'Guide to the Good' making it easier to go local, social, and green
Left to Right: Bobby Bessey, Chair of thegreenrock.ca, Kim Todd, Founder and Director of thegreenrock.ca, and Bernadette Coady, Social Enterprise Coordinator at Metro Business Opportunities
Metro Business Opportunities (MBO) is proud to help launch a new Social Enterprise that will make it easier for residents and visitors alike to choose local products and services, and live a more sustainable lifestyle. The Guide to the Good will act as an online directory, offering consumers an easy to navigate database of local, social, and green companies.
The Guide to the Good will offer a valuable community service, while also providing local businesses and organizations with a unique and affordable promotional platform. By providing paid directory listings and featured blog posts, the Social Enterprise will generate a sustainable source of revenue for its parent not-for-profit organization – thegreenrock.ca – Live Sustainably NL Inc.
To help facilitate commercialization of their Social Enterprise concept, the not-for-profit turned to MBO for help with their business plan and accessing start-up financing. They worked with MBO’s Social Enterprise Coordinator, Bernadette Coady, to enhance the viability of their enterprise and secure the Support loan program.
The Guide to the Good is now launching within the Northeast Avalon, and has begun a marketing campaign focusing on local, social and green companies. They are currently conducting market research to help shape Guide to the Good 2.0 for desktop and mobile, expected in 2019.
“The Guide to the Good was created to increase market presence for local businesses and organizations that offer local, social and green options to our community. It has been in development for two years and currently features profiles on 80 local companies. We are thrilled to launch a marketing campaign that will connect the growing contingent of people who want to make choices that support the local economy, support positive social action, and leave a smaller footprint with the local, social and green companies that provide it.”
Kim Todd announced the launch of Social Enterprise Guide to the Good at special event at the St. John's Farmer's Market held October 24th 2018
“Operational funding was a gap in our start-up plan, and as a non-profit and social enterprise, a standard commercial loan was not well-suited to our organization or typical lenders. The Social Enterprise Loan from MBO brought the solution. The process was clear and thorough, and it was a solid self-check on market readiness.”
Thegreenrock.ca – Live Sustainably NL Inc.
The Guide to the Good is the Social Enterprise of thegreenrock.ca – Live Sustainably NL. The website thegreenrock.ca first launched in 2011, sharing local stories on green living and sustainability. In 2014 the organization incorporated as a not-for-profit to become thegreenrock.ca – Live Sustainably NL Inc. Since its inception, thegreenrock.ca has championed sustainable living throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, and engaged the public by publicising local green innovations, aiming to provide information and inspiration to answer challenges facing our planet, our communities, and our lives.
Metro Business Opportunities
Metro Business Opportunities (MBO) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development of Business and Social Enterprise in St. John's and Mount Pearl. Through business advisory, lending, and training offerings, MBO's knowledgeable team helps potential and existing entrepreneurs of all ages with idea generation, business start-up, and successful growth.
The Support Program:
Launched in 2017, Support fosters Social Enterprise development by registered not-for-profit organizations in St. John’s and Mount Pearl. Offered by Metro Business Opportunities (MBO), through funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Support provides up to $50,000 in financing to start or expand a Social Enterprise. The program includes essential business advice and learning opportunities, allowing organizations to develop the necessary skills for successful management of a Social Enterprise.
About Social Enterprise:
There are various means of funding not-for-profit organizations: government grants, fundraising, membership fees, etcetera. By offering goods and services for sale through a Social Enterprise, a not-for-profit generates revenue that it can reinvest into achieving its core mandate. This innovative funding model can provide financial independence for an organization, and bring a more entrepreneurial approach to operations – helping the organization remain relevant, maximize efficiency, and achieve their goals.