Business Going Green

It think it is a good rule of thumb to adopt Colorado’s love/hate approach to weather when it comes to understanding the LOHAS market. If you don’t like it now just wait five minutes.  These past few months have been an extreme eye opener for many in various ways. We have seen jobs and homes disintegrate in front of our eyes. The encouraged spend, spend, spend attitude that has been speaking  to us through media has now been muzzled by our inability to do so. The rat race that had many never seeing the light of day as they left for work in the early hours and returning home after nightfall has slowed.

I find that this has many people reevaluating what they hell they are doing all this for. We say we do it for our families and financial security.  But I think it is all a matter of perception of where we are at. After all we are the richest country on earth and yet we cry poverty all the time. We easily forget where we are at presently when we are so caught up in the ‘what if’s’ of the future.  And in doing this we never get to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Many people ask me where we are all headed – especially in the LOHAS market or green business development. I see that there is a shift in attitude for many with regards to purchases. The last few years saw a proliferation of green and semi green products and services. The green wave hit big which was what many rejoicing. Yet it really did not change behavior in people’s relationship to spending. Instead of buying a Hummer you bought a Prius. Both are cars but one is just more green. The eco bamboo dress or socks are still another piece of clothing to add to the clutter in our closets.

But now people are thinking more about what they are spending on because they don’t have jobs or homes with closets to hang their eco dress. I see that there is a stronger emphasis on relationships rather than spending. This is true with business as well. Look at commercials and ads and you will see that companies LOHAS and non LOHAS alike still want to make their case as being relevant in the relationship setting and are emphasizing their value as a relationship builder.  They are also wanting to portray themselves and the nice guys willing to help out someone in need. This search for relevancy goes beyond the former sustainable reporting and compliance model of old. Google Wave with free applications, Wal Mart with low prices, grocery stores offering giveaways. If you are a business who is not stressing relationship relevance you are missing the boat. Will this last? Who knows.  If the economic recovery is slow then perhaps it will. If it is rapid it will not. People are not elephants when it comes to memory.  I can’t event remember what I had for breakfast for Pete sake.

This is a great opportunity for businesses and individuals to rethink relationships and explore new approaches to collaboration rather than competition. Dollars are scarce and people still want to be a part of something. As I write I am on the way to a collaborative think tank between two former competitive green mobile applications 3rd Wale.com and GenGreen.com. They have created a forum in San Francisco that brings together 200 thought leaders to share ideas on collaboration in the LOHAS space. The met at the  LOHAS Forum and came away with an innovative way to cooperate and share resources thus enhancing both of their products.  Why not use this time to make lemonade out of lemons.