Earth Day 2012: 12 Things The Green Suits, LLC Will Do to Make a Difference

Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

Earth Day is a great time for teachable moments. Here my daughter observes plant and animal life in Virginia's Rappahannock River.

Earth Day 2012 takes place this Sunday, April 22. And there is no better opportunity than this occasion to walk the walk and talk the talk of trailblazing green business careerists–The Green Suits.

Each year at this time, I resolve to further my efforts to give back to the planet and empower people. This year, I resolve to make these 12 things happen:

1. Plant more native seedlings around my property. My species of choice: River Birch and Red Maple. These fast growing trees help prevent soil erosion, offer shade, and provide habitat to perching birds and other critters.
2. Add more flowers. In year’s past, we’ve relied on perennial flowers to attract honeybees to our property. But this year, we’ll attract more of them–plus butterflies and hummingbirds–with a colorful assortment of annuals including Zinnias, Petunias, and Morning Glories. The seedlings have already sprouted.
3. Resist the urge to water the lawn. For five straight years–even through the worst droughts and heatwaves–we have let the lawn turn brown. We’re sure our neighbors don’t like it–actually we know they don’t like it–but we save thousands of gallons of water. And given that we’re in a drought situation every drop counts.
4. Install more LED lighting throughout the house. We have a few LEDs in use, already. They are expensive. But they don’t get hot and they use less energy than compact fluorescent lighting (CFL). Plus, unlike CFLs, LED lights do not contain mercury.
5. Save more paper. Over the past seven years, we have cut back considerably our use of copy paper; in 2005 we used about ten reams of paper per month, but now we’ve cut that to less than one ream per month (and will try to extend that further). We reuse every printed-on-one-side copy sheet for printing draft documents and to use as “scratch paper.” Printing less has saved us money too; on average our toner cartridge costs have dropped from about $80 per month to less than $10.
6. Use less laundry detergent. Six years ago, we stopped washing clothes in warm or hot water as cold water washing does just fine. Now, we’ve cut by as much as half the amount of detergent added to each wash load. And guess what? Despite less detergent used, our clothes still wash clean!
7. Swap our old, inefficient appliances for new EnergyStar-rated models. We had no idea just how much water our old dishwasher used until we replaced it last summer with a brand new EnergyStar-rated model. Incredibly, our dishwater consumption has been cut by more than half.
8. Buy local. Ditch the chains and frequent locally owned restaurants, grocers, and retail stores. Our local establishments know the community. They use their profits to buy local supplies. And they help keep people employed where they live.
9. Encourage skill-based volunteerism. As The Green Suits, we know to use our management skill to help people help themselves. This year, I will urge all of The Green Suits’ clients to find ways to leverage the skills of their staff members to help needy people in their community develop financial literacy, stay gainfully employed, keep a roof over their heads, and other things. We will also help clients to establish “green teams” so that they may launch their first sustainability programs, or make their existing ones bigger and better.
10. Make more noise. We’ve gotten busy with new executive search assignments. But that’s no excuse for not making noise through our own opinion editorials, blog posts, radio interviews, adjunct teaching, speaking engagements, and other opportunities. As The Green Suits, we must make the case every way we can for Triple Bottom Line thinking–to increase profits, but also save the planet and empower people.
11. Drive less. Gas at $4.00 per gallon (locally) is enough of an incentive to drive less. But we’ve worked hard to plan more efficient travel and cut down our gasoline consumption by about 35 percent. And we always make sure that tires are properly inflated, and…
12. Seize teachable moments. Last week my daughter and I explored for plants and animals which live in the nearby Rappahannock River. We found snails and baby leeches living in the riverbed. Then we spied a Bald Eagle that swooped in to grab shad from the river and bring [the prized meal] back to the aerie. The jaw-dropping reaction on my daughter’s face to the Bald Eagle’s swoop-in? PRICELESS!

Do resolve to change the world. Enjoy a great and meaningful Earth Day 2012!

Recruiter Randall Byrn Joins The Green Suits

Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

Randall Byrn has joined The Green Suits, LLC as Executive Recruiter. He represents clients seeking executive talent in direct marketing, market research and consumer insights, and "green" business.

We are very pleased to announce to the world that Randall Byrn has joined The Green Suits as Executive Recruiter. Over the weekend, we got to interview our newest talent hunter.

TGS: Welcome to The Green Suits. Please tell everyone about you: Where are you from? Where did you attend college?

Randall Byrn: I grew up in Clarksville, Tennessee and at first studied English at Southwestern at Memphis (now called Rhodes College). Then, I transferred to USC in Los Angeles to study film making; I have a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema from USC. Movies didn’t turn into a career for me, but they are my lifelong passion.

TGS: Tell us please about your pre-recruiting career.

Randall Byrn: The first part of my career was in book publishing: as a catalog copywriter for Ingram; a sales executive for Berkley Books, and after moving to New York; a direct mail manager for John Wiley & Sons. I left publishing for direct marketing assignments in the conferences space, first at IQPC and then at CFO Magazine.

TGS: Where have you lived?

Randall Byrn: A few places such as the west side of Manhattan and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Last summer, I moved back to my native Tennessee.

TGS: What do you like about being an executive recruiter?

Randall Byrn: I compare recruiting to being a detective, hunting down the right candidates for the assignment. Getting to know candidates is quite enjoyable. Also, it is very fulfilling to communicate to the hiring manager the candidate’s strengths and appropriateness for the position. But of course placing a great candidate in a new role is the biggest thrill of all; sure, it is a personal success for me, but I especially enjoy the happy outcome for the both candidate and the hiring manager.

TGS: The Green Suits, LLC represents clients in the marketing analytics space. As a result, you have connected to–and gotten to work with–hundreds of talented marketing analysts and other insights professionals. What is it like to work with people who analyze marketing metrics for a living?

Randall Byrn: Well, it is a good time to be in analytics! It is the “need” in most companies, and it is likely to remain that way for a while. Many of our analytics candidates–especially the more experienced ones–are learning just how valuable they are to hiring companies.

TGS: You are also working with companies which are committed to environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Randall Byrn: Most large companies have incorporated sustainability and corporate social responsibility into their strategies and identities, and this will expand to mid-tier and small companies–especially ones which do business on a global scale. Being perceived as responsible corporate citizens just makes good business sense. And it is certainly a draw–or a selling point–in attracting great talent, whether or not a particular job has “sustainability” or “corporate social responsibility” in the title.

TGS: The Green Suits promotes remote office work. And you too work from a remote office. What do you think are the most important steps one can take to be truly effective in a remote office environment?

Randall Bryn: It does take discipline to work effectively from a remote office. Everyone must find what works best for her or him. I find that starting early and finishing late–with several breaks lasting a few minutes to an hour or more–provides me with the flexibility I need. Plus, I go to the gym. Of course, recruiters need to accommodate the needs of candidates and clients, which means making and taking calls during evenings and on weekends. Sometimes, weekends are good for catching up on what used to be called “paperwork.”

TGS: Great to have you on the team.

Randall Byrn: Thank you. I am thrilled to be a part of The Green Suits!

Are you a marketing insights expert? Now is the time to get on Randall’s radar screen. Ring him up at 931-538-4433 or email him your résumé (CV) at: randall@thegreensuits.com.

The Green Suits Featured in Ithaca College’s Sustainability Newsletter

Our thanks to Marian Brown, head of sustainability at Ithaca College, for highlighting our recent on-campus visit in the latest issue of Collective Impacts (the college’s sustainability newsletter).

Read more about our visit, and other sustainability stories, HERE.

Univ. of Mary Washington to Host March 20th ‘Tailoring the Green Suit’ Strategy Session

The University of Mary Washington is located in historic Fredericksburg, Va. On March 20, 2012, the university's career development office will host 'Tailoring the Green Suit: Establishing a Bright Green Career in a Dull Gray Economy'

Happy New Year, everyone! We are pleased to start Twenty-Twelve off with some very exciting news.

On March 20, 2012, we will present our green career strategy session–Tailoring the Green Suit: Establishing a Bright Green Career in a Dull Gray Economy–at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. This session, sponsored by the Office of Career Development, will provide ten key strategies which soon-to-be-grads may employ to achieve immediate and lasting “green” career success.

If you live or work in the vicinity, then we hope to see you at UMW on March 20th. Further event details will follow, soon.

Twenty-Twelve and Ten Wishes for The Green Suits

In every year past, we predicted that things were going to get better on the green and sustainable career track. While some of us have made gains and landed great jobs, most of the rest of us struggle to establish ourselves in the New Green Economy.

We’ve grown tired of prognosticating. So, for Twenty-Twelve, we offer these ten wishes to you–the enthusiastic trail blazing careerists of the Triple Bottom Line–the Green Suits. Here goes:

1. That we find ways to acquire experience and achieve success in the green business space. If you are eager to be in green business but don’t yet have the requisite experience, purpose yourself to turn your existing non-green job GREEN. Propose a sound business case with your management that you are the one to make the company or organization they lead more efficient and resource-sustainable. In short order, you could become your company’s chief green officer!
2. That we never stop learning or asking probing questions about The New Green Economy. Our education doesn’t end with a bachelor’s degree. On the contrary, it is just the beginning of our path to knowledge. Purpose yourself for learning and discovery for these are important factors in your success as The Green Suit.
3. That we connect with esteemed professionals who will help us achieve enduring success in green business careers. So, get out of your comfort zone. Meet professionals in face-to-face settings, people who can get you in the door for great opportunities in their companies or connect you with excellent training and volunteer programs to bolster your sustainability and social responsibility experience.
4. That we form our own Advisory Boards. Just as start-up companies do, to fill their executives’ managerial experience cavities, so too will we align ourselves with green business professionals who help us overcome all that we don’t know about green business.
5. That we develop great value propositions for ourselves, and post great positive (sustainability boosting) metrics to our résumés (CVs).
6. The we lead purpose-driven lives. Money is a great motivator; it helps us work harder and smarter so that we provide better for ourselves and our families. But let us also work hard for the Triple Bottom Line, to help our companies generate more revenue and profit. But also to work for the betterment of people and the planet.
7. That we expertly frame our value to overcome the indifference and cynicism that hinders green business progress. We, The Green Suits, are efficiency experts–that is our number one frame for success in business!
8. That we walk the walk. To be The Green Suit is to be an enthusiastic practitioner of sustainability and social responsibility. So, don’t water the lawn (let it turn brown). Wash your clothes in cold water to save energy. Avoid dry-cleaning clothes. Take mass-transit to work, or, work from a virtual office.
9. That we talk the talk.  Let us use our knowledge and experience to promote sustainable and socially responsible business practices, and green jobs. Let us get op/eds published in the newspaper which promote the Triple Bottom Line. Let us speak at business gatherings to build enthusiasm for The New Green Economy.
10. And–even on the tough days and weeks which are sure to follow in the New Year–that we remember this: Our best days lie ahead.

May the New Year bring you and all who you love good health, good times, and great good fortune! And may twenty-twelve be your best year, ever!

Season’s Greetings from Dan Smolen and The Green Suits

The Green Suits Career Checklist: Process Points for a Successful 2012 and Beyond

Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

It's time to plan for career success in 2012 by preparing and following your own check list.

Season’s greetings! We hope you are enjoying the run up to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever it is that you celebrate.

And we keep good thoughts that 2012 will bring lots of career success to us all.

But our great good fortune will not come as a result of good luck, alone. Instead, the success we enjoy in work and career will result from forethought and scrupulous planning.

For those who seek success as The Green Suit, we offer these important process points:

• Establish a value proposition. What is it that makes you…you? Or more important, what is it that makes you successful on the job? Develop a buttoned-up one or two sentence description of you–the successful careerist.
• Acquire education and training. Your bachelor’s or master’s degree was only the beginning; to achieve success at The Green Suit you must commit yourself to continual education and training. Whether that means certification by way of a professional sustainability program or an advanced degree in environmental science, your future success will be tied to the recency and frequency of your education and training in sustainability, social responsibility, and related fields.
• Build a professional network. Who you know matters. Who you know who can help you succeed as The Green Suit MATTERS MOST. Carefully cultivate connections–on LinkedIn and face-to-face at business events–to empower your career and help you achieve success in the New Green Economy.
• Rework and revise the résumé (CV). Make sure you stand out by posting a compelling value proposition, key accomplishments, and truly great metrics. A distracted hiring manager may take only fifteen seconds to read your  résumé, so make sure that it communicates your considerable value (or else, go unnoticed).
• Turn your current job green. Obvious green jobs don’t get offered to executives who do not possess requisite knowledge, training, or experience in sustainability. That is why we counsel executives eager to pivot into the green economy to turn their current jobs green. Create a business plan for your boss or senior management which identifies areas where your company or organization could achieve efficiency through sustainability improvements directed by you. And, in very short order, you could become your company’s official sustainability manager or green officer–ready to consider sustainability executive roles at other companies and organizations!
• And, think positive. We’ve all been held back by stagnation in the economy. But a great attitude is infectious. Through all of your daily interactions, enthusiastically show people the benefits of embracing triple bottom-line thinking: improved profitability, empowered people, and a cared-for planet.

As I’ve said to audiences of eager soon-to-be college graduates I’ll say to you: our best days lie ahead. Together, let’s work towards building a strong and reliable New Green Economy and assuring that we  all become successful green business careerists–The Green Suits.

Happy Holidays!

Greenbiz’s Chrissy Coughlin Posts ‘Dan Smolen and the Art of Getting a Green Job’

Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

Well, today starts of well with a nice post by Greenbiz.com contributor and WSMN’s Nature of Business radio host Chrissy Coughlin.

Chrissy summarizes last week’s radio interview, HERE.

Check it out!

Do The Wall Street Journal, American Petroleum Institute ‘Have it In’ for The Green Suits?

Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

Today's Wall Street Journal editorial borrowed "non-green jobs" talking points from The American Petroleum Institute verbatim.

This morning, I was jolted awake, not by a strong cup of coffee, but by the arrival of an editorial in The Wall Street Journal’s weekend edition.

The editorial, The Non-Green Jobs Boom: Forget ‘clean energy.’ Oil and gas are boosting U.S. employment. started this way:

“So President Obama was right all along. Domestic energy production really is a path to prosperity and new job creation. His mistake was predicting that those new jobs would be “green,” when the real employment boom is taking place in oil and gas.

And here I thought this beautiful weekend day was going to be easy and breezy…

We counsel The Green Suits to “be above politics,” to expertly frame their value propositions in a way which appeals to people who are not natural constituents to The Triple Bottom Line–to benefit people and planet…and maximize profits.

When their framing is right, The Green Suits land jobs and quickly establish their value as successful, positive metric-minded executives. And within months of arriving on the job, they prove to management that resource sustainability, renewable energy, green/clean tech, and corporate social responsibility are indeed good for (their) business.

But today’s editorial may make The Green Suits–striving to start and establish successful green business executive careers–feel personally attacked, their credibility and integrity questioned.

Read the editorial, and one can definitely understand why that may happen.

The editorial–which restates American Petroleum Institute talking-points verbatim–espouses the “non-green job boom” happening in places like the Marcellus Shale, the vast deposit of natural gas that lies beneath much of Central Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York State. The WSJ and the API believe great fortunes will be made–and thousands of jobs created–fracking for gas in this vast deposit.

If it were only that simple…

Thousands of landowners, who have never enjoyed wealth, are excited about the prospects of getting rich from the gas fields beneath them. While thousands of other landowners–many with property lines abutting their pro-fracking neighbors–fear that the air, soil, and well water on their property will be permanently tainted by the fracking process, which uses water, sand, benzene and other poisonous chemicals forced under high pressure to literally fracture the shale layer miles below, to release the gas.

Who is right? And would you drink from that well?

So, do The Wall Street Journal and the American Petroleum Institute “have it in” for The Green Suits? It does seem like The Green Suits, the ambitious business executives in or entering the renewable energy and sustainability sectors–who seek to turn conventional companies and market verticals green…and are hell-bent on changing the world–are suddenly in the crosshairs of some very powerful and well-funded old economy interests. And some might feel as if they may be left to justify their personal and professional missions.

Are The Green Suits going to sit back and take it? No.

Are The Green Suits going to get mad and toss verbal grenades? No. (I hope not.)

Instead, what The Green Suits must do is remain calm, poised, and very well-informed about the green jobs versus non-green jobs debate. Sure, there are Wall Street Journal editorial page reading constituents–hiring managers for sure–who have made up their minds that green jobs are folly.

I believe that they are in the minority of public opinion.

Instead, most hiring managers remain open-minded, and it is with reasonable, open-minded people who The Green Suits can ably support a solid case for green business.

Truth be told, the future belongs to The New Green Economy. And the 90-million strong Millennial Generation–our nation’s largest demographic cohort–want green jobs.

That is why here in the U.S., we must and will continue developing our own renewable energy and green/clean technologies. We must regain our global leadership in them all, or China will, as New York Times columnist Tom Friedman has written, “clean our clock.”

The jobs–the green jobs–created by our renewable energy and green/clean tech “eco-entrepreneurs” will be in the millions, but they will take time to create (that we know). We must commit our time, energy, and talents NOW to rapidly building the New Green Economy.

Keep your chin up. Don’t let anyone steal your thunder. The future is the New Green Economy. The future will be led by you, The Green Suits.

‘Tailoring the Green Suit’ Author on ‘Nature of Business’ Radio Show

Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

Wow…that was fun!

This morning, I was Chrissy Coughlin’s guest on her radio show, Nature of Business. Chrissy broadcasts weekly from WSMN Radio in Nashua, New Hampshire; her show is also podcast on GreenBiz.com.

Chrissy is a great host and well-informed green business expert. In the interview, we covered a lot of interesting topics related to green executive employment. In case you weren’t able to listen live, then please check out the podcast, available 24/7: HERE.