by Lacie Martin
Many people who are passionate about the health of the planet have a new interest in starting sustainable businesses that will help make the world a healthier place to live. This article will help aspiring “ecopreneurs” learn how to build and market a green business.
Why Go Green?
If you’ve always dreamed of starting a business, care about the environment, and are wondering if building a sustainable business as an ecopreneur is a good idea, consider the following advantages:
Business solutions: Your business could be part of the solution and make the world a better place.
Business-based advocacy: With a green business, you can also serve as an advocate for the planet, climate change, and more.
Possible partnerships: If you’ve ever been inspired by Climate Neutral-certified green companies, you’ll be in the position to not only learn from them but potentially partner with their initiatives.
A ready audience: A green business often has the advantage of a built-in, loyal target audience.
While building a green business may be a great idea, it’s important to remember that sustainable businesses come with the same risks as any business. For this reason, it’s important to pay attention to things like start-up costs, financial feasibility, funding options, and more. For most digital content-driven businesses, initial costs would be around $13,000. If you’re thinking about starting a green business, your best bet is to build your new business first as a side hustle while maintaining your current employment for your best chance of success.
Marketing Your Sustainable Business
When developing a marketing plan for your green business, be sure your brand is associated with your company’s green mission. You’ll want a professional logo that separates you from the competition. If your start-up is on a tight budget, consider using a free online logo maker to design a creative logo on your own using their fantastic templates with a variety of fonts and colors to pick from.
Finding Green Funding
If you’re like most new business owners, coming up with funding for your new business may feel intimidating. The good news is that there are many grants out there for sustainable businesses. If you’re a black entrepreneur and need funding, there are specific grants available from the National Association for the Self-Employed, Minority Business Development Agency, and The Coalition to Back Black Businesses. Likewise, veterans, women, and first-time business owners can often find grants through their state small business associations. Consider calling your local chamber for help getting started.
Save Trees with Editable Files
With nearly all businesses online these days, you already know the importance of a professional online presence. As you begin to look for funding for your new company, you’ll also want to begin designing a website to promote your brand. If communicating with a web designer, be sure to use a large PDF file. You can edit a PDF and make suggestions and changes without lengthy conversations or the need to print things out.
Growing Green
The decision to grow a green business is bound to be a great one if you take your time and reach out for help where you can. For more on sustainable businesses and how to grow green success, join Play it Green today.
Lacie Martin created RaiseThemWell.org to help inspire parents to raise their children well by prioritizing love over everything else. She firmly believes that all moms and dads raising kids who know they are loved and cared for are successful parents.
Find out how Play It Green can help your business