13 Scratch Box Gastro Truck in Canada

Team 19 Poster

Team Reflection

We find Reggie’s journey in the restaurant industry both inspiring and thought-provoking. His transition from corporate management to running a food truck during the pandemic highlights our capacity for adaptability in challenging times. We resonate with his realization that many corporations prioritize profit over quality and community care. By choosing to operate outside traditional corporate rules, Reggie embodies the values of sustainability and community involvement, reminding us of the importance of purpose-driven entrepreneurship. His decision to create a space that fosters youth development also speaks to our collective responsibility to mentor the next generation, ensuring they acquire essential skills in a supportive environment.

At the same time, we recognize the silent points in Reggie’s story that prompt deeper reflection. For instance, the challenge of balancing business success with community ethics raises questions about the sustainability of such an approach in a competitive market. Additionally, while we celebrate the growth of young workers within his food truck, we must consider the systemic barriers they may face in the broader industry. Reggie’s commitment to food safety and quality is commendable, yet it highlights the ongoing issue of accessibility to proper training and resources. Ultimately, we are encouraged to think critically about how we can support similar endeavours that prioritize ethical practices while also addressing the underlying challenges faced by those in the food service industry.

The story of Scratch Box Gastro Truck aligns closely with core principles in performance management, particularly those related to sustainability, accountability, and the triple bottom line (TBL), a framework that values people, the planet, and profit equally. Scratch Box’s business model shows how a company’s performance can be evaluated beyond financial results by integrating social and environmental impacts into its operations. Reggie Olson’s emphasis on local sourcing, fair wages, and waste reduction, as well as giving back to the community, reflects a comprehensive approach to sustainability, demonstrating strong commitments to social and environmental accountability. By prioritizing these values alongside profit and ensuring his business supports both the community and the environment.

Scratch Box’s commitment to sustainable practices reinforces the idea that profitability need not conflict with social and environmental goals. Olson’s choice to source ingredients locally, for example, reduces his carbon footprint and boosts the local economy, benefiting both the environment and small businesses in his area. Additionally, by paying fair wages beyond typical student wage requirements, Olson promotes decent work and economic growth, supporting employee well-being and local community stability. This approach reflects performance management principles that view employees and communities as key stakeholders.

Olson’s focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) demonstrates how small businesses can drive societal change, challenging the notion that only large corporations can achieve meaningful sustainability impacts. His hands-on approach to minimizing waste by buying only what’s needed emphasizes efficient resource management, which even large companies often struggle to implement. Olson’s example suggests that effective sustainability doesn’t require extensive resources; it can start with small, intentional practices.

Olson’s story reveals gaps in traditional performance management frameworks, which tend to emphasize resource-intensive methods. Olson’s model challenges the assumption that sustainability is best suited for larger firms, showing instead that small, community-focused actions can have significant impacts. His focus on responsible consumption, fair wages, and community service broadens our understanding of performance management, showing that even small businesses can make valuable contributions to global goals. This example underscores that sustainable, community-centered practices not only enhance business performance but also serve as a model for the wider business community.

• Reflecting on the story of Scratch Box Gastro Truck has reshaped our views on the roles of sustainability, social responsibility, and community engagement in business. Seeing how a small business can seamlessly integrate these values into its operations while maintaining both quality and profitability has broadened our perspective on what effective leadership entails. Reggie Olson’s commitment to local sourcing, fair wages, and waste reduction illustrates that sustainability is far more than a marketing tool; it’s a core element of lasting business success. Moving forward, we believe that a sustainable, people-centered approach can and should align with profitability.

In our group, this story sparked deep discussions about what it means to run a purpose-driven business. We concluded that Olson’s small but impactful actions in promoting responsible consumption and supporting his community are just as valuable as any large-scale corporate sustainability efforts. Many of us came into this exercise thinking that sustainability measures were often costly and challenging for small businesses. However, Olson’s approach, such as sourcing fresh ingredients locally, showed us that sustainable practices can be woven into daily operations, enhancing quality and directly supporting local businesses. Collectively, we realized we’d want our future businesses to adopt similar practices, not just for reputation but also for the long-term well-being of the community.

Honestly, we are now much more aware of how businesses of any size can incorporate sustainable practices. The AIM2Flourish story has inspired us to think beyond profit in making business decisions. Olson’s efforts to keep food waste under 2% and offer fair pay highlight the importance of responsibility and thoughtful decision-making. In the future, we hope to apply these insights by integrating social and environmental considerations into the values of any business we create.

As future business owners, we aspire to prioritize people and the planet, whether by investing in sustainable products, promoting ethical labor practices, or supporting local suppliers. Sustainability now feels like a foundational aspect of a successful business, not just an add-on. AIM2Flourish has encouraged us to see this as a standard, and we hope to set a positive example in any role we take on.

Through this cross-cultural experience, our team developed a greater grasp of two important concepts in our coursework: the value of cultural tolerance and social responsibility. Dealing with team members from various backgrounds made it clear how important it is to accept different communication conventions and approaches. We saw, for instance, that some members had distinct mannerisms and that people from particular cultures felt less at ease presenting their faces or speaking on video. We learned the value of tolerance, adaptability, and comprehension, a crucial lesson in international collaboration, by acknowledging and honoring these distinctions. Effective communication and accountability were highlighted in our performance management courses, which aided in task management and mutual adaptation. By outlining each team member’s responsibilities and guaranteeing accountability for all work, we put these ideas into practice. For example, each team from a different country was responsible for one of the three assignments. Jenan and Sadeem worked together on the reflection, Leire and Caterina created the poster, and Kaeleigh and Kirsten finished the AIM2Flourish story. Because of this clear split of work, we were able to efficiently focus on our roles and fulfill our project objectives. Though time differences occasionally caused delays in responses, we adjusted by setting realistic deadlines and remaining flexible in communication. Despite the hurdles, each team member demonstrated a thorough comprehension of their respective roles and contributed fully. Overall, this experience underlined the value of cross-cultural knowledge, adaptation, and clear communication, all of which will be crucial in our future professional endeavours.

Individual Reflections

Kirsten McLay

Overall, my experience with this COIL has been a relatively good one. Teamwork is definitely not an easy task, even when you can physically be in the same room with the people you’re working with, but being in three different time zones unlocks an entirely new challenge. Our weekly calls were often very short, with little speaking on most ends. We did have a little bit of communication issues with timing and whatnot, but our teammates were able to work with us and make things work. Our first call was definitely an experience, there was a lot of talking over each other, and we didn’t really get a lot done. Even with our group chat on WhatsApp, not all teammates replied often nor efficiently. In that sense, we definitely had some issues. However, when it came to the actual work, we got it done when we needed to. Everyone was prompt with their parts of the assignment. Kaeleigh and I took the lead on most of the project. We did the scheduling, led the discussions and just generally kept the last four weeks running as smoothly as we could. All in all, this was a beneficial experience and one I am thankful for.

Kaeleigh Roxburgh

This COIL experiential activity has been a unique and beneficial experience. Learning how to work in groups in general is essential, but collaborating with group members from other countries is also an increasingly important skill. Different types of difficulties are faced with international collaboration, such as time zone differences, cultural differences and miscommunication, though that happens in all kinds of group work. We managed to plan a group call every week through compromising and only had one week where not everybody could attend. We also experienced a week where we had to change the call time at the last minute and had some miscommunication about the time due to the time difference. When I miscommunicated the call time to my group for the Spain time zone, my group members made a compromise and joined the call even though it was inconvenient for them. Similarly, we usually had our calls around the evening in the Saudi Arabia time zone, so it was a big compromise for them to join the call around dinner/nighttime. I think the time difference was our biggest problem as responses often took a while, and some parts of the assignment were completed last minute as the due date and time varies for each country. When it came to organizing, we in Guelph started most of the conversations and took the lead on a lot of the planning. Though we come from different countries and cultures, I felt as though we worked well together, with everyone doing their part in the end. Overall, I considered this a beneficial and exciting experience.

Jenan Alyousef 

Participating in the COIL project with a virtual, cross-cultural team was a truly valuable experience, filled with both challenges and growth. Managing different time zones and adapting to a variety of communication methods was initially difficult, but I quickly learned how to plan my time effectively and stay adaptable. I prioritized attending all weekly meetings, even when inconvenient, to help keep the team connected and ensure a smooth workflow. My main focus was to support the team’s momentum and avoid any disruptions. Working with teammates from different cultural backgrounds taught me to approach interactions with openness and sensitivity. Adapting to the team’s various communication preferences, ranging from WhatsApp messages to Zoom calls and emails, helped me become more flexible. By adjusting my communication style and proactively following up, I was able to share ideas and stay connected with everyone. Despite the remote setting, we managed to build a strong sense of unity through open discussions and clear goal-setting. This experience was eye-opening and improved my adaptability, cross-cultural understanding, and communication skills. I know these skills will be invaluable in my future career, helping me work effectively in diverse environments.

Sadeem Alshrafa 

From the moment I learned about the cross-cultural project, a wave of anxiety washed over me. I felt nervous about stepping into an unfamiliar environment where communication styles and cultural norms were different from my own. The fear of not being understood or of misunderstanding others loomed large. I worried about how my contributions would be received and whether I would fit in with my peers. I was apprehensive about how our differences would affect our collaboration. I wondered if language barriers or contrasting communication styles would hinder our ability to work together effectively. However, as we began to interact, I realized that our diversity was not a barrier but rather a bridge to deeper understanding. I enjoyed this unique experience. Although there were some challenges, we were able to manage this challenge and we all cooperated in completing all the tasks on time! This experience also brought about a sense of personal growth that felt empowering. I learned to embrace new perspectives and approaches, which enriched my understanding of collaboration. Each challenge we faced was an opportunity for growth, and I felt a sense of accomplishment as we navigated these together. This empowerment inspired me to be more open-minded and adaptable in all my interactions.