Publications
Publications
- August 2024
- HBS Case Collection
Lucky Ones Coffee: Employing People with Disabilities
By: Richard S. Ruback, Robin Greenwood, Joe Higgins, Matthew Preble and Dave Habeeb
Abstract
Katie Holyfield and Taylor Matkins founded The Lucky Ones Coffee in 2017 with a mission to create jobs in Park City, Utah for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The company quickly earned strong support from the local community, and by early 2023 Holyfield and Matkins employed 17 people across two coffee shops. The two entrepreneurs must now decide how to grow their business to create still more jobs, and how to structure the business to ensure that it remains a sustainable and financially-sound enterprise as it scales.
This multimedia case study explores why individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have struggled to find meaningful work, why some employers have been hesitant to hire people with disabilities, and whether there is a business case to be made for hiring employees with disabilities.
This multimedia case study explores why individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have struggled to find meaningful work, why some employers have been hesitant to hire people with disabilities, and whether there is a business case to be made for hiring employees with disabilities.
Keywords
Entrepreneurship; Selection and Staffing; Growth and Development Strategy; Mission and Purpose; Service Industry; Tourism Industry; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Utah; United States
Citation
Ruback, Richard S., Robin Greenwood, Joe Higgins, Matthew Preble, and Dave Habeeb. "Lucky Ones Coffee: Employing People with Disabilities." Harvard Business School Multimedia/Video Case 225-702, August 2024.