University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

Barriers and Success
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Kate felt that she faced significant issues as a direct result of being not only an ecoentrepreneur
– but a female one! Gaining funding was initially very difficult and
planning departments were, she found, “particularly condescending!” However
issues closer to home were most prevalent: “responsibility with family, for example,
I still cook dinner for 12 everyday… But that’s what life is all about – keeping the
fire going.” Her definitions of success are also about lifestyle rather than money:
“Being happy every day. Doing what I want to do… and fit it round everything else.”
When asked how she would know when “she’d made it,” she replied: “I’m there, I
wouldn’t change my life. Everyone wants the same thing underneath – family,
someone who’s nice to them, health, children to be OK.” Significantly she continues;
“Money confuses the issue. The thought of winning more than £75K fills me with
dread” - but her green ideals remain firm.
Bricks and Bread
Bricks and Bread, a newly opened company housed in an industrial warehouse
utilises its space for many and varied activities. On entering, one is initially greeted
with architectural salvage, rescued fireplaces and light fittings - the results of Trudy's
work as a sustainable building consultant. Also in the space is a public ‘arena’
complete with lectern and church pews and surrounded by blackboards all
proclaiming messages of sustainability. Bricks and Bread will undertake a variety of
different kinds of work, from the social enterprise of educating the local populace
about sustainability to acting as a hub for the building trade. In this latter role the
company will stock information and sustainable building products and is in the
process of creating a network of both manufacturers and trained suppliers for the
building industry.
Rationale and start-up
Trudy Thompson, the ecopreneur behind Bricks and Bread had something of an
epiphany in order to start this business. She describes herself as an entrepreneur,
businesswoman and “petrol head!9” Following a career in the motor industry which
ended with a serious accident, Trudy Thompson realised “how much I was doing that
I wasn't enjoying." Questioning the consequences of her own consumerism and
indulgent use of fossil fuels, she decided to devote her time to “finding a more
rewarding and valuable way of living her life.” Trudy set about educating herself in
the business of building sustainably. Significantly self taught - she said "it took two
years of research before I was confident that I knew enough about sustainable
construction" - she began project managing sustainable buildings. Her aim she says
was "to build healthy properties that would meet Passive House standards10." Her
9 All direct quotes are taken from original research carried out by the author.
10 Passive House is an approach to construction that produces very energy efficient buildings. This can include
offices, schools and factories, as well as houses. The approach has been developed into a standard in
Germany and this has guided the design and construction of thousands of buildings in a number of different