Empowered Electric + Freestyle Poké (Liberty, MO) was the result of our mission in Kansas City:
To turn the lights on.
The Opportunity
Upon introduction, we experienced an early alignment of culture and values with Kevin Goebel who is helping expand Freestyle Poké (“POH-kay”) locations across Kansas City. The restaurant’s founder, Jeremiah Dupin, is a Kansas City native who desires “Poké with a Purpose”:
“My main mission,” says Dupin, “is to spend time investing in my team in each restaurant, giving them the tools to improve their own physical and mental health and well-being, in addition to giving them a sense of stewardship and culture that allows them to problem solve from the ground up.” (Feast Magazine)
Any opportunity we get to help bring new, innovative concepts to Kansas City Metro communities we love . . . we bid on the project. Although we bid on Freestyle Poké in Overland Park, KS and lost, we decided to ramp up our bid process before securing the Liberty, MO location.
What does “ramping up our bid process” look like? It looks like our COO, Paul Shoemaker, hunting down the kill to feed Empowered Electric. And if the animal (whatever location we’re bidding) crosses Paul’s path while in hunter/gatherer mode, the animal’s not making it out alive.
The “Why”
We’re highlighting Freestyle Poké this week because the size of a project does not matter to us at Empowered. This is an example of a growing restaurant – fast but casual and a KILLER Good Bowl at an affordable price – looking to serve food with a greater purpose. We bid (and won) the project because we grew passionate about their vision and wanted to work with their team.
Back to the hunting analogy.
People usually want the biggest buck to hang on a wall or a lion or an elephant head or something illegal like that because “trophy hunting” is always about size. But in business, Empowered Electric believes hunting is about more than just size or money – it’s about the desire, cultural impact and community building. Freestyle Poké believes in something similar, and it’s why we wanted to work with them so bad. Their owners want a space where people feel included, valued and cared for while serving them high-quality Poké bowls.
The Bottom Line
When the people we work for push the Empowered Electric team to be better, we know it’s the right fit.
This world is filled with distractions and voices telling you what to prioritize and value. Unfortunately, there are a lot of “trophy hunters” out there who just care about size and money. But at Empowered, we chase down companies in and around Kansas City doing great work. And their great work means nothing if it’s done in the dark. That’s where we come in:
To turn the lights on. And to eat a lot of Poké in the process.
Visit any of the three Kansas City Freestyle Poké locations – our favorite location, of course, is the Liberty store. There’s something about the ambiance.
“The Blueprint Series” sheds light on the deeper meaning behind each project at Empowered Electric. Know someone who needs electrical with a purpose? Connect us: josh@empoweredkc.com
