Last week I attended a class on “Writing for the Web”, put on by the Nielsen Norman Group. I loved it, learned a lot, and can’t wait to use what I learned for my clients.

Funnily enough, one of the things I loved most about the class had nothing to do with writing. It was the fact that participants received each day’s presentations on a thumb drive at the start of class.

Compared to paper, the thumb drives:

• Provided a better user experience. I could follow along on my laptop. For a petite person whose view of a projection screen is often blocked by normal-sized people sitting in front of me, this class was heaven. Size didn’t matter. I saw everything without craning my neck for 2 days.
• Are more eco-friendly. This class was content-rich. Each day we covered about 150 pages of material. I counted about 25 people on Day 1 and about 35 people on Day 2. Do the math, and that’s 9000 pages that weren’t printed. For just one class. Many trees out there are sighing with relief!
• Are more portable. I popped the 2 drives into my luggage and flew home. If the information had been in binders, I would have been tempted to ship them – with all the associated costs (and emissions) of packing, shipping and postage.
• Simplify post-class review. I will be referring to this material often. Rather than flipping pages back and forth in a binder, I can open the document and “find” any topic I want in a few seconds. That makes me more productive in my work.

When usability, productivity and sustainability come together, it’s a beautiful thing!

FYI, I do recommend this Nielsen Norman Group class. And no, I am not an affiliate of theirs. Just a new fan.

Climate Change on the Front Burner

When I listened to President Obama’s State of the Union speech, his mention of climate change – front and center – made my jaw drop. I never thought I’d see the day. Perhaps now, initiatives to address this critical issue will move ahead.

But the transition to a greener, more sustainable way of life can’t come just from Washington. Happily, there are signs all around us – here in Tampa Bay and far beyond – that people on a local level are making things happen.

For example, this past month I have been privileged to:

• Blog for the Sustany Foundation about companies that have achieved the Green Business Designation from the City of Tampa. So far, they include a restaurant, hair salon and spa, and commercial cleaning company. These companies demonstrate what can be done today to re-invent businesses sustainably. 
• Attend the second annual Green Living Expo at Grace Lutheran Church. The range of businesses represented – from grass-fed beef to the local power company (TECO)  to a local recycling company – just scratches the surface in terms of how many sectors of the economy already have green players.
• Edit an ebook for a new client. I marvel that my client isn’t local, yet she emailed me her book and I sent it back revised – without paper, without postage, without greenhouse gas emissions, and without delay. When she publishes, her readers can choose to read it on an electronic device and not kill any trees. That’s a win for me, for my client, for her readers and for the world at large. 

That is business in a more sustainable world. What’s not to love?

A Huge Opportunity

Climate change represents a huge opportunity to re-think every aspect of our lives – homes, schools, businesses – and profit in doing so. The way we live, the way we buy, the way we dispose of things. Whatever part of life or work you enjoy, find a greener way to do it, and you are likely to find a market.

When I chat with green business owners, their passion, smarts and energy shine through. They are not pie-in-the-sky dreamers. They have businesses that have to meet a payroll and make a profit.  Yes, today, some aspects of “going green” cost more than doing business conventionally (ask me about my business cards.)

But that challenge doesn’t stop them. Their expertise and innovation come together to find ways to balance “doing the right thing” with being a going concern. And tomorrow will be different, and better, because the transition to green will bring prices down and expand the market.

Going green isn’t about being nice or being elitist. It’s about keeping our planet a habitable place for us and generations to come. Catastrophic events like Superstorm Sandy and last year’s epic droughts are happening now. It will take all of us working together to navigate the rough weather ahead and come out OK on the other side.

With so much to do, the possibilities are endless. How do YOU plan to contribute?

Last week, Florida’s economic development folks revealed the state’s first ever “business brand”, designed to attract more businesses to the state.

The necktie motif has caused some consternation, to say the least. As a Florida businesswoman myself, who comes from elsewhere originally, my reaction went like this:

My first thought: “It’s a man’s necktie.” (I am very literal-minded.)

My second thought: “I don’t wear neckties, and neither do most of my customers.” (Again, with the literal.)

My third thought: “Oh dear.”

Not “Oh dear – I’m offended.” Just “Oh dear, why would Florida leave so much money on the table by choosing such an old-fashioned, narrow-minded, male-only image?” I mean, even for men, neckties are increasingly rare. My husband the software engineer hasn’t worn a tie to work in decades.

Businesses usually want to appeal to as many people as possible. That’s how you make money. Why narrow the field with an image that excludes so many?

Florida is already fighting decades-old stereotypes of being the land of old people, oranges and beaches. And we have those. The point is, we have so much more than that. We’ve got high-tech and medical research, defense contractors and movie production, real estate, construction, professional services, tourism. If the state were smart, there would be a full-court press to invite green companies to Florida to use our abundant sunshine to provide cheap energy to power businesses and consumers alike. A necktie suggests none of that.

Florida also has a lot of women. Of our 19 million citizens, 51.1% are female, including a lot of successful business women.  In fact, out of the 50 states, Florida ranks fourth for the most women-owned businesses, according to a study commissioned by American Express.There are an estimated 587,600 women-owned firms employing 473,100 workers and bringing in revenues over $77 billion.

From my perspective, Florida is a great state in which to do business. But businesses in Nebraska or New York won’t know that, looking at a necktie.

And do you know why there are so many women-owned businesses in Florida? It’s not because they are home with the kids. It’s because they got tired of someone in a necktie ignoring or dismissing their business ideas. Those women don’t get offended. They leave and start their own businesses. They’ve got the education, the experience and the skills to do so. And Florida is a huge market that offers a lot of opportunity.

The creators of the necktie campaign insist that it tested well. My question is, “With whom?” The women business owners that I know would have rejected it flatly as a woefully inadequate and misleading symbol of the many and varied business opportunities in Florida.

So women business owners aren’t offended. We’ve seen this all too often. We simply shake our heads – and then get back to work.

Hi all. Sorry for the radio silence. 2013 got off to an unexpectedly fast start with new clients, a speaking engagement, and lots of networking.

Last week was terrific. I posted the first profile of Tampa-based companies that have achieved the City’s Green Business Designation on the Sustany Foundation site. I am fascinated to learn how these businesses succeed while operating sustainably.  More profiles to come!

Last Saturday, I volunteered at an EcoFest at a local school. It was a cool day, but the turnout was fine. This is encouraging on so many fronts. The fact that kids are learning about sustainability right off the bat. The fact that their parents and teachers are there, leading the way. And the fact that over 100 vendors participated – from Tampa Electric to Tampa Bay Organics. There were home-made baked goods, hand-made jewelry, fresh, local honey, rain barrels, solar panel installers – the list goes on.

I will be amping up my “green” efforts this year, but just as importantly I will continue to invest in my business coaching class with Pam Slim, and plan to journey up to New York to tap into the latest on web writing from the Nielsen Norman group.

I am also working to strengthen the referrals part of my business. I find that my customers tend to know other businesses or organizations that can use my help. So when you refer a new customer to me and we strike a deal, I will be happy to send a $5 Starbucks card your way.

Why Starbucks? First, because I love their products and want you to enjoy a cup of your favorite beverage and, second, because I salute that company’s eco-friendly efforts, and want to support them.

Ready to write or need some editing?  Call me at 813-968-1292 or email me at info@greatgreenediting.com. I can’t wait to see what we’ll do together in 2013!