As green business owners, sometimes we tend to "think small" and hope that one, or two, or ten, or twenty people will buy our green product or pay us to deliver the green service we offer.
Let's Think BIG, ladies!!!
Photo via Wolfgang W | Like Trump says, "I like thinking big. I always have. If you're going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big."
We all have an opportunity to make some major, measurable differences through our focus on the new green economy.
As a great example, Stonyfield Farm is the world's top organic yogurt company http://www.stonyfield.com/. They wanted to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, so in late 2008 started a "Greener Cow" program. Stonyfield had been measuring its carbon footprint for over a decade, and had known milk production was the biggest part of its footprint. The Greener Cow pilot program meant changing the cows' diet to include alfalfa, flax and grasses. |
Positive results include:
1) a major reduction in the waste by-product methane, a greenhouse gas (through cow burps)
AND
2) an increase in the milk's omega-3 content and decrease in the levels of saturated fats
"Stonyfield Farm has been able to reduce the enteric emissions from the cows by as much as 18%, an average of 12%. If every US dairy were to adopt this approach, in less than one year, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we could reduce would be the equivalent of taking more than half a million cars off the road!" announced Nancy Hirshberg, Stonyfield V.P. of Natural Resources.
Let's think like this and more.
If 1 million women business owners turned their business operations to be more "green", we'd have a major impact on the country and the planet.
What if 1 million "green girls" pledged to buy from each other, instead of purchasing mainstream, commercial, or conventional options --- we buy products, services, foodstuffs, and cosmetics from other green women in business. We support each other, we grow each other's business, and we help heal the planet along the way.
Whatever level our minds operate on is where we target our business development. Putting it another way, if we want to be more successful as our business grows, we'll elevate our collective mindset to add a few more zeros to the end of our current "numbers".
Which of these is "your" level? Be honest.
- $5 - $10
- $50 - $100
- $500 - $1000
- $5000 - $10,000
- $50,000 - $100,000
- $500,000 - $1,000,000
- $5,000,000 - $10,000,000
- $50,000,000 - $100,000,000
Now, consider what in your green business you will expand to add an additional decimal place to your current level.
For example, if you're currently providing services at the $5 - $10 level, what will you do to "bump it up" to the $50 - $100 level? If you're currently at the $50,000 - $100,000 level, what can you productize or "widgetize" to bump your business up to the $500,000 - $1m level?
Either find a method of distribution that reaches ten times more people than you currently reach, or see about introducing a line of products at a higher markup.
- Is there a way to streamline your product or service package and make it more "turnkey"?
- Is there a way to convert your knowledge into a book, worksheet, show, or learning module?
- Is there a way to mass-produce your product and get it in front of more people?
- Is there a way to increase your distribution channels?
- What about franchising your model?
Let's grow our green business and support each other. I'm a green business woman and proud of it! How about you?
List your green business for free in the national directory at www.greenbusinesswomen.com. Follow me on Twitter at @monicadear and let me know about your green business!
Monica S. Flores of 
is committed to educating, empowering, and connecting women in business -- she believes in the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profits. She is available for consulting on web development, green business practices, and women in business.
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