TO: National Women’s Business Council

FROM: Hart Research Associates

DATE: September 27, 2011

RE: Results From Women In Green Focus Groups

On behalf of the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC), Hart Research 

conducted two focus groups on August 31, 2011, among 13 self-described 

“established” or “aspiring” female entrepreneurs attending the “Women in 

Green” Forum in Santa Monica, California. It should be noted that the 

findings presented here reflect the fact that nearly all of the participants are 

in the early stages of establishing new business ventures. It also is important 

to remember that our participants made a conscious choice to attend (and 

pay for) the Forum, a fact that may differentiate them significantly from 

other entrepreneurs in the green sector (or other sectors). 

Key Findings Key Findings 

1. The “Business of Green” represents an exciting new sector, one 

that evokes feelings of optimism and innovation with an eye toward the 

future. Participants see “high growth” as an apt descriptor of the 

sector, which is particularly encouraging given current economic 

conditions. 

2. Participants’ optimism for the sector is based in part on their belief that 

“going green” increasingly is seen through an economic lens as a 

long-term cost savings strategy. Viewing the sector’s benefits in this 

way contrasts significantly with past efforts in which “going green” was 

cast solely in noneconomic terms as a way to improve public health 

and/or the health of the planet. 

“When it hit someone’s bottom line, they don’t really care what it is as long as 

it saves them money. I mean they do [care], obviously, but I think that it’s the 

more we actually save money from [green business], the more it becomes less 

fad-oriented and people actually start to build it into business models.”
Hart Research Associates

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3. Although participants agree that both men and women can succeed as 

green entrepreneurs, most believe the sector holds particular 

promise for women. In fact, they completely reject the idea that 

the sector might be limiting or constraining for women.

Participants give three reasons for this: 1) its newness means the 

sector lacks traditional gender barriers that might thwart women’s 

entry into (and rise within) the field; 2) women in the field are very 

willing to serve as mentors; and 3) the sector embodies 

characteristics that resonate among women, such as “making a 

difference,” “working collaboratively,” “storytelling,” “a focus on 

community,” and “nurturing” (our bodies and the earth).

“It’s a new paradigm. It’s not fitting into some old structure.”

Some participants also point out, however, that their slice of the green 

sector focuses primarily on green household products (e.g., organic 

clothing) and services (e.g., catering, composting), whereas other parts 

of the green sector (e.g., alternative energy) might appeal more to 

men.

4. Despite their optimism, participants readily discuss a set of internal 

and external barriers that hinder their success. 

I want to work out all the little details before opening the doors—starting a 

business, it’s scary. You know I’ve never opened up a business before

5. Internal barriers include the difficulty of juggling myriad tasks

related to management, finances, marketing, and operations along with 

their need to produce goods and/or services. About half the participants 

manage all aspects of their business while the other half contract out 

various aspects of their business (e.g., accounting, HR, IT, etc.).

“It’s really hard to balance because I’m a full-time stay at home mom and a 

full-time entrepreneur. So if a lot of woman have that similar role, I think that 

might be why you don’t see as many women entrepreneurs—maybe because 

they already have so many roles.”

“The internal barriers of keeping yourself focused, keeping yourself motivated, 

keeping yourself on track. The fear factor. [By contrast,] having a [regular] 

job is really easy. I mean you go, they tell you what to do, and you do it.”
Hart Research Associates

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6. Participants with children feel especially squeezed, while 

participants without children fully expect their careers will suffer 

dramatically if they elect to have a family. In addition, some 

participants feel that their entrepreneurial plans are taken less 

seriously than they might otherwise be if they were men. 

“It really jams me to think about when to time kids and how do I keep a career 

going and how do I not drop the ball.”

“I’m not even having kids right now, that’s the reality. But that, to me, is a 

huge challenge. I think it doesn’t matter if you work for yourself or you work 

for a corporation. Taking a pause in your career is a really big deal.”

“If you have kids essentially you stop going on the vice president track. So if 

you consciously decide to have kids, you better have one hell of a support 

network that’s going to take care of the kids and do everything and you’re 

going to miss all their soccer games.”

7. Access to capital and fear of incurring debt are seen as 

significant obstacles to success. This result comes as no surprise, 

especially given today’s grim economy and bearish attitudes among 

investors and creditors. But many participants lack confidence 

and/or knowledge about how to raise capital. In some cases, 

participants suspect that resources exist to help them, but are 

often too overwhelmed by day-to-day business operations to take 

advantage of them. These findings suggest that participants would 

benefit from hearing “success stories” on raising capital from fellow 

entrepreneurs. 

“I know my product’s target audience. I just can’t reach them because of the 

money.”

“I keep thinking there’s got to be grants for my type of business, but I have no 

idea how to go about finding them or getting them.”

8. Some participants have explored grants for green and/or women-owned 

businesses, but they express frustration with “reimbursable” 

grants that require them to spend money before they can be 

compensated. After all, the reason they are applying for grants is 

because they lack the initial funds in the first place. 
Hart Research Associates

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9. Participants recognize that government contracts for women-owned 

businesses represent a significant opportunity, but participants are 

daunted by the paperwork required. 

10. An emphasis on day-to-day business operations often prevents 

participants from thinking strategically. For example, most 

participants lack a formal business plan, while those who do have one 

are not always sure exactly how to fully utilize it. In addition, few have 

given much thought to exit plans, partnerships, or other 

strategic options, even though the mere fact that they had chosen to 

participate in the Forum suggests that these participants might be more 

strategically minded than other fledgling entrepreneurs. As such, 

entrepreneurs might benefit from a more concerted effort to 

provide strategic guidance. 

11. Among participants who have considered them, forming a partnership 

generally is seen as desirable but unlikely. Participants like the idea 

of having someone who could help share tasks, foster ideas, and 

balance out their strengths and weaknesses, but they are skeptical that 

they could find someone who would adequately fit the bill without 

undermining their vision for (and control over) their businesses. This 

suggests that many entrepreneurs might benefit from a partner-finding 

service modeled after “match.com” or eHarmony. 

“I think [potential partners] exist, but I just don’t know them and the people 

who are available to me. Maybe they are just not a good complement to my 

skill set. But, I’ve always felt open to [the idea].”

“One of the things about having a business partner which would be really nice 

is to have that sort of camaraderie and strength together. You have certain 

strengths and the other person has certain strengths, then it makes sense to 

bring it together and you can get more done.”
Hart Research Associates

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12. While some of our entrepreneurs may come up short when it comes to 

long-term strategic thinking, most participants spend considerable 

time and resources on marketing. For most participants, in fact, a 

primary reason for attending the Forum was learning about marketing 

strategies (and networking with other entrepreneurs). 

“My immediate plan for growth is to make an announcement [about my new 

business] so people can order the product through word of mouth, friends and 

family, Facebook, e-mail distribution and then start building up the e-commerce 

from the website by letting people know about the website. Then from there 

my plan is to start going to retailers as soon as I start having a little traction 

and a story to tell. And then my pie in the sky goal is like I go to Whole Foods 

and national distribution. So that’s my growth plan.”

13. A key component in all of their marketing plans is a strong desire to 

harness the power of social media. For example, nearly all of the 

participants who have established businesses (or are about to) have 

created Facebook pages devoted to their company, while others talked 

about the value of understanding their target audiences by using 

services such as Google Analytics. Despite their shared commitment to 

developing social media, however, some participants struggle to 

decide how to best divide their time and resources among various 

online options. Some example questions: how much time should I 

devote to a blog about my business? Should I hire someone to 

create/maintain my website or learn how to do it myself? 

14. Participants with established businesses say they would like to hire 

more employees, but they lack confidence that sales will justify 

the hires. Low-cost interns are seen as a cost-effective way to 

meet employment needs in the short term, especially given the talent 

of young people who are struggling to find full-time positions. 

“It’s tough. If I could pay somebody more than $22,000 a year, I could attract 

a really dedicated intelligent person. And to have two or three would just push 

us right there—right over [the top]. But the biggest problem is having good 

people that are consistently there that are willing to work for less than 

$25,000.”

“Interns are fantastic right now, and really good at doing some of the legwork 

logistical type of things that I don’t need to get bogged down with.”
Hart Research Associates

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15. Few interact regularly with government, but those that do see 

government more as an impediment to success than a facilitator.

In particular, government regulations often are seen as 

anachronistic and inapplicable for this cutting-edge sector. For 

example, one entrepreneur laments how local solid waste laws—even in 

progressive Los Angeles County—are ill-equipped to handle her business 

devoted to encouraging (and profiting from) household and restaurant 

composting. Still another participant expresses frustration that 

paperwork and duties prevent her eight-year-old business from fully 

leveraging export opportunities. 

“Simplify, simplify, simplify regulation and filings, tax work, paperwork, 

employee work -- all of that is a barrier to getting a business up and running.”

16. In this context, when given an opportunity to provide policy advice, 

participants encouraged the president, Congress, and the Small 

Business Administration (SBA) to streamline regulations for the 

green sector because they believe the sector holds such promise in 

terms of creating jobs and fostering sustainability. Participants would 

also like to see a higher profile for SBA at events like the Forum, as 

well as greater emphasis on how small businesses can “go green.” 

17. Participants’ knowledge about the resources available to help them 

start and grow their business varies widely. The SBA is largely 

unknown, although those who have interacted with the SBA praise it 

as an information source. Once informed about the SBA’s purpose, 

participants say they would like the SBA to provide more proactive 

outreach to current and aspiring entrepreneurs. 

“I know the SBA has good training and will guide you through business plans 

and such, but maybe have a division that is more green or sustainable so that 

whatever your business model is, you could take a seminar on how to add that 

green element or make sure that it’s a business that is responsible in that way.”

18. Likewise, most participants are not familiar with the National 

Women’s Business Council beyond its general involvement in the 

Forum (which they appreciate).