University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

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Finally all three of these case studies have an extra challenge in common – that of
educating the market. All three businesses cite market education as central to their
raison d’etre. Pachacuti highlights a particular supply chain scenario and seeks to
inform western markets about the issues therein; Eco-cabin sees as part of the reason
for its existence an ability to educate the tourist allowing them to sample a greener
way of living if only for a short time; and Bricks and Bread sets out to be, in part at
least, an education centre. In Trudy's words, “it takes Sustainability as a business
and starts to look at what we are all doing.”
In summary, all of these factors lead us towards a different kind of model - one that
is less interested in the quantity of business growth per se, and more interested in the
quality of that business growth and its impact upon the supply chains, markets and
industry sectors around it. It may be too big a leap to suggest, at this stage, that this is
a business model pertaining to ‘shecopreneurship 11 ’ per se, but there are grounds for
further research!
Conclusions
The case studies in this paper make clear that although sustainable entrepreneurship,
or ecopreneurship, in the SME sector remains in its infancy, findings here are
contrary to Hitchens et al’s conclusion that “environmental performance is a
necessary constraint on the activities of the firm and an interruption to productionrelated
activities” (Hitchens et al, 2003.) The cases reported here are all small startup
businesses which tend to follow Isaak’s basic definition of the “green green”
business where sustainability and the associated ethical principles remain paramount
in the business venture. In a world where, in the words of Daniel Pink, “abundance
has satisfied and even over-satisfied the material needs of millions…” and “…more
of our basic needs are met, we increasingly expect sophisticated experiences that are
emotionally satisfying and meaningful” (Pink, 2006.)
These experiences, Pink says, “will not be simple products” (Pink 2006.) It is
perhaps also the case that the organisations providing these sophisticated experiences
will not be simple either, but may be those which can take on board a paramount
ethical perspective and a newfound demand for environmental performance and
accountability ahead of profit. In short, such organisations maybe exactly these
“green green” SMEs – the brainchildren of our shecopreneurs. Perhaps it is only
these businesses which are sufficiently infused with values, and are sufficiently
ethically driven, which can counteract that material over-satisfaction and provide
what the world of the future may need. Perhaps this new generation of “green green”
businesses - firmly rooted in the ethical principles of their ecopreneurs; strongly
supported with a high risk tolerance and based upon a platform of self- education in
green issues - can provide experiences that are ‘emotionally satisfying and
meaningful.’ These are perhaps a new form of organisation heralded by both
business and environmental pioneers, that is, the work of ecopreneurs. Clearly, all
11 Shecopreneurship – a termed coined by the author to describe these female ecopreneurs.