Start a company that makes a difference

There are few opportunities out there more profound than greening peoples’ homes. Consider this: in 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded the greening of 750K homes in the United States. The results were a 35% drop in utility use (energy, gas and water), a savings of $84 billion annually, and a reduction of 305 million metric tons of CO2 every year.

There is growing consumer interest not only in energy and water efficiency but also in purging the home of toxic stuff, GMO foods, and improving indoor air quality.

Much of the work could be done by people in their own home, but the research is abundantly clear that even if people have aligned values and the desire to green their homes, and are given the tools, training, materials and subsidization of costs, most people (~95%) will not do it. Thus, a market is created for companies that can offer a comprehensive service in a convenient package that greens the home top to bottom.

What to offer

Greening a home is a very complex job. From energy to water to indoor air quality to waste to toxins in personal care products and GMOs in the cupboard, there is virtually no end in sight to the potential for greening a home. If you’re looking to get into the game, there is ample opportunity to make a living doing so. The challenge is not in having to find a product to offer, the true challenge is in knowing what to offer (and do very well) and what not to offer, so as not to dilute your capabilities and overextend your resources.

In the case of Pono Home, we decided to offer a comprehensive greening of everything “inside the building envelop”. Thus, we do energy efficiency in terms of lighting, smart strips and timers, but not home solar photovoltaics or attic insulation.

Pono Home is franchising across the United States and will eventually work globally, assuming all goes well, but for the time being, we offer to help entrepreneurs in other countries as well as those in the United States who prefer not to own a franchise but instead do their own thing to start a home efficiency service using our proven system.

Consulting packages

Package 1

• Startup assistance, including run-through on revenue opportunities, margins, logistics, and marketing planning
• Development of multiple and recurring revenue streams
• Training & Education (online and in-person offered): how to conduct services, how to run the business
• Inventory resupply system setup (for LED bulbs and other home efficiency products)
• Service offering development
• Product selection, advice, and procurement assistance
• Marketing material development (business card templates plus 2 versions of each: tri-fold brochure, door hanger, postcard mailer)

Package 2

Everything from Package 1, plus…

• Customized software for in-home services, with cloud-based recordkeeping, inventory management and customer reporting. This is done after client signs off on scope of work, and includes 1 year of updates, bug fixes, etc. Does not include further scope changes, additional client requests, etc. (which can be done, but will be billed separately on an hourly basis), and must be purchased along with private intranet site, listed next.
• Private intranet site development, plus maintenance, IT support, and hosting for one year
• Public internet site development, plus maintenance, IT support, and hosting for one year
• Leads

Package 3 (expanded offerings for servicing small to mid-sized companies)

Everything from Packages 1 and 2, plus…

• Custom small business audit software. This is done after client signs off on scope of work, and includes 1 year of updates, bug fixes, etc. Does not include further scope changes, additional client requests, etc. (which can be done, but will be billed separately on an hourly basis), and must be installed either on private company intranet site above, or separate business-focused private intranet site, listed next.
• (If needed) Business-focused private intranet site development, plus maintenance, IT support, and hosting for one year
• Bid development worksheets
• Proposal templates
• (If needed) Business-focused public internet site development, plus maintenance, IT support, and hosting for one year

Interested? 

If you want to discuss the opportunity with someone, simply email info@ponohome.com and use “Startup Consulting” in your subject line.