Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010
James Godsil, Co-Founder, Sweet Water Organics
Local Entrepreneur
A true entrepreneur
is a visionary who can see beyond the conventional wisdom and turn a vision into
a reality. Jim Godsil is such a person, a man who has been one of the pioneers
in urban agriculture in Milwaukee.
He had the vision to see that in a city that was proudly built on beer and
heavy, gritty industry, there was also a future for urban agriculture and fish
farming, so he helped to found Sweet Water Organics. Utilizing local resources,
Sweet Water developed a major vegetable- and fish-farming operation in an
abandoned industrial building in Bay View, which is currently producing
thousands of perch and tilapia in a controlled and unpolluted ecosystem. The
fish farm is just one of the projects of Sweet Water Organics. Its nonprofit
Sweet Water Foundation helps to educate the public about the importance of
urban agriculture. But most important of all, Godsil has inspired many young
environmentally conscious people and showed them that it is possible to turn
their vision into a viable business model.
Godsil is one of the most unselfish people I know. Constantly reaching out to community organizations and always willing to share his successes and failures. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with him and to see Sweetwater Organics grow into the inspirational business model it is today!
Jim Godsil is my BABY Brother!! 10- years younger. I remember his as a little boy very interested in collecting base ball cards and very clever with his money. My sister and I spent ours - he saved his.Has his life been one of striving for more and more money - No - his life has been centered around working for his community - the community we all share - people!
He marched for civil rights in the Chicago march - he started Community Roofing - one of the goals being to hire young men that he could mentor - teach them the trade.He became very involved in his community of River West, helping to revitalize a local park among other projects. Now, at the time in life where many men retire, he is involved with a new project. To make lots of money no - to help people think about their health and the future - yes - I am very proud of my baby bother - and am very happy that his life has been and continues to be - an inspiration. Jo Ann