To further whet your appetite, following is an article I wrote for greenz in November, 2010 covering the panel discussion that kicked off Global Entrepreneurs Week (GEW) in Japan that year. (I don't have the photos from the event handy, so I just substituted something attractive. Enjoy!)
Kicking
off Global Entrepreneurs Week (GEW) week in Japan, the November
Green Leaders Forum offered
up a scintillating tell-all of ecopreneurism. Jacob Reiner, President
and Chief Architect of Eden Homes and founder of Earth
Embassy,
Donald Nordeng, President of Ecocert, Shuichi
Ishibashi of Energy Literacy Platform,
and Tsuneyuki
Fujioka of Fam-Fam (both
winners of the British
Council’s E-Ideas Competition)
joined the British Council’s Huw Oliphant to share their thoughts
on doing eco-business in Japan.
Creating
Capital
When
asked about their greatest challenge as ecopreneurs, panelists
responded almost unanimously with one word: capital. From having
enough at the right time to finding it to using it wisely panelists
viewed capital as a double-edged sword. Fujioka observed that having
too much can result in complacency and failure, while Reiner warned
against risking too much at one time. Ishibashi, whose group is in
the process of conducting a broader test of their product, found the
search for capital itself quite challenging.
“I’m
an engineer. My colleagues are engineers. For the business side we
have no one, and we’re creating links now to such resources. We’ve
been helped and supported by other organizations, but capital is now
our biggest challenge,” he said.
True
to their innovative natures, panelists also offered creative ideas
for finding the capital needed to move a project forward.
“At
the beginning you only have passion. Energy is the only thing that
exists. We needed advice from various designers, and we could only
say, ‘We’ll be able to pay you back when we succeed.’ Maybe
people can physically help you in their spare time. Volunteer time
has the same value as money,” Fujioka said.
Nordeng
suggested creating micro-lending programs like Kiva or those run by
the Grameen Bank.
“It’s
a common capital activity where the neighborhood gives you money and
you pay them back as you can. It’s a creative system that gives you
money as you need it,” he said.
A
Balancing Act
Creating
capital of any kind requires determination and drive, which can
require compromise. As ecopreneurs, balancing the interests of the
planet, the community, and the company may feel overwhelming.
Focusing on creating a solid product helps even out the scale.
“The
issues you face depend on what level your business is at. The first
issue is to balance your ideal and reality. If you start from
environmental issues you are more idealistic, but the buyer is not
so conscious. If you have a good product at a good price, the
eco factor will be the last push for the consumer to buy it,” said
Fujioka.
Nordeng
offered similar advice to budding business owners sorting through the
maze of opportunities and options.
“Know
your business and be able to say no to projects or clients that don’t
fit your model. Get to know your customers in order to build a
network and community of support for yourself. Stick to your niche so
people know who you are,” he said.
Invest
in Community
Throughout
the evening panelists repeatedly pointed to community as a key to
success. Reaching out and forging bonds with investors,
volunteers, advisers, mentors and customers can mean the difference
between success or failure. Fostering these relationships creates a
circle willing to lend support – financial, physical, or positive
public relations – at any time.
Reiner
attributes much of the success of his company to the community
partnerships he forged early on and still maintains.
“We’ve
been able to do this because of the locals and their support. Make
friends with the people around you. Seek mentors and let them help
you,” he advised.
Ishibashi
agreed.
“I
think the most important thing is to build a network. Everyday I meet
someone new and pioneer new relationships,” he said.
Building
that relationship, according to Nordeng, requires solid communication
from “the company to their buyer and finally the customer”
of who you are and the kind of work you do.
Think
Outside the Box
When
asked for ideas that would benefit ecopreneurs in the future, answers
varied. Possibly the strongest advocate of community-building, Reiner
suggested opening up private spaces for public use. Turning lawns
into gardens and filling empty conference rooms with community
meetings were just a few of his ideas.
“There
should be a little alley (in Omotesando) with stalls where start-ups
could sell their goods. Factories should open up an end of their
floors to share tools. Open up resources to the community to mix a
top-down, bottom-up approach to create space for entrepreneurs,” he
offered.
Nordeng,
perhaps reflecting the recent
COP10 discussions in Nagoya,
advocated expanding accounting and accountability systems to
include biodiversity.
“The
value of the biosphere is not accounted for or included in GDP.
Sustainability doesn’t just include humans. Incorporating the
non-human element will make the GDP more accurate,” he said.
Perhaps
an additional challenge ecopreneurs face is not only keeping their
doors open for one more day, but remaining a catalyst for societal
change as the business evolves and grows. According to Fujioka,
small business owners need to be cautious as well as innovative.
“Everyday
I think there’s no meaning to what I do if it’s not sustainable.
There is always a challenge to the balance between the ideal and what
works. The most important point is the survival of the business.
Provide a service and social innovation should be the outcome,” he
concluded.
Tokyo
Green Leaders Forum
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