If you’re like many ecopreneurists out there, you have a great idea or three cooking on the back burner right now, that could be a full fledged company, or perhaps a powerfully beneficial invention. And you think, with a little financial push and a lot of advice, it could really do something, becoming more then doodles on a napkin. Or perhaps you’re already up and running (like crazy) and some extra eyes, ears to help finesse what you’ve got going would be helpful. And $10,000 in extra money towards it would be a nice bonus.
Where can you find this? One example out there right now is Idea Blob. Idea Blob is the creation of Advanta, a bank that is exclusively focused on serving small businesses, and itself started with less then $100 seed money in 1951.
How does it work? Simple, really, the entry is right on the front page: Just give a brief synopsis of your idea. Then tell how you’d make use of the $10,000. And if you like, there’s a space for questions you need advice on. Then, just sit back, and the viewing public votes on your ideas. They may answer your questions. Or perhaps they’ll share overall feedback.
If you’re like Erin Ely, you also use a resource such as the new online green hub Green For Good to get the word out about your submission, and encourage voting for it on Idea Blob. This strategy has helped Ely, who has an idea for a permanent indoor farmers market in Eugene, Oregon, to become one of the February finalists, the results of which are coming soon, as of this writing.
Ideas are from all over the spectrum, but there are plenty of green ones to be seen on Idea Blob. In an example of compactly and compellingly expressing an idea, one is titled, “Economically Reduce the Environmental Impact of Apartment Buildings.” It says what they aim to do, and starts out with the additional incentive of that it will be done in a money conscious manner. Perfect.
So what do they aim to do? Let me let them tell you, “I would envision micro-turbine wind-generation, on-site organic waste handling, methane production from organic waste and on-site hydrogen production from excess wind-generation to name a few.” They back it up with well thought out expense breakdowns, showing a compelling, feasible offering.
So that’s Idea Blob. Now it's your turn: What other creative resources for funding and nurturing new ideas and businesses do you know of out there?
Idea Blob: An Infectious Way to Fund Your Green Business - To learn more about this author, visit Paul Smith's Website.
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Paul Smith
(Visit Paul's Website)
I help forge truly sustainable businesses
at GreenSmith Consulting. I bring to the
table a wide range of skills and
knowledge, an have an extensive network of
resources to further extend the scope of
what we offer, as needed. For both
existing companies wanting to push the
needle greener, and startups needing help
effectively and authentically getting the
message out and navigating the operational
and strategic considerations involved, we
can help.
Getting an MBA in Sustainable Management
from Presidio considerably strengthened my
green business skills, helping make me
attuned to how to do business in a way
that's more profitable, well managed, and
ecologically sound. I see possibilities
where others don't. I make connections
that others haven't yet. I help people to
see them, and know how to best take
advantage of them.
My overarching talent is "bottom lining"
complex ideas, in a way that is
understandable and accessible to a variety
of audiences, internal and external to a
company. After all, if you have the
greatest idea/product/service ever, and
your employees or customers don't see the
relevance to them, it doesn't really
matter, does it?
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