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They say that location is everything. Where your business is located can certainly have a big impact on your operations and your bottom line. It can also have a big impact on the planet.
Many small businesses are born in the most humble of beginnings: a small corner of a bedroom, the kitchen table of an apartment, maybe even a closet. Most expand to off-site offices as they grow, leaving behind the convenience of working from home for the increased visibility and professionalism of a “real office.” But for many types of businesses, having an off-site office is not at all necessary. Especially if much of the work revolves around a computer.
Part of planning a new business venture is figuring out how you will manage day-to-day operations and make decisions. One thing ecopreneurs like myself should consider when faced with a business decision is sustainability. And I don’t just mean the long-term viability of your business (although that’s an important consideration as well). I’m talking about the impact your business decisions will have on the environment.
It’s important for green businesses to be exactly that: green. This means you go the extra mile to examine the environmental consequences of every aspect of your business. That’s a lot of responsibility, so it requires careful consideration every step of the business planning process. Before you even open your doors for business, you should have a plan in place for running your business as sustainably as possible. Green businesses may even want to include a sustainable development section in their business plans.
One of the things I struggle the most with in getting my business started is what on earth to call it. The easiest way to name a new business is to use the owner’s name. Well, when your last name is practically unpronounceable, not to mention difficult to spell, that doesn’t seem like the best option.
As soon as I knew I wanted to own my own business, I started thinking of ideas for names. As I traveled for the last half of 2007, I took my business planning notebook along and brainstormed name ideas on long road trips. Now I have a few pages of ideas, and I’m as lost as ever. So I decided to seek out tips on naming a business, and although I haven’t made a final choice yet, I feel like I have a road map to guide my naming process.
By Megan Prusynski •
February 23, 2008
Starting a business takes a lot of time, effort, and planning. An entrepreneur has to wear many hats, juggle several tasks at a time, and be incredibly organized. So why would any business owner want to add protecting the environment and saving the planet to their already endless to-do lists? It’s all about the dream.
Which brings me to my dream. It combines two of my favorite things, graphic design and the environment. My goal is to start my own graphic and web design studio that focuses on projects that have a positive impact on people and the environment. This is why I wanted to become a designer in the first place. Good design has the power to communicate in ways that nothing else can. It can educate, open minds, inspire thought, and incite change. An image is truly worth a thousand words, and I want the graphics that I create to have real meaning and a positive message. It would be nice to make a living doing it, too.
