying to be excellent.

Out of the blue, I received a DM from one of the most successful business owners I know. She wanted to know if I could connect her with the marketing agency we use at Northern Vessel for our photography. She loves our content and desires a similar vibe for one of her businesses. I told her I'd be honored to connect her, but we don't use an agency. It's just one young man named Noah; he's awesome, and I'd love to make an introduction.

I told this story to a few friends, and one of them responded, "I'm so glad you're supporting a small business like that. I'm sure Noah loves your support."

If you're a regular blog reader, you probably already know where this is going.

"Oh, I don't support him at all!"

"Wait, I thought you and Noah are friends....."

"We are friends, but Noah doesn't need my 'support.' He does awesome work, and that's all that matters. I’m just connecting one excellent business to another excellent business that might be able to serve the other well.”

"But people like him need support from us. It's the only way they can make it."

"That's ridiculous....and demeaning. He doesn't need people's support. He just needs to be excellent at his craft. His excellence is what makes it for him, and his excellence is the only reason I referred him to a friend. He earned that."

We can pursue support, or we can pursue excellence. Noah never asked for my support; he's too busy trying to be excellent. Noah is just a young man with a lot of talent and a crapload of passion. He's so hungry to do good work! If he wasn't excellent, my business owner friend would never have asked me for a referral, and if he wasn't excellent, I would never have given it. Noah earned that, and to assume anything else is an insult to his good work.

We all have the opportunity to be Noah today. The fruit of our actions will speak for itself. The conversations we foster, the art we create, the work we produce, and the results that materialize. Nothing good that happens to me today will be the product of someone's "support," and neither will yours. Therefore, I encourage you to abolish the word "support" and simply embrace the word "excellence."

Oh yeah, and if you're stopping by the Northern Vessel shop or our booth at the Des Moines Farmers' Market today and see a young man snapping photos, say hello! Noah would love to meet you.

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Travis Shelton 6/18/25 Travis Shelton 6/18/25

Bohemian Rhapsody and Umbrellas

Work = money = generosity/spending. Repeat.

"Dad, can you take me to buy an umbrella?"

"Uh, sure, Finn, we can do that. Why do you want an umbrella?"

"Every man needs an umbrella."

I didn't have a comeback for that, but if the little man wants an umbrella, I'll take him to buy an umbrella. This is what I call closing the loop. First, we work. The work results in money. Part of the money is given. Some of the money is spent. Repeat. Work = money = generosity/spending.

So, if Finny wants to spend some of his money on an umbrella, that's how we're going to close this loop. Truthfully, he's worked hard this summer. Lots of mowing and other odd jobs. Hot, sweaty, sucky jobs. He doesn't always love the work, but he appreciates what it stands for.

So, when ol' Finn wants to jump in the car and go to the umbrella store, we ride! He was so proud of his new umbrella, but as we walked out of the store, he asked another question. "Is there anywhere I can buy a Queen CD?" Yes, an 8-year-old wanted to buy a 70s album.......in CD form. As a matter of fact, I did know a place where we could potentially score a Queen CD. Fifteen minutes later, we were rocking out to some Bohemian Rhapsody.

Closing the loop is so important, and on that day, Finn closed the loop in style!

Work = money = generosity/spending.

And the repetition continues.

Parents, keep at it. It won't always go perfectly (I'll talk about Pax another day....). Some loops will be effective, and some will flop. Some loops will be rewarding, and some will be a drag. But the loops matter, and the kids are learning (even when it doesn't seem like it).

Go create some loops with your kids today!

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Travis Shelton 6/16/25 Travis Shelton 6/16/25

It’s Noisy Out There

Is it just me, or does the world feel extra noisy these days? I don't even need to inventory all the crazy situations and scenarios playing out locally, nationally, or globally. Things are intense right now! People are anxious and scared, and it feels like the ratchet is turning ever so, tightening our society one click at a time.

In just the past week, I've talked to multiple people (sane, normal, rational people) who are starting to unwind. The fear of the what-if has taken its toll, and that anxiety is manifesting in questionable decisions.

I think we need to stay true to the plan. Whatever your plan is, stay true. Now is not the time to throw your goals, plans, progress, and ideas into the trash. No rash decisions are necessary. You've worked too hard to let a moment of weakness or vulnerability cause it all to unravel.

If you're paying off debt, keep going.

If you're trying to top off your emergency fund, keep going.

If you're trying to lean into generosity, keep going.

If you're trying to lock in your investing behavior, keep going.

If you're trying to get on the same page as your spouse, keep going.

If you're trying to pursue work that matters, keep going.

If you're trying to create something beautiful, keep going.

Please, please, please don't let the noise around you knock you off course. Stay true. Practice the art of discipline, consistency, and persistence. The noise we're experiencing may create challenges in some form or fashion, but it doesn't define you. Even if other people set a torch to their finances, dreams, goals, progress, and relationships, it doesn't mean you have to. Stay true.

It's noisy out there. Don't let it overwhelm you. You got this.

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Travis Shelton 6/15/25 Travis Shelton 6/15/25

More Chapters To Be Written

As with everything in life, there were only two options: 1) Let our new reality destroy us (which it almost did), or 2) Keep moving forward.

Father's Day, 2016. That was an epic day for me. After nearly five years of waiting to become a father, I was about to spend Father's Day as an actual dad.....unreal! It was a moment I had dreamt about my entire life, and now it was here! My son was born three days before Father's Day, the perfect timing! Everything was lining up just right.

Did I say Father's Day 2016 was epic? Let me rephrase that. It was an epically bad day.....one of the worst days of my life! When I woke up on Father's Day, I wasn't a father. Just two days prior, Sarah and I lost our son, Asher. In a stretch of just 48 hours, I went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Instead of spending Father's Day 2016 celebrating the miracle of life, I remember sitting in my typical front-row seat at church, head buried in my hands. Those 60 minutes in that church seat on Father's Day 2016 are some of the most painful and profoundly memorable moments of my life.

As with everything in life, there were only two options: 1) Let our new reality destroy us (which it almost did), or 2) Keep moving forward. We chose to keep moving forward. It was a mess, but with a lot of support and healing, we navigated through that season of life.

Just four months later, we were blessed with our twin sons, Finn and Pax, and life has never been the same. Despite the pain and suffering we've endured, I consider myself so blessed. I have nothing but gratitude, though I'd be lying if I said I don't still feel the pain of that prior loss. It's all part of the story.

Think about your favorite book or movie. I'm willing to bet the protagonist wins in the end. Victory, happiness, love, or defeating the bad guys. The hero always wins....eventually. However, if you open the book to almost any page in the middle, there's struggle, challenge, pain, suffering, and tension. The protagonist is fighting their battles, trying to achieve what will eventually end happily ever after.

While real life isn't "happily ever after," it does resemble a book. Wherever we're at in life, there are still more chapters to be written. Some of you are dealing with tremendous pain and suffering right now. I'm so sorry! But more chapters are still to be written.

I have clients facing unprecedented challenges and tension in their lives (financial and otherwise). I constantly remind them this is just one chapter of a beautiful story. And like all protagonists seeking their victory, this is their middle chapter, tension-building, gut-wrenching moment. This is where they have a choice: 1) Let their new reality destroy them, or 2) Keep moving forward.

Wherever you're at today, choose door #2. Keep moving forward. Remember that whatever you're experiencing in this season of life is just one of many chapters still to be written.

____

Travis Shelton 6/14/25 Travis Shelton 6/14/25

Whole Isn’t Whole

I often receive a handful of related comments whenever I talk about the need to be excellent:

Everyone makes mistakes.
Where's the room for grace?
Nobody's perfect.
S*** happens.

All good points, but today, I want to debunk this argument.

How would you feel? You're dining at a well-respected restaurant with your family. One of your small children orders chicken. However, when the dish arrives, you cut into it and realize the chicken is completely raw. The server apologizes and says they will send out a new one. The new one eventually arrives, fully cooked, and the rest of the meal is largely uneventful. Other than (eventually) replacing the raw chicken dish with a cooked one, no other concessions are made. How would you feel?

How would you feel? A landscaping company is at your house doing some work. For whatever reason, a mistake is made, and they nick your irrigation line. The business owner apologizes and says they will have a professional repair it at no cost to you. How would you feel?

How would you feel to be on the receiving end of these two situations? Well, these are both real-life scenarios that played out last week, and in each, the customer was livid. The restaurant customer is a close friend, and the landscaping company business owner is also a friend. Why would both of these situations end poorly? After all, both customers were made whole.

Whole is not whole, that's why. When a mistake is made, whole isn't enough. Excellence doesn't mean perfection. Excellence doesn't mean we won't make mistakes. Excellence means being better and doing better in all things, including on the heels of mistakes. You WILL screw up. You WILL fail. You WILL botch it. The mistake isn't what defines you; it's how you respond after the mistake that separates excellence from bleh.

In both situations, the business owner should have made the customer whole......PLUS another step.

For my buddy that received raw chicken, maybe the restaurant comps that dish and throws in a dessert. Maybe they comp the entire meal. Maybe they give them a gift card on the way out the door. Whole is not whole, and they blew an opportunity to send my friend away with an amazing story of excellence (plus many return visits).

For my buddy who made a mistake on the landscaping job, he, too, had options. Maybe he could have offered a discount on the job. Or perhaps hand the homeowner a handwritten card with a restaurant gift card in it. Or offered a complimentary follow-up service. Whole is not whole, and he missed an opportunity to create a lifelong customer. He’s a young business owner, and I think he’s going to nail this one next time!

This isn't a blog about IF you make a mistake. It's only a matter of WHEN you do. It's coming. You might even screw up today......I'm sure I will! Excellence isn't defined by how little we mess up. Rather, it's about how we respond when we do. Whole is not whole. Take one more step!

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Travis Shelton 6/13/25 Travis Shelton 6/13/25

Destroy the Bar

"Good enough" seems to be the motto of our day, creating a sleepwalking culture where businesses look to the left and look to the right, trying to determine how little effort must be exerted to stay on par with their peers.

My friend was beyond frustrated. He had just fired an employee, but right before that, another stopped showing up. My buddy owns a successful landscaping company. "Travis, if you know anyone who wants to work, let me know. We pay good money."

"You bet," I responded. "What particular skills are you looking for?"

"Someone who will show up and show up on time. That's it. We can teach the rest."

The bar has never been lower. In a field that requires certain skills, my business owner friend simply needs people who will show up. I asked if he cares about people being hard workers. "Well, that's preferred, but the most important part is that they are present. I'll take that!" Again, the bar has never been lower.

Sarah and I spent the last two days in a lake town at a waterfront hotel. The boys are at Grandma and Grandpa's house, so we have a few rare days of alone time. We've had a blast catching rest, sun, and relaxation. We've also hit a bunch of the local restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. Let's just say the results have been wildly mixed. Translation: The bar has never been lower!

Between the service, food quality, hospitality, cleanliness, and timeliness, it's been a wild experience. Very few places are doing things well. Yet, despite that, many appear to be succeeding. I found myself wondering what would happen if someone set up shop with an explicit goal of being excellent. They would take over this little world! Why? Because the bar has never been lower.

I'm not picking on this particular town. I see it every day in every city, including my own. "Good enough" seems to be the motto of our day, creating a sleepwalking culture where businesses look to the left and look to the right, trying to determine how little effort must be exerted to stay on par with their peers. If the bar is low, expectations can remain muted and still eke out a victory they call survival.

I'll share an example of someone who doesn't give two rips about the bar. Sarah and I walked into a little deli. It was bright and vibrant, with a ton of energy.....you could feel it. The front of the store was stocked with a unique mix of products. The back half, though, was where the magic happened. There was a deli counter on the left, with two women ripping out gorgeous sandwiches and slinging little tubs of homemade salads. As I approached the counter, one of the women greeted me like I was her long-lost nephew. She was patient while she excitedly helped me navigate my choices.

The second woman was eager to scoop me up a few salads to pair with our sandwiches. She, too, couldn't have been more cheery. Lastly, with sides in hand, we turned to the right, where we were greeted with a counter full of handmade desserts. Another woman was there to joyfully ring us up and close out our experience. Even before we tasted the food, we were served an experience. By the way, the food was ridiculously good! This place is striving for excellence, and I suspect they are finding success. They see how low the bar is, then crush it.

That's our mission today. Recognize how low the bar is, then destroy it.

____

Travis Shelton 6/12/25 Travis Shelton 6/12/25

Never a Straight Line

Success is a funny thing. When we watch other people experience wins, it looks like their success is a straight line, up and to the right. However, our own personal journey never seems to be the same. It feels more like a jagged stock market chart, with ups, downs, peaks, valleys.....and more valleys. It feels anything but "successful."

I think we're too hard on ourselves. Or, to be more precise, I think we're looking at the wrong things when judging ourselves. Remember that one time a friend coaxed me into buying a biometric scale? This scale has played a major role in my health journey since February. Specifically, I've been focusing on reducing my body fat percentage. I jump on the scale every morning as soon as I wake up, and the data stacks up over time. Here's what a typical month can look like:

I went in the wrong direction on 12 of the 29 days! It's not supposed to feel this crappy. I make wise choices, eat intentionally, and get a ton of steps, yet more than one-third of the time, I fail. Or, that's one way to look at it. Sometimes, we're too zoomed in and miss the bigger picture. The following image is a weekly snapshot since starting this endeavor in February:

The line seems to be going in a better direction, but I again went in the wrong direction in five of the 17 weeks. It still feels kinda crappy! Or, that's one way to look at it. Maybe I'm still zoomed in too far. The following image is a monthly snapshot since starting:

Oh! That doesn't feel so bad. In fact, that almost looks like a convincing win. I'm going in the right direction! Even on the days or weeks it doesn't seem like it, I'm achieving my goals! Success is never a straight line. Sometimes, we just need to zoom out to give ourselves a clearer perspective.

My financial coaching clients often experience something similar. They’ll blow their budgets, whiff on paying off debt, miss their investment goals, and get into marital money fights with each other. It can feel demoralizing. That’s when I step in with a zoomed-out view and show them that while they might have just experienced a bump in the road, look how much progress they’ve made so far! It’s never a straight line, but if we zoom out enough, it looks pretty dang good.

Whatever you're trying to accomplish, please don't beat yourself up over the micro results. Instead, obsess over the micro inputs and measure the macro outputs. You'll stay sane, crush your goals, and thank yourself for keeping the correct context in mind. It's never a straight line; not for you and not for them. Enjoy the bumpy journey.

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Travis Shelton 6/11/25 Travis Shelton 6/11/25

Knowing Your Worth

Most of us far undervalue ourselves....especially small business owners.

I witnessed something atrocious yesterday.

As I was waiting to get a haircut, the other barber in the shop had a peculiar interaction with a customer. This customer asked the barber for a jar of hair product, and the barber quickly obliged by grabbing it off the shelf and handing it to him. "How 'bout I give you $11 for this?" The barber looked stunned; stunned enough that she froze and looked uncomfortable. The shelf price is $24, by the way (it's the same product I use). A few more interactions happened, but I didn't hear. She eventually responded, "$11 is fine." But then, I heard him ask, "Well, what does it cost you?"

While cutting another man's hair, my barber jumps in, "It costs her $12." The man, being ever so thoughtful and generous (tongue in cheek), said, "I don't want you to lose money. I'll give you $12." I can't put in writing the things I wanted to do to that jerk. He couldn't have been more demeaning in his approach. In short, he treated her like a single penny of markup on the product from her cost would have been unfair to him. Again, I wanted to do things that would have landed me in jail.

Whether you're an entrepreneur or work in a traditional job, I cannot stress enough the importance of knowing your worth. Sure, some people think they are worth far more than they are (you know who I'm talking about!). However, most of us far undervalue ourselves....especially small business owners. Yesterday, that barber grossly undervalued herself. Selling product is a meaningful part of her business's revenue stream, and some jerk weaseled his way in and undercut her.

I have a rule in my coaching/consulting services. If I quote a package for a prospective client and they ask for a discount, I won't let them hire me....not even at full price. Their request means they don't value what I'm bringing to the table, at least not to the level of what I'm charging.....and that's okay. My services aren't for everyone. Some people don't want my services at all. Some people want my services, but at a much lower price. Neither of them should hire me. It means I'm not the right person for them. I'm not mad at them for it, and I certainly don't take it personally. But that's not the right client for me.

It reminds me of a moment I had early in my coaching career. One of my friends suggested that I immediately double my rates. Hesitant, I told him I would tentatively give it a shot later in the day, as I had two consultations. I quoted both prospects the same price, roughly double as my friend suggested. The first prospect said it was the biggest discount in the world and asked if we could start immediately. The second prospect said it was a massive ripoff and people would be stupid to hire me.

Whatever you do, it's not for everyone. Your hourly wage. Your annual salary. Your sales commission. Your fee. Some people will laugh at you, calling you a ripoff. Others, though, will see what you really bring to the table and will eagerly pay you to serve them well. Know your worth, and don't let a couple jerks knock you off your path.

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Travis Shelton 6/4/25 Travis Shelton 6/4/25

Never As Good As We Believe

At the same time, however, we encountered and discovered gut-wrenching problems that knocked us down a peg or two on the ego scale. This is a universal principle I firmly believe in: No matter how good we might think we're doing, we're never as good as we believe. Danger lurks behind every corner, and our successes often mask the warts.

May was an epic month for us at Northern Vessel. We experienced unprecedented growth and achieved things we never thought possible. We sold 1,100 gallons of our signature oat milk cold brew latte alone. Unreal developments, and I'm so grateful for all of it.

I'm not trying to go all Debbie Downer on you today. In fact, I think this is the most encouraging message of all. There's ALWAYS room for improvement. That's why some of my favorite coaching clients are the ones who are already doing well in their finances, businesses, and careers. No matter how good they might think they are doing, we WILL unearth some warts when we pull back the layers. Translation: There's no cap on their potential!

One of my clients is in the process of paying off more than $80,000 of student loan debt, $2,000/month, month after month. Not too shabby, and they hope to be done in less than 40 months. Common sense would suggest they are doing pretty awesome, but ultimately, they aren't doing as well as they believe. My job was to help them dig deeper and find their warts. After a few small but meaningful tweaks, their 40-month payoff plan has been reduced to 17 months. That's the power of realizing we're never as good as we believe. I'm excited for them!

Whatever area of your life this piece makes you think about, just know that you have far more in you. The only thing it requires of you is the humility to look deeper and genuinely desire to see the warts under the surface. Once you find them and address them head-on, you'll be able to hit a new, unprecedented trajectory.

As for us at Northern Vessel, we have our work cut out for us to correct some of these flaws. We owe our customers excellence. No matter how good people tell us we are, we can't quit striving for an even higher standard, in every aspect of the business. We owe that to our customers......and ourselves. You do, too, in whatever discipline you happen to find yourself in. Today's a great day to push forward.

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Travis Shelton 6/3/25 Travis Shelton 6/3/25

Four and a Quarter

It's easy to look at that number - $4.25/hour - and laugh. It was so little, especially after taxes were withheld. However, it might as well have been a million dollars for a 15-year-old kid trying to save money for his first car.

I recently found treasure! Well, not real treasure, exactly. As I was rummaging through some of my old childhood possessions, I stumbled upon a little wrinkled piece of paper that more resembled a ticker tape than a sheet of paper. It was my original pay stub from my very first job!

I was 15 years old and was hired to be an early morning groundskeeper at my local golf course. My first responsibility was to arrive at the course five days per week at 5AM to rake all the sandtraps before the early bird golfers arrived. My hourly wage for such a stellar job? $4.25/hour. Yeah, you bet I was rollin' in the dough!

I learned so much at that job. No, I didn't go on to apply my groundskeeping skills in the years and decades that followed. That summer, I learned about discipline, doing difficult tasks, the value of money, and the beauty of work. That job didn't feel beautiful at the time (it kinda sucked!), but over the subsequent decades, I look back fondly at that job and what it taught me.

I hope each of you has your version of my four and a quarter per hour job. The one that paid little, challenged much, and taught you some key lessons along the way. To this day, I never take anything for granted, especially as a business owner. I'm so grateful for each and every dollar of income I'm blessed with to provide for my family.

Sometimes, when I get reflective, I think back to that kid working on the golf course as a 15-year-old, sweating it out for four and a quarter per hour. I'm really glad he did that. Had he not, I don't think I would have developed the habits, mindsets, and principles I have today.

Never forget where you came from, and never take what you have for granted. Both are blessings.

Lastly, if you have kids, don’t rob them of the beauty of work. Encourage them to create their own four-and-a-quarter moments that will shape them, mold them, and teach them valuable life lessons. It’s not even about the money. It’s about learning how to work and the discipline it takes to be successful. That skill is needed more now than ever before!

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Travis Shelton 5/25/25 Travis Shelton 5/25/25

One Round At a Time

Then, in a fun little twist of fate, he was met by Antonio, one of our newest baristas. Since we aren't a normal coffee shop, Antonio isn't a normal barista. Antonio is a 6'9" undefeated professional heavyweight boxer. He's a beast.

One of my family's favorite traditions is our weekly Saturday morning Northern Vessel runs. We hop into the car, head to the shop, and enjoy coffee as a family. It's one of my favorite traditions, and marks the end of a great week.

Yesterday, we were perched on the front window bench, enjoying the sun on our backs. Noticing we are now stocking a new drink in the fridge, Pax asked if we could buy one for him to try.

"Sure, bud, but you gotta be the one who buys it."

I've been setting the boys up for these types of real-world interactions since they were five. It's scary for them, often uncomfortable. Forcing them to engage with other adults in a transactional or financial setting can be scary for kids.....which is exactly why I create these types of scenarios.

Pax, now eight and having done this enough times to know I wasn't going to relent, responded, "Okay. Do you want me to use cash or the debit card?"

"Whichever one you want."

"I'll try cash this time."

Then, I gave him my usual pep talk:

Speak loudly
Communicate clearly
Be confident
Use your pleases and thank-you's

Without hesitation (a new and welcomed development), he took the cash, grabbed his beverage, and approached the register. Then, in a fun little twist of fate, he was met by Antonio, one of our newest baristas. Since we aren't a normal coffee shop, Antonio isn't a normal barista. Antonio is a 6'9" undefeated professional heavyweight boxer. He's a beast. Even I can be intimidated by Antonio! To Pax, he might as well have been Ivan Drago.

Pax handled himself like a little champ, though. He was probably a bit intimidated, but just like Rocky, he didn't back down. I was really proud of how Pax navigated the situation, which is undoubtedly the product of having done this countless times over the past three years. One round at a time, as Rocky's trainer would say!

As parents, it's imperative that we place our kids in these types of situations. Yes, it can be scary. Yes, it can be intimidating. Yes, they are going to fail. Yes, it would be easier to do it ourselves. However, these are the types of repetitions that slowly turn our children into thriving adults.

Furthermore, I'm grateful to Antonio for offering such kindness and hospitality to Pax. That was an intimidating situation, and Antonio allowed Pax to work his way through it and come away with satisfaction and confidence. Antonio is the man!

Parents, please don't rob your children of these types of situations. It might seem simple and meaningless, but these little repetitions can mean everything. Our children deserve to learn about how to use and handle money, as well as real-world interactions with other adults. These are small and powerful wins. Force them. Embrace them. Celebrate them.

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Travis Shelton 5/24/25 Travis Shelton 5/24/25

Happy Anniversary, Wall!

Yesterday was the first and only one-year anniversary of not having a car crash through our shop's walls. We've been open for nearly three years, and until yesterday, we've never gone 12 months without having our space devastated by a speeding vehicle.

Yesterday was a huge day for us at Northern Vessel. No, it wasn't the anniversary of our opening. No, we didn't hit any particular milestones. No, we didn't launch any new products. In fact, practically nobody even knew it was a significant day. As of right now, the only ones in the know are me, the other two owners, our team, and now, you.

It's easy to laugh about this today, but the truth is, we've always laughed about it. No, we never found it particularly funny having our business and the safety of our guests/staff put at risk by the misdeeds of reckless people. The truth is, though, we only had two choices: laugh about it or cry about it. We chose laughter.

Regardless of what industry, discipline, career, or role we're in, we WILL be faced with brutal challenges. Obstacles, tragedies, misfortunes, and many other similar words that reek of misery. These types of things are inevitable, but our reaction to them isn't. The onus is on each of us to respond well.

Sure, we could have played the victim card. Our beautiful shop was devastated by a car in August 2023, bringing all our good momentum to a halt. We had everything going for us, then BOOM! (literally), all that good work turned into wreckage. We closed for a few days before reopening with our beautiful glass windows replaced with ugly plywood.

You can probably imagine how euphoric it felt to finally have a fully operational shop in March 2024 when the construction was complete. We were so happy to be back to normal! We spent the next several weeks re-building momentum, preparing for what was sure to be an amazing summer.

Then, in the worst form of deja vu, terror struck again in May 2024 when a second car crushed us again. Devastating! However, we again chose to laugh. A poor attitude wasn't going to fix anything. Instead, we endeavored forward, committed to the vision of providing world-class hospitality despite the new eyesore and hindered operation.

Yesterday, though, we celebrated one year of being car crash-free. We rejoice in the fact our shop is beautiful, our team is thriving, and our guests are joyful.

Nothing will go the way we plan (or hope), so we must continue forward, one step at a time. While I'm talking about a coffee shop, I'm not really talking about a coffee shop. This is our lives. This is our finances. This is our businesses. This is our careers. This is our relationships. We can laugh or we can cry. We can give up, or we can carry on. We can be a victim, or we can push forward. There are a million things that can bring your dreams to a halt. Don't let them. Laugh, persevere, and keep up the good work.

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Travis Shelton 5/20/25 Travis Shelton 5/20/25

A Terrible Daughter

You can't have excellence without standards, and you can't have growth without excellence. Standards > Excellence > Growth. Therefore, everything begins with standards.

I spent yesterday meeting with approximately 50 leaders from all over Colombia, discussing the importance of organizational standards. Standards in transparency, communication, governance, and financial responsibility, to name a few. It was a wonderful day, and I learned so much from the various leaders (each with his/her own perspective and discipline).

At one point in the meeting, my friend Gary asked our guests to stand and share their opinions on why these standards matter. One particular woman, a middle-aged attorney, said something that struck me. I wrote it down, as it was something I wanted to sear into my brain. As with most of my meetings here, my involvement is facilitated through translators, and we're blessed to have three amazing translators with us. (Side note: I'm constantly in awe of how these three women navigate this craft so well!). Here's what this guest said that knocked me off my feet:

"Disorder is the daughter of improvisation. Without standards comes chaos, and eventually failure."

Standards mean everything! I regularly write about the importance of being excellent. Whether you're trying to thrive in your career or successfully run your business, the key is excellence. Excellence, excellence, excellence. However, excellence is born from standards.

Or, as I visually represented to our Colombian team later in the day, you can't have excellence without standards, and you can't have growth without excellence. Standards > Excellence > Growth. Therefore, everything begins with standards. If we try to be excellent without having standards, we've failed before we even start. If we try to grow without being excellent, it's like a house built on sand.....it will eventually collapse.

What are your standards? This is a question we must each ask ourselves. Whether it's in the operation of our family's finances, our careers, our parenting, our marriages, or our businesses, it all begins with standards. My friend TJ says it best: "We don't rise to the level of our aspirations. We fall to the level of our standards." If you tell me what your standards are, I'll tell you what your ceiling is.

My clients who set rock-solid standards will inevitably thrive. Yes, they will be met with stress, tension, turmoil, and unwanted surprises; that's life! However, when standards are established, and then met, success (as dictated by their standards) is nearly inevitable.

My encouragement today is to think about your standards. What standards have you set in the way you approach the various aspects of your life? I can tell you my life is thriving in the areas where I set high standards.....and struggling in the areas where I failed to set standards. I need only look in the mirror to reflect the harsh reality of this principle. Standards mean everything.

I'm so grateful for all my Colombian friends and the memories we made yesterday in Medellín. There are days we will take the to grave with us….yesterday was one of those days for me. After 14 straight hours of meetings, mission, and memories, we ended the night with a little impulsive decision to jump into the rooftop hot tub at our hotel (in the rain, nonetheless). This is the view that concluded our day.

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Travis Shelton 5/19/25 Travis Shelton 5/19/25

Taking the Beans For Granted

Have you ever wondered why coffee is so expensive? Yeah, me too! The cost of buying a small bag of quality beans feels exceedingly high. However, after what I experienced yesterday, I'm beginning to wonder why coffee is so cheap.

I spent the day with my new Colombian and Guatemalan friends touring a coffee farm and experiencing what a day in the life of a Colombian coffee farmer looks like. In short, I was astounded by what I saw and experienced. First, one perk of being a Colombian coffee farmer: the views!!! Check out how beautiful this is.

Considering I co-own a coffee company, I feel pretty well-versed. However, that changed yesterday when I had the privilege of seeing it from the producer's point of view. What astounds me most about coffee is how many things must go right for a delicious cup of coffee to reach our hands. It's almost a miracle.

First, the land, climate, and environment must be right to raise quality coffee. The right plants must be planted in the right locations, and cared for accordingly.

Second, and most surprising to me, is the harvesting process. The act of harvesting quality coffee is far more manual than I could have imagined. Each cherry is picked by hand, and must be picked at the precise moment of ripeness, ensuring any bad cherries are excluded. And we're not talking about skipping through vast open fields of coffee. It's more like carefully navigating the steep slopes of a mountain, making sure you don't careen off the edge in the process. Oh yeah, and the ground is probably wet while you're doing it.

Next comes the separation and drying. Each seed must be extracted from the fruit, then intentionally and methodically dried in the sun for upwards of 25 days. There are several methods to accomplish these goals, each requiring a diligent process.

Once the seeds have been dried and turned into green coffee beans, they need to be roasted. This is where my coffee knowledge starts to pick up. Roasting is both an art and a science. And unless the roaster knows what they are doing, even the best coffee beans in the world will taste like dirt. The craft of roasting well allows us to take high-quality green coffee beans and turn them into something beautiful.

Lastly, once the beans have been roasted, they must be prepared well for the final beverage to be delicious. Even the best beans, roasted at the highest quality, but prepared poorly, can be disgusting.

Five things need to go well in order for a cup of coffee to be delicious:

The plants must be appropriately placed and cared for.
The harvest must be completed with excellence.
The separation and drying need to be executed with intentionality.
The dried coffee beans must be roasted exquisitely.
The roasted coffee must be prepared with care.

If any one of these steps falters, it's a fail.

So, considering all that, I'm shocked quality coffee is as cheap as it is. Seeing what I saw yesterday makes me wonder what other things in my life I'm taking for granted. What else am I not fully appreciating for what it truly is? Perhaps I need to be more grateful for more of the blessings I have in my life. Who or what am I not giving enough credit to? Something I'll be thinking about today.

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