Big Green Breakthrough

Women business owners are eager to green their companies, particularly if the return on investment (ROI) is solid.

That was one message that came through loud and clear at a focus group I helped facilitate yesterday at the Women Presidents Organization annual conference in San Diego. WPO members are women whose businesses gross $2 million or more annually. The women who participated in the focus group run companies ranging from construction and plumbing to publishing and clothing design.

The focus group participants described themselves as either ”interested but uncommitted,” ”very interested and want to know more.” or “highly committed and doing a lot.”  Regardless of where they were on the spectrum, all participants were interested in learning how they could do more – as long as the payback in terms of covering costs and generating profits also made sense.

One participant mentioned that the purchase of a document scanner from Sam’s Club had turned out to be a big money saver. Why? It allows employes to scan documents and share them electronically rather than have to make copies of everything. “We’re practically a paper-less office now,” she said.  “The investment definitely paid off.”