Green Business Networking dream list

A few people asked what I hope to accomplish with the networking event. My initial answer was to help connect local businesses with the College and help them grow as well as help new businesses get started. In thinking about it more I'm working on a "dream list". So for starters here are a few of my dreams (in no particular order):

• A great expansion of sustainable start ups across the Lowcountry, especially by CofC students and alumni
  
• Existing green businesses growing to be among the most successful in the area
• Green businesses hiring more graduates than any other businesses
  
• Following that: a green business-centered job fair
• A program fully integrating Environmental Studies and the School of Business and Economics (Maybe SoBE could stand for Business and the Environment, no offense to my colleagues in Economics of course)
• Sustainability becoming a core principle of the School of Business and Economics, permeating through all that we do
  
• Scholarship funds to support students interested in sustainable business
• Investment funds for students starting sustainable businesses
• An advisory board/mentor program to help guide students starting sustainable businesses
• An advisory board made up of students to advise local businesses on improving their sustainability
• A sustainable business incubator
• Full and diverse enrollment in the sustainable business venturing class I'll teach in the fall
  
• An endowed professorship for sustainable entrepreneurship
  
• An intern program devoted to getting students into sustainable businesses
• Finally - for Charleston to be among the list of cities that people immediately think of when discussing sustainable business
  

That's just off the top of my head. I'd like to hear what you think. Do any of these sound feasible or do they belong in the realm of fantasy? What are your green business dreams?

Welcome

Last night the Tate Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Charleston hosted the first ever Green Business Networking event. Even with a minimal marketing effort nearly 40 people showed up. This was a sign that there is tremendous interest in green business in Charleston. While the monthly event will allow for plenty of connections between students, faculty, non-profit organizations and small and large businesses I thought that it would be good to keep the channels of communication open outside of the events. Thus I'm starting this blog as it's honestly much easier to get started than a brand new website (which I hope to eventually develop). My goals with this are to: share information about businesses in Charleston and the Lowcountry, enlist help for businesses that are looking to grow (or even just survive), help students and businesses link up, and occasionally spark debate on business and the environment. Thus I hope that readers of this blog will feel encouraged to share their ideas and thoughts with others through comments to the blog posts.