Some of the most successful businesses today grew out of the Great Depression. That's right. Fortune magazine is one, and there are many more. For where there's a meltdown, there is space for innovation and determination to grab a foot hold and climb out of the rubble.
It outlines opportunities, describes current and projected market need, what you need to know to get started, what kind of capital is required, and some of the special challenges you can expect along the way.
GS: What specific industry is leading the way in the green revolution?
GC: Renewable energy is poised to make a bigger impact than ever on the economy and the health of the planet. Solar, wind, and other forms of renewable energy have a number of factors that will support their continued rapid growth, even in the face of the current economic turmoil. Providing cost effective clean energy will help our national security, fight climate change, create jobs, and get our economy back on track.
GS: What are your favorite big name companies with bold initiatives?
GC: Green leaders like Gary Hirshberg at Stoneyfield Farms and Ray Anderson at Interface have shown that they can grow a successful business while still doing the right thing for the planet. They have been taking the lead and providing it can be done, which is pretty bold.
The many car makers poised to transform our automotive industry are bold players. If the big automakers like GM can't do it, it will leave the opportunity open to small companies like Aptera. When the auto industry emerges from its current trials with a new variety of electric cars and plug-ins coming to market, it may look very different than it does today.
GS: What's a promising green product or service?
GC: Solar leasing, by companies like SunRun and SolarCity. One of the biggest stumbling blocks for people to install solar systems on their roofs is the cost of the system, paid up front. There are not many people who are opposed to clean energy, but solar rooftop systems can still be a fair amount of money for many people to buy.
New government incentives help to reduce the cost greatly for residential systems, and will help solar grow across the US, but solar leasing is a real game changer. Most customers don't really care if they own photovoltaic panels on their roof or not - they just want the clean electricity that the panels produce. With a solar lease, you buy power from the panels on your roof at a guaranteed rate, allowing many customers to starting saving money right away. The more that businesses like this help people to save money by going green, removing the financial barrier, the more rapidly that solar will spread.
GS: If you had to name one, who is your first pick for the most innovative eco-entrepreneur of 2008?
GC: I really love the work that Tom Szaky is doing with Terracycle, and it feels like 2008 has been a big year for them. Terracycle is building a booming business that takes garbage and makes things out of it. What's more, they're not afraid to do it on a large scale, working with large corporate partners. Capri Sun juice pouches are being made into lunch boxes, and Bear Naked Granola bags are being made into shower curtains. They
are not just building a business, but challenging many of our ideas
about how we live and what green businesses can do, and challenging
others to take equally big steps as well.
Having a professional website can help expose your business to thousands of potential new clients and will help you increase your sales. Starting business owners or entrepreneurs mostly think they will not be able to afford a website, or that they do not need one. What they do not know is it will give many benefits to their company especially that it's just starting out.
Posted by: Halo Web Design | May 11, 2012 at 06:40 PM