Are you torn between your desire to start a business, and your sense of obligation to do more to protect our earth and its ecosystems? Are you one-part business person, one part nature lover? Are you trying to figure out how to put both these parts together and pursue something you can both enjoy and believe in? The answer may lie in the world of ecopreneurship. Ecopreneurs are business professionals who integrate environmental solutions into every one of their company practices. The Conservationist Collective shares what you need to know about how to get a green business up and running.
Start with a great green business idea.
Ultimately, we need to come up with a green alternative to every “conventional” product or service on the market in order to mitigate climate change and conserve our natural resources. Here are just a few ideas:
You could start a recycling company that would both dispose of waste and reduce the exploitation of resources.
There are numerous options for getting into eco-friendly retail, whether you’re interested in selling slow fashion, health, pet, home, and garden products – the sustainable options are nearly endless.
Start a company that arranges ecologically friendly travel tours, whether locally or globally.
Learn to think like an ecopreneur.
A lot of conventional ideas about good business practices won’t necessarily translate into good green business practices, so a good ecopreneur may have to alter the entire structure of their thinking according to different sets of goals and principles.
Green businesses don’t just throw in a few environmental or sustainable solutions here and there to make themselves look good: being green must be an essence of their business identity and practice.
Evaluate business decisions in terms of sustainability in the long-term, not just the bottom line this fiscal year.
Get past thinking that everything must be quick and easy: sometimes the better solution may take a little more time and be a little more expensive.
Also, avoid “greenwashing,” which is essentially when you market yourself as environmentally friendly but do little to actually make a difference. Not only is it simply bad business, but you could also potentially lose your customer base as a result.
Green business practices also extend to how you treat your employees: as living beings, not as disposable parts in a machine.
Some conventional business principles you’ll still have to follow.
You will still have to do a lot of the same things any business owner will have to do, so be aware of the grunt work involved in running a company.
Good planning is key – from your original business plan, to your financial forecasts, to your annual budgeting, to the day-to-day agenda you set.
To ensure compliance, register your entity with the state. You may choose to begin as a sole proprietorship, and then later convert to an LLC or an S-Corp. An online formation service like ZenBusiness can help.
Be aware of any insurance, licenses, and certifications you need – including licenses or certifications to market your products or services as organic, or eco-friendly.
Stay on top of your finances and accounting, especially when it comes to payroll and tax time.
There are many different ways to pursue ecopreneurship, and the field is growing and developing all the time. So. think about what you’re passionate about and love doing, and see whether this might be your niche for green business.
Written by contributing author: Seth Murphy
Seth Murphy first got into doing DIY projects to save money, but over time he has developed a real passion for this hands-on, intensive work. He knows DIY can be intimidating so he created Papa DIY to share tips and help others with their own endeavors. Find his work at papadiy.com.
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