PEORIA MAGAZINE November 2022

M O M A N D P O P

THE ART OF GOING WITH THE FLOW From selling coffee to divorce coaching, Katie VandenBerg says curiosity is key to a successful business

BY LAURIE PILLMAN PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

L ife has rarely taken Katie VandenBerg exactly where she expected to go. Given that, she has mastered the art of seeing where her curiosity takes her. Today she’s a coach, mother, property manager and artist, but it started with a coffee shop. “I always wanted to own a coffee shop. I worked for one in high school and I loved it,” she said. “When it wasn't busy, I'd sit there and think about how it could be improved. I thought, ‘Someday, when I'm retired, I will own a coffee shop,’ thinking I would be 65 years old.” But it was at the age of 24 that she founded Eli’s Coffee Shop. The right opportunity came along while she was working as a loan processor. Both businesseswere fulfilling, but the double role took a tremendous amount of time. This took a toll on her relationships, especially her marriage to her high school sweetheart. As the two found themselves growing apart, they decided an amicable divorce was the best way to proceed. Eight months later, Chicago teacher Ben VandenBerg walked through the doors of Eli’s. It has been 16 years and

and an artist and author with major brand credits. It’s an odd mix, but it’s also the place for one more business: Katie VandenBerg’s own Focus Forward Divorce Coaching. VandenBerg said the business sprung from an interest in how she couldmake divorce proceedings less messy for friends during a difficult time. WE HAVE WEDDING PLANNERS … WHY NOT HAVE DIVORCE PLANNERS? “I had always been helping people kind of through their divorce because I had been through one. I would have friends say, ‘I'm going through divorce. What should I do? Who do I call?’ Because you don't know when you go through a divorce what the heck to do. Even people who have been through three divorces don't know what to do because every single divorce is different. I finally had a friend who needed a lot of help, so much that I was going with her to her attorney meetings. And I'm sitting there thinking: We have wedding planners. Why do we not have divorce

the two are still partners, in life and business. While they sold Eli’s in 2015, the couple have moved on to other business ventures. When they became interested in housing opportunities, the two opened VanHaus LLC, a property business with more than 26 commercial and residential holdings. In July of this year, they opened MUSE, a combination art gallery, meeting space and creator workspace. Located at 71 East Queenwood Road in Morton, the gallery is a bright, inviting space. In the lobby, a small sitting area is surrounded by vivid paintings. To the right, the art gallery holds awide variety of art, from Ben's metal sculptures and Katie's ceramics to photography and drawings. In the back, MUSE has a warehouse-like creator’s studio. Through another door is a photo studio, complete with professional lighting. These areas are available to rent, for families hosting small gatherings or artists needing workspace. Around the lobby,MUSEhas offices for its in-house creators. This includes four photographers, a massage therapist, an oil painter, ametal worker andmusician,

86 NOVEMBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE