Starting Green

Build a Better Business And a Better World

Green entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Glenn Croston outlines green business essentials and helps you uncover eco-friendly opportunities, build a sustainable business plan, and gain the competitive advantage in today's environmentally mindful market.

"The world is finally waking up to the importance of green...including entrepreneurs! They understand and appreciate the importance of going green, but few have the practical roadmap to make it happen. Croston gives entrepreneurs and small businesses an incredible blueprint on how to join the green revolution, be successful, profitable, and make a difference!"

"Glenn Croston's Starting Green is the indispensable guide for the entrepreneur of the 21st Century. Croston's extensive research and incredible examples will illuminate the incredible opportunities within Green Business. Even as a green business owner for the past two decades, I drew countless ideas and inspiration from this book."

"We face great challenges today in our economy and environment, but the shift toward sustainability offers even greater opportunities. Starting Green gives you the tools to join this revolution with a business of your own. The business case for sustainability is clear; what we need now is action. This book will help you pave the way forward and thrive."

"The emerging green economy offers a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators, building everything from green-minded service providers to breakthrough products and technologies. Glenn Croston has created a valuable roadmap that can help find the profitable opportunity that's right for you."

"In his new book Glenn Croston successfully fuses two of the most powerful and constructive trends in present day society: (1) the boom in entrepreneurship that Information Age technologies has ignited, and (2) mounting public support and consumer demand for more efficient and sustainable products and services. With Croston's book in hand, the many people eager to explore and to profit from this healthy social change can start taking giant steps."

"Glenn Croston has done it again. In his latest book, Starting Green: An Ecopreneur's Guide to Starting a Green Business--From Business Plans to Profits, he provides eco-minded entrepreneurs with an inspiring, well thought out and information rich roadmap for creating new green businesses for the coming conserver economy. There are so many people looking for ways to enter this rapidly growing segment of the marketplace, yet because the territory is new and ideas are untested, many lose confidence before they've begun. But we need those ideas in order to create a sustainable economic future, and Croston, with his straight-forward and easy to implement advice, shows the way. If you are wanting to help re-envision our economic future, begin with this book and, and become a part of the transformation."

• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

• The Seven Rules for Green Business Success

• Irvine, Ca--Our economy and our environment both face great challenges. We're often told we can either have a healthy environment or a strong economy, however more and more businesses are proving that we can have both. How do they do it?

• In his new book Starting Green: An Ecopreneur's Toolkit for Starting a Green Business-- From Business Plan to Profits (Entrepreneur Press, October 2009) author and ecopreneur Glenn Croston provides the nuts and bolts to starting a green business, showing the next generation of eco-minded entrepreneurs how to make money and make a difference.

• Croston offers these seven rules for building a profitable green business:

• 1. Remember--It's Still a Business
  

• Including consideration of the environment can help any business, but helping the environment alone is not enough for success. Businesses need to make a profit, or they won't survive.
  

• Croston notes, "Successful businesses can be a powerful force to help the environment, and not making money means they won't be able to accomplish their green goals."

• 2. Begin with the end in mind
  

• This time-honored habit from Steven Covey applies to green entrepreneurs too. While green businesses are often rich in passion about the environment, they sometimes fall down on business basics like having a plan. Entrepreneurs--green or not--need good planning to bring their business goals into focus.
  

• 3. Green first, talk later
  

• Some in the green business world worry a great deal about greenwashing, being accused of overstating the environmental benefits of their products or services. While a valid concern, greenwashing is avoidable.
  

• Green leaders Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield Farm and Jim Hartzfeld of InterfaceRAISE advise green entrepreneurs to be transparent, open, and honest in their efforts, and to avoid letting their talk get ahead of their walk.

• 4. Make green the icing on the cake
  

• For most consumers, the environment is not the first thing they worry about. For products to sell they need to look good, make people feel cool, have the right price, and have the right features.
  

• "The question should be 'How can you make green a no-brainer?'" says Joel Makower, executive editor of Greenbiz.com.

• The environmental benefit is only one of the many qualities a product will have. Make green the icing on the cake for an already great product.

• 5. Keep on greening
  

• How green is green enough? For some products, green is increasingly certified by standards like Energy Star for appliances, and LEED for buildings. For many of the products, the answer is still in the eye of the consumer.
  

• Croston comments, "Whatever your level of green today, the key to future success will be to keep on innovating, moving forward and working toward greater sustainability."

• 6. Work with green partners
  

• While greening your business may seem a daunting task, the good news is that there are so many business partners out there who are eager to help. Green banks, green insurance, green IT, green office products, and green media relations; whatever service or product you need is available today in a greener version. Find green business groups like Greenergy2030.com and the Eco Investment Club to connect with. Working with partners expands your network, builds your credibility, and provides a valuable learning resource.
  

• 7. Don�t believe everything you're told
  

• "There are a lot of assumptions about what it means to be green, like 'green is an expensive luxury,' or 'green is just a fad,'" sums up Croston. "Don�t let them stop you."
  

• Glenn Croston, Ph.D., is an author, scientist, green entrepreneur, and the founder of StartingUpGreen.com. In his latest book, Starting Green: An Ecopreneur's Toolkit for Starting a Green Business--From Business Plan to Profits, Croston outlines green business essentials and helps aspiring ecopreneurs uncover environmentally friendly opportunities, build a sustainable business plan, and gain the competitive advantage in today's environmentally mindful market.

Glenn Croston, Ph.D., is a scientist, green entrepreneur, and founder of Starting Up Green StartingUpGreen.com, an online community for green entrepreneurs. He is the author of 75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make a Difference and (Ebook) Greening Your Business on a Budget. A highly-regarded expert in the green industry, Croston has been featured in top print and online publications including The New York Times, LA Times, Greenbiz.com, TheDailyGreen.com and FastCompany.com.