Gratitude Focus: Small Independent Coffee Houses

Reflection/Why I’m Grateful:

 Still in DC, I walked around looking for a place to post up and work for the day. I saw IHOP, Panda Express, and an independent coffee house. I chose the coffee house.

Back when I was early in my career, it wasn’t uncommon to find me “officing” out of one. When they’d close, I’d sometimes move to 24-hour spots like IHOP, working or studying until 2 or 3 a.m.

Today, I’d say I’m “technically” off. But even on my off days, I like to find quiet places to read, reflect, write, and move things forward. These coffee houses—especially the independent ones—remind me of who I’ve been and who I still am. They help me focus. They help me tap into creativity. They give me space to breathe and think.

Where do you go—physically or mentally—to recharge, reflect, and reconnect with your focus?

Question for Reflection

 

 

Hi, I’m Orvin Kimbrough, volunteer, board director, chairman, and CEO. I help professionals move from feeling stuck to being strengthened by reshaping how they think, lead, and live. My work focuses on confidence, leadership, and influence through mindset shifts, expanded networks, and bold, values-aligned action. My perspective is rooted in lived experience, from growing up in foster care to leading complex institutions as a CEO and shaped by faith, resilience, and a deep belief in human potential.

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Books for Every Stage

Twice Over a Man

A memoir often described as a leadership guide wrapped in an honest, relatable story of perseverance, healing, and growth. It explores how pain can be reframed into purpose and how ordinary people build meaningful lives through courage and clarity.

More Than a Conqueror

Written for teens and young adults, this book encourages confidence, resilience, and identity formation during the years when self-belief is being shaped.

Ward and the State

A children’s book that gently introduces big ideas like belonging, courage, and hope, helping young readers see themselves as more than their circumstances

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Tags: Gratitude