Guest article by Lacie Martin from Raise Them Well
This week’s business tip comes from our friend, Lacie Martin at Raise Them Well and features some great advice for all the budding eco-entrepreneurs out there looking to set up a business or even a side hustle.
The world needs more eco-focused business leaders and the data is there to support the fact that businesses with a carbon reduction plan and embrace sustainability do better.
How to Start a Green Business and Become an Ecopreneur
Ecopreneurs are business-minded individuals who are passionate about the environment and understand that the planet should always come before profits.
Thankfully, today’s consumers also care about the planet!
Many shoppers are interested in supporting brands that share their social responsibility values.
We’ve put together a quick guide packed with tips and resources to help you bring your green business idea to life!
Tackle a Few Startup Steps
Like any business, your green business will need to navigate some basic start-up steps like registering with your state and creating a business plan.
- You don’t have to structure as a non-profit to be socially responsible. Businesses can generate profit ethically.
- When writing your business plan, clearly articulate how you intend to put the planet front and centre.
- Start developing your eco-friendly brand. You can create a logo for free with the help of user-friendly graphic design tools.
Strive for Sustainability Across All Areas of Your Business
Even if your overarching business idea is eco-friendly, try to implement sustainability throughout your business so you can minimize your impact on the planet.
- Sign up with Play It Green to learn more about how you can create a sustainable future.
- Choose to work with eco-conscious suppliers.
- Look for sustainable packaging solutions, such as compostable and biodegradable alternatives to plastic.
- Think about ways you can reduce your business power usage.
- Digitize your documents and limit paper use by scanning a number of pages and creating a single PDF for easy access.
Advertise Your Sustainable Brand
Social media is a fantastic marketing tool for eco-friendly businesses. Just be careful to avoid greenwashing!
- Build brand awareness and attract followers on social media.
- Take advantage of social media tools for help managing several different social media accounts and platforms.
- Learn about greenwashing and how to avoid misleading consumers in your advertising and branding.
Sustainability is the Future of Business
If we want this planet to survive and thrive in the years ahead, more business owners need to consider their environmental impact and view profitability as a side effect of good social responsibility practices rather than an end goal.
Start brainstorming your eco-friendly business plan today!
If you haven’t already become a member, you can use the button below to join Play It Green, become climate positive and get access to your own members’ area with all the support you need to set up or run an eco-friendly business.
