When many people hear the name Ben Higgins, they think of The Bachelor.
But what’s far more interesting — and enduring — is what he’s been building off-screen.
Ben is the co-founder of Generous Coffee, a for-profit company with a non-profit heart. I had the chance to sit down with him during the Purpose-Driven Business Summit, and his story is a masterclass in aligning profit with purpose.
Here’s what stood out — and what every aspiring impact-driven entrepreneur can learn from his journey.
💥 A Life-Changing Moment at 15
Ben’s story didn’t start in a boardroom. It started in Central America, where, as a teenager, he first encountered the kind of extreme poverty that leaves an imprint. That experience never left him.
Years later, after the glare of reality TV faded, Ben found himself wanting to do more — not just give back when convenient, but build something that could make a real, sustained difference.
☕ Why Coffee?
Generous Coffee was born from a simple but powerful idea:
Create a product people already love and use it to fund meaningful change.
Coffee became the vehicle. It was global, familiar, and — importantly — rooted in an industry with deep social and environmental problems. Generous pays farmers fairly, shares their stories, and funnels profits into life-changing nonprofit work around the world.
But Ben is quick to say: it wasn’t about finding the perfect product. It was about finding a purpose — and building the model around that.
💡 Ben’s Top Insights for Purpose-Driven Founders
1. One Life Changed Is Enough
“If one person’s life is bettered through the efforts of Generous, then this has all been worth it.”
This quote says it all. Impact doesn’t have to be massive to be meaningful. If you’re waiting until everything is perfect before you start, you’re missing the point.
2. Hope Is More Powerful Than Scarcity
Ben challenges the idea that nonprofits — or impact-focused businesses — must lean into desperation to drive support.
Instead, he believes in telling stories rooted in possibility, not pity. Hope inspires. Scarcity shuts people down.
3. Don’t Go It Alone
Whether in business or nonprofit work, success doesn’t happen in isolation.
Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, mission-aligned, and ready to challenge you — it’s the team, not the hero, that moves the needle.
4. Consumers Expect Purpose
“Every business will eventually need to be for-purpose because consumers today demand more than just a product.”
Ben’s not alone in this thinking — from Gen Z to boomers, people are choosing brands that reflect their values. The question isn’t if your business should be purpose-driven. It’s how soon you’re ready to start.
✨ Final Takeaway
Ben Higgins didn’t just start a company — he started a conversation. One about what business can be when it stops focusing solely on profit and starts prioritizing people.
Whether you’re a founder, a dreamer, or somewhere in between, remember this:
You don’t need millions of dollars or a massive platform to make an impact. You just need the courage to start with what you have — and the clarity to know why it matters.