By Greg Woodman
In a world where fear often pays off—and efficiency is rewarded—it takes a different kind of entrepreneur to build with love.
But that’s exactly what’s happening in Pine Grove Mills, Pennsylvania.
Not through national franchises or outside capital. But through wild-eyed local founders who, at first glance, might seem like dreamers—but who are quietly transforming their town through vision, grit, and deep devotion to people and place.
They aren’t just growing businesses. They’re scaling care.
And the secret? They’re choosing love over fear—and still winning.
A First Visit—and a Pattern Emerges
When I first visited Pine Grove Hall, I didn’t walk into a typical restaurant. I stepped into something more layered: part listening room, part cultural salon, part dinner table for the region’s creative soul.
While chatting with founder Liz Grove, I asked the server what she recommended to drink. Without missing a beat, she guided me to an Elk Creek Copper Ale, a beautifully balanced local brew from Millheim. As I sipped it, a thought sparked: Elk Creek helped wake up Millheim. What Liz is doing here? It’s that same kind of spark—quietly igniting a town’s soul.
That insight was a gateway to a deeper conversation.
Love vs. Fear in Business: The Real Divide
Every business faces this tension: Do you grow by doubling down on systems—or by doubling down on care?
Fear says:
- “Standardize it.”
- “Automate everything.”
- “Protect the bottom line.”
Love says:
- “Preserve the magic.”
- “Deepen relationships.”
- “Build something that matters.”
It’s not idealism. It’s strategy.
Fear gets you speed.
Love gets you staying power.
And those who lead with love? They’re not just operators. They’re the artists of the business world.
They craft not just products or services—but experiences, spaces, communities, and stories.
They are the poets of the marketplace, burning with a desire to share what they love—and it shows.
That’s what Liz and others in Pine Grove Mills are proving every day: you can be efficient without becoming corporate.
When Liz used the word “corporate,” I asked her to unpack it. What she meant wasn’t structure or success—it was the risk of trading connection for control and losing the heart of what makes a business special in the name of scale.
That’s the balancing act: how to be effective and efficient, without losing the emotional power that got you started in the first place.
So, I asked her directly:
Can a business expand without losing its heart? Can you go big and still stay true?
She didn’t blink.
“You can—but only if you lead with love.”
Then, with the confidence of someone raised by pioneers, she lifted her pant leg to reveal a tattoo on her foot: “I fear nothing” a tattoo shared with her daughter, Olivia Jones, who wrote the phrase as part of a school assignment in third grade. It’s a memorial to a spirit that permeates the family lineage.
Raised by Fearless People, Leading with Heart
Liz’s edge wasn’t forged in comfort. She’s the daughter of Doris Grove, the legendary glider pilot who became the first woman to fly a sailplane more than 1,000 kilometers and is in the Soaring Hall of Fame. At 15, Liz was told by her instructor that she was ready to solo—even without the textbook hours. She trusted his belief in her. She flew.
Her father, Leonard Grove, was a WWII vet who came back home and created a successful career as a local building contractor. From him, she learned the grind. Discipline. Making something out of nothing and feeling the joy of building something real.
Later, she carried that edge to New York City, rising through the music industry. As ExecutiveVP at KOCH Entertainment, she oversaw operations across distribution, tech, HR, and more. Before that, she promoted legends like Sinead O’Connor, Billy Idol, and Blondie at Chrysalis Records.
She knows scale. She knows corporate. And now, she’s applying those lessons to build a business model rooted in music, food, and memory—without losing its heart.
Pine Grove Mills: Where Heritage Meets Guts
Once considered off the radar, this small town just 10 minutes from Penn State is now becoming a hub of culture, creativity, and community-led growth.
- Pine Grove Hall is a cultural anchor.
- Flour & Stone, also founded by Liz Grove, serves rustic elegance in a restored 1860s home.
- The Naked Egg Café continues to thrive under the stewardship of longtime employees-turned-owners David Welsch and Paula and Gary O’Korn, serving breakfast with the same consistency and care that made it a local favorite.
- And soon, Sabine Carey’s Centre Markets will transform another Pine Grove Mills historic space into a regional food hub—with a grocery, shared kitchen, and nutrition programs—all fueled by a pandemic-born online market and Carey’s tireless belief in community.
Each of these founders seems, at first glance, a little too ambitious.
A little too all-in.
A little too wild.
And that’s exactly why it’s working.
They’re not building from fear. They’re building from love.
And love makes you fearless.
The Real Bottom Line
Growth matters.
Structure matters.
But what matters more is why you’re building in the first place.
Fear scales revenue.
Love scales relevance, loyalty, and legacy.
So, the real challenge is this:
Can you preserve your heart while becoming effective?
Can you scale without selling out?
Pine Grove Mills proves you can.
The Love-Based Business Blueprint
What these entrepreneurs are modeling is a new kind of business growth—one any founder can follow:
- Lead with love, not fear.
→ Build from trust, not defense. - Preserve the heart as you scale.
→ Your magic is your differentiator. - Grow systems that serve your values.
→ Efficiency should protect your art—not erase it. - Let place and people shape your model.
→ Real community builds real resilience. - Be the wild dreamer who goes all in.
→ That’s where innovation begins.
Your Call to Build Differently
If Elk Creek helped awaken Millheim, then Pine Grove Hall, Flour & Stone, The Naked Egg, and soon Centre Markets are doing the same in Pine Grove Mills—one fiercely local, love-fueled decision at a time.
They may look like dreamers.
But they’re builders.
And they’re booming—because they lead with heart.
So, ask yourself:
Is your business building and scaling from fear—or from love?
And if it’s love, are you brave enough to go all in?
