Of course, a successful green business also has to meet a customer need or desire. If you're active in a local group or online community that shares your interests, you've probably got a better idea than you might think about the types of customers you're looking for.
The key to settling on the right green business for you is to find your niche: the special skills you have that others might not, and the goods or services you can provide to meet a growing need in the green market.
Still not sure what type of business you'd like to start? Consider some of these suggestions while you're brainstorming:
- Be a crafty recycler. There are so many items you can make using old magazines, glass bottles, soda cans, fabric scraps and more. Develop your own special line -- rolled-paper beads, handmade papers, quilts, and so on -- and you can start selling online at marketplaces like Etsy.
- Whip up your own batch of natural products. That’s what Irene Claire James did when she started Claire’s Pure and Natural Products, a business that uses organic ingredients to make soaps, massage lotions, natural insect repellents and more.
- Find your inner chef. If you’re a kitchen whiz with home-grown and natural foods, there are lots of people who want to eat what you make, whether it’s artisanal breads, prepared meals for families who don’t have the time to cook as healthfully as they'd like, hand-created candies made with fair-trade chocolate or dried vegetarian soup mixes.
- Teach others what you know. Have you spent days, weeks or months greening your home or place of business to the max? If so, you might have what it takes to help others do the same. That’s what Elizabeth Striano does in her work with A Green Footprint, which helps small and medium-sized businesses become more environmentally sustainable.
- Provide others with the eco-supplies they want. The ever-growing number of entrepreneurs and businesses moving to become more green means a growing demand for the products that will help them get there. That translates into a market for someone who can quickly and easily supply those needs, whether it’s hand-made beads for jewelry-makers or green-cleaning products for local businesses (that’s what GoGreen owner Wayne Miles does).
Whatever business you choose to start, remember to check with the appropriate government agencies to make sure you have all the proper licensing and meet any other legal requirements, such as collection of sales taxes.
Coming soon: 101 ideas for green businesses you can start today.
Shirley Siluk Gregory - I've always been concerned about the environment and my impact on it: I hate to throw away anything that could come in handy someday (to ...
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