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Last week I had the great privilege and pleasure to spend a few days in Greystones, Ireland visiting with Steve and Dave Flynn, otherwise known as The Happy Pear.

I've followed these fellows online for many years. I own several of their cookbooks and I listen to their podcast regularly. While my initial interest in them was in learning to cook plant-based, over time I've come to understand that there's much more to who they are and what they are creating. So when they extended an invitation to do a "wellness immersion" with them, I jumped at the chance. And it should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that I returned not just with great personal learning and insights but with some reflections on what it means to run - and lead - a really purpose-driven enterprise.

Identical twin brothers, their story has roots in travel done in their 20's. As their telling of the story goes, "Dave & Steve had been travelling the world and as twin power goes, on opposite sides of the world they switched to a plant based diet within a week of each other. The Happy Pear seed was sown." (from their website) In the 20 years since they originally founded a little grocery and vegetable shop they've expanded massively (restaurant, bakery, coffee roastery, food processing facility, retail products, cookbooks and a farm - and I don't think that's the whole list). But not based on anything as formal as a strategic plan - rather, as Steve shared when I asked him about it, it's all been based on what's felt right and what opportunities presented themselves. Clearly, the twins have good instincts and are powered by clear, strong values that guide their decisions.

When you visit them in their home town of Greystones, you get dropped directly into the middle of their lives - not because they design the visit that way, but because there are no separations between who they are and what they do. Their families are involved in the business, their store is a central hub in the community, they flow seamlessly - but with HUGE energy - from podcasting to cooking demos to coaching calls to shuttling kids to activities to helping neighbours and on and on. While at first look you'd think they're in the healthy eating business, really they're creating healthy community and healthy relationships and healthy,happy human beings everywhere they turn.

The Flynns' sunrise swims are legendary (see the Dublin episode in Season 2 of Somebody Feed Phil). As a result my wakeup call on the first morning was 4:50am so we could walk to the nearby beach and watch the sunrise before going for a (chilly) dip. There's a group of "regulars" - folks who are there every day, and it includes two former nuns who are now in their 80's. "Long exhale on the way in, dear - it relaxes the vagus nerve" one advised me.

From there we had coffee at their cafe, enjoyed some stretching and breath work, did a sauna/cold plunge and then went to work on their farm - and by this time it's just noon on the first day!

What's their secret?

Dave and Steve are living ambassadors for everything they create and sell. They believe passionately that they have it within their power to have a positive impact on the world. They have insatiable curiosity and are committed to learning how to do everything better (Dave had just returned from a weeklong course in regenerative farming). They take the time to care for their health and their loved ones as much as they take time to create in their business. They genuinely care about the people that work with them and by my observation the feeling is mutual.

Why did I go?

I've always believed that coaching is a "walk your talk" profession. I can't be advocating health and life balance unless I'm actively pursuing those things myself. So when my tank was running low I needed to figure out how to fill it - and The Happy Pear's manifesto really speaks to me on every level. One step, one decision. And the power of people. I knew that catching a bit of the Flynns' energy - not to mention getting some 1:1 cooking classes and health coaching - would be just what I needed. And it was. And I was also curious about them as leaders and how they're growing their business, so my visit had multiple layers of interest to it.

Why am I sharing it here?

Because the world needs more businesses that support and celebrate humans. More businesses that truly walk their talk. More leaders who embody the values they say their company stands for.

Sure you could argue that The Happy Pear is "just" a family enterprise, tucked away in a small town. But they have investors, they have a massive global audience, they have lots of high profile people paying lots of attention. If they weren't the real deal it would be evident quickly.

So what I'm saying is that it IS possible to grow and lead a business where integrity is not only not sacrificed but it's at the core of everything the business does.

And I'm also saying - again - that if you're trying to lead from an empty tank, that's not sustainable. Go find your own Happy Pear experience. There are people counting on you to be healthy, strong, creative and ready to make a positive difference in the world.