Everyone’s had a dream to start a green business.
Well, at least everyone reading this blog. But where to begin? You have an idea. You have some skills. Maybe you have some experience in the field. Perhaps you have some startup capital. Are these things enough for you to become a successful ecopreneur?
Let’s say you love the idea of organic agriculture, and want to support organic farmers. You hang out a shingle as an organic foods broker, offering to represent organic farmers in promoting their goods in your community among local grocers, restaurants, and coffee shops. You get a bunch of people willing to sign up and give you a cut of their proceeds if you’ll get them into your local market, and all seems good until you pick up the phone and start to call the restaurant on the corner by your house. Wait. You’re a cold-calling salesman? Really? How did this happen?
Scott Cooney
Scott Cooney (twitter: scottcooney) is an adjunct professor of Sustainability in the MBA program at the University of Hawai'i, green business startup coach, author of Build a Green Small Business: Profitable Ways to Become an Ecopreneur (McGraw-Hill), and developer of the sustainability board game GBO Hawai'i. Scott has started, grown and sold two mission-driven businesses, failed miserably at a third, and is currently in his fourth. Scott's current company has three divisions: a sustainability blog network that includes the world's biggest clean energy website and reached over 5 million readers in December 2013 alone; Pono Home, a turnkey and franchiseable green home consulting service that won entrance into the clean tech incubator known as Energy Excelerator; and Cost of Solar, a solar lead generation service to connect interested homeowners and solar contractors. In his spare time, Scott surfs, plays ultimate frisbee and enjoys a good, long bike ride. Find Scott on Google Plus
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Green franchise opportunities:
Other green business ideas
- Healthy Fast Food
- Farmer's Market
- Personal Trainer & Diet Planner
- Juice Bar and Smoothie Café
- Green Building Materials Store
- Permaculture and Urban Farming
- Edible and Organic Floristry
- Energy Efficiency Auditing
- Ecotourism and Sustainable Travel Planner
- Sustainable Coffee House
- Consignment Shop for Kids Clothing & Toys
- Natural Foods Co-op
- Sustainable Food Prep and Cooking Instruction
- Food Plant Nursery
- Mesh Network Telephone and Internet Company
- Drive-thru Coffee Stand & Espresso Shop
- Eco-Friendly House Cleaning Service
- Organic Backyard Garden Landscape Design
- Green Bed and Breakfast (B&B)
- Sustainable Mobile Food Vendor
- Biodiesel Cooperative
- Eco Friendly Pool and Spa Cleaning
- Green Wedding and Sustainable Event Planner
- Organic Farm
- Gift Basket Service
- Pedicab Company
- Used Books Vending Machines
- Organic Day Spa
- Restaurant Food Delivery Service
- Used Bicycle Retailer
- Landscape Maintenance in Arid climates
- Organic Food Delivery Service
- Outdoor Gear Consignment Shop
- Eco Concierge Service and Relocation Specialist
- Organic Community Supported Agriculture
- Sustainable Property Management
- Residential Solar
