37. Why Curiosity Is a Career Advantage | Sustainable Business, Coffee & Purpose

Dr. Keith Whittingham joins Betsy Gardner for a masterclass on sharpening your curiosity muscle, building a life of learning, and leading with purpose. Keith is an Associate Professor at the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business, the owner of Artifx Cafe, and the 2026 Chair of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Board. In this conversation, he shares how his work in corporate sustainability and social responsibility led to a specialty coffee company designed to uplift coffee growers and their communities, and why shortening the distance between producer and consumer matters more than most people realize.

You’ll hear the story behind Artifx Cafe, from annual MBA immersion trips to Costa Rica to the cloud forest community of Monteverde, where conservation, culture, and community are deeply intertwined. Keith breaks down “sustainable development” in a way that’s practical and memorable, using Costa Rica as a case study for how values-driven decisions can create long-term economic benefits. He also unpacks the real-world coffee supply chain, why farmers are often left with too little, and how new business models can create a more connected, more profitable, and more ethical path from farm to cup.

Later, Betsy and Keith explore his unexpected career journey: a PhD in electrical engineering from Cornell, time at Bell Labs, an MBA at Rollins, and the twists that ultimately led him into business education, entrepreneurship, and community leadership. If you’re early in your career, navigating a pivot, or trying to lead with confidence in a world that’s moving fast, this episode is a blueprint for staying resilient, staying curious, and letting your values guide the way.


Time Stamps:

• 00:00 – Welcome + why curiosity is a career advantage
• 03:45 – Meet Dr. Keith Whittingham (Rollins Crummer, Artifx Cafe, Chamber Chair)
• 07:30 – What “sustainable development” actually means (in real life)
• 11:15 – Costa Rica example: decisions that create long-term prosperity
• 15:10 – Corporate sustainability: doing well while doing good
• 18:45 – How Costa Rica trips led to Artifx Cafe
• 22:25 – Monteverde + the cloud forest: community, conservation, purpose
• 26:05 – Coffee “terroir”: why origin changes flavor (like wine)
• 29:55 – The supply chain problem: why farmers get squeezed
• 33:06 – Keith’s personal resiliency and mantra as “life does its thing"
• 35:23 – How growing up as an American ex-pat led to Keith’s resiliency
• 37:10 – Engineering PhD + Bell Labs to business professor and entrepreneur
• 41:35 – Belonging + historic Chamber leadership moment and what it means
• 44:47 – Final takeaways + where to find Keith and Artifx Cafe

Connect with Keith at: Website:  https://artifxcafe.com/
Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithwhittinghamphd/

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Connect with Betsy Gardner:
Website: https://www.betsygardner.com/ 

Learn More about Winter Park Chamber of Commerce: https://www.winterpark.org/
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Podcast produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/ 
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