Through casual coffee and conversation, his involvement has reached many – even those abroad in Africa and Haiti.
Rob Touchstone, co-founder of The Well Coffeehouse and adjunct bible professor, knows how to think outside the box when it comes to business ideas. And now, as the newly appointed director of missional entrepreneurship in Lipscomb’s College of Business, he hopes to inspire the same thinking in others.
It all started with golf balls.
Touchstone grew up near a golf course where he and his friends would collect lost balls in the woods. He very soon came up with an idea: to re-sell all the missing golf balls back to the golfers. Touchstone said the golfers would find it hilarious because they were most likely buying back their own balls.
With some money in his pocket, Touchstone and his friends decided to grow the ‘business’ by selling lemonade. While the golf balls continued to sell, they found that the golfers had no interest in purchasing lemonade.
Toward the end of the day, Touchstone and his friends had plenty of lemonade left, so they decided to give it away for free. Touchstone said that when they did this, the golfers would reach into their pockets to pull out money. By trying to give away the lemonade for free, they ended up gaining a profit in return.
Touchstone has always cherished this concept, and he’s even carried it with him through his most recent endeavor.
Now, The Well gives all of its profits to missions and building wells in poverty-stricken countries. So far, the business has funded nine wells around the world.
The latest development is a $38,000 water well in Nairobi, Kenya, which will provide water to 40,000 people. In just a month and a half, The Well has reached more than half that goal.
“Our vision is limitless,” Touchstone said. “We know that as a single coffeehouse we can’t end the water crisis, but we’ve kind of resolved that we’ll die trying.”
Touchstone’s efforts have inspired those around him who look to him for leadership.
“He is a huge mentor to me as well as to so many others,” said Jason Parker, manager of The Well. “If it were not for Rob following the Lord, we wouldn’t be here.”
As a Lipscomb professor, Touchstone impacts students through his generous examples, too.
“I had never had a bible, and I wanted to purchase one from there [The Well],” freshman Abbi Scott said. “I walked in and he gave it to me as a present because he knew that I was so eager to get in touch with my faith.”
“I hope that students can look at me and see that ‘hey, if he can do it, anybody can do it,’” Touchstone said.
Touchstone’s reach continues to expand. A second Well Coffeehouse location has opened in Brentwood, Tennessee.
He hopes to continue meeting the desperate needs of those around the world, one cup of coffee at a time.