Eco-social entrepreneurs hope to be the best of everything. They're conscious about environment-friendlier practices and products, they have people at the forefront of their focus in their business models and they're also bent on making a profit on top of that. That's called the triple bottom line. While some may not attest to strictly following that philosophy, the idea, still, is there and it percolates through everything that these entrepreneurs do whether it's during the day at work or on their off-time (or maybe something in between, which is usually what life is like for people running small start-ups).
Click through this feature to hear some of the words of eco-social entrepreneurs that Social Business has interviewed.
29 Eco-Social Entrepreneurs
28
Eric Reynolds, Founder and Executive Director of Inyenyeri (INTERVIEW)
Rwandan Energy Company
27
Jimmy Ostholm, Founder & CEO of The Porteur Foundation (INTERVIEW)
26
Brooks Dame, Founder of Proof Eyewear (INTERVIEW)
Sustainable Wood Sunglasses with a Cause
25
Nikhil Arora, Co-Founder of Back to the Roots (INTERVIEW)
DIY Grow Your Own Organic Mushroom Kits
24
Josie Warden, The Thread Project (INTERVIEW)
Sustainable and Ethical Design and Manufacturing
23
Todd Masonis, Co-Founder of Dandelion Chocolate (INTERVIEW)
'Bean-to-Bar' Production
22
Sharon Schneider, Founder & CEO of Good Karma Clothing for Kids (INTERVIEW)
21
Alli Blum, Director of Marketing (INTERVIEW)
What's New with United By Blue's Partnerships
20
Anna Sidana, Founder of One Million Lights (INTERVIEW)
Replacing Kerosene Lamps with Solar Ones
19
Bridget Hilton, Founder of LSTN Headphones (INTERVIEW)
Socially Conscious and Eco-friendly
18
Tara Rogerson, Director of Social Enterprise at Evergreen Brick Works (INTERVIEW)
17
Ann Skydell Harmon, Founder of Ann-Made, LLC (INTERVIEW)
Upcycled Social Cause Jewelry
16
David Auerbach, Founder of Sanergy (INTERVIEW)
15
Greg Seaman, Founder of Eartheasy (INTERVIEW)
Family-Run Green Ecommerce Business
14
Mathieu Senard and Edouard Rollet, Founders of Alter Eco (INTERVIEW)
Fair Trade Food Importers
13
Alex Mark, Founder of One Hundred Apparel (INTERVIEW)
100% of Profits go to charity:water
12
Lon Wong, Co-Founder of Unstash (INTERVIEW)
Collaborative Consumption Platform
11
Jill Doucette, Founder of Synergy Enterprises (INTERVIEW)
Eco Business Consultant
10
Tyler Gage, President and Co-Founder of Runa (INTERVIEW)
Fair Trade Ecuadorian-Sourced Guayusa Tea
9
Julie Leach, Member Coordinator of SolarShare (INTERVIEW)
Community Solar Bonds in Canada
8
Al Harris, Founder of Blue Ventures (INTERVIEW)
Marine Conservation Organization
7
Jes McKay Gilmore, Creator of Species Spectrum (INTERVIEW)
Animal-Aware Greeting Card Company
6
Joe Koenig, Founder of Three Avocados (INTERVIEW)
5
Daniel Blake, Co-Founder and CEO of EcoScraps (INTERVIEW)
Turning Old Food into Organic Fertilizer
4
Camille van Gestel, Co-Founder and Business Director of WakaWaka (INTERVIEW)
Safe Light Sources
3
Samuel Miller of Bombastic Plastix (INTERVIEW)
Upcycled Goods Made from Balian Plastic Bags
2
Chad Hamre, CEO of Ethical Ocean (INTERVIEW)
1
Geetie Singh, Managing Director of the Duke of Cambridge (INTERVIEW)
Related Ideas
Education-Enabling Carryalls
Fly Canvas Bags Benefit Schools for Underprivileged Children
Charitable Bicycle Campaigns
The Porteur Foundation Donates to Children in Developing Countries
Eric Reynolds, Founder and Executive Director of Inyenyeri (INTERVIEW)
Rwandan Energy Company
Ocean-Friendly Lookbooks
The United By Blue 'Here Comes The Sun' Catalogue Ushers in Spring
Preppy Literacy-Promoting Garments
Read’s Clothing Project Benefits Books for Africa
Jimmy Ostholm, Founder & CEO of The Porteur Foundation (INTERVIEW)
Ethical and Empowering Accessories
Tukula Provides Opportunity and Hope for Artisans in Uganda
Sam Bruce, Co-founder of Much Better Adventures (INTERVIEW)
Planet-Friendly Travel Company
Naomi Hirabayashi, Director of Marketing at Do Something (INTERVIEW)
Youth-Focused Cause Community
Donation-Generating Galoshes
Roma Boots Operates on a One-For-One Business Model
Nikhil Arora, Co-Founder of Back to the Roots (INTERVIEW)
DIY Grow Your Own Organic Mushroom Kits
Josie Warden, The Thread Project (INTERVIEW)
Sustainable and Ethical Design and Manufacturing
Tim Jahnigen, Co-Inventor of One World Futbol (INTERVIEW)
Buy One Give One Multi-Sport Balls
Matthew Clough, Founder of Benson Backpacks (INTERVIEW)
Sharon Schneider, Founder & CEO of Good Karma Clothing for Kids (INTERVIEW)
Lily Lapenna, Founder and CEO of MyBnk (INTERVIEW)
Financial Education Social Enterprise for Youth
Alli Blum, Director of Marketing (INTERVIEW)
What's New with United By Blue's Partnerships
Adriana Herrera, Founder and CEO of Fashioning Change (INTERVIEW)
People- and Profit-Driven Brands
Nick Foley, Founder of Celebrate the Hero (INTERVIEW)
Anti-Bullying Initiative
Upcycled Wooden Audio Gear
LSTN Headphones Benefit Deaf Children in Need
Mike Radparvar, Co-Founder of Holstee (INTERVIEW)
On Using a Manifesto, Not a Business Plan
Worldstock (INTERVIEW)
In Commemoration of the Passing of World Fair Trade Day
John Paul de Silva, Founder and Managing Director of Social Focus Consulting (INTERVIEW)
Zack Rosenberg, Founder and CEO of DoGoodBuyUs (INTERVIEW)
'Marketplace for Social Good/s'
Katie Fewings, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Ethical Weddings (INTERVIEW)
Bianca Bartz, Editor-in-Chief of SocialBusiness.org (INTERVIEW)
Micro-Volunteering Platforms
Raise5 Enables the Charitable Giving of Your Time and Talents
Stacy McCoy, Co-Founder of Give to Get Jobs
Social Enterprise and Nonprofit Job Board
Jennifer Gootman, Executive Director of Global Goods Partners (INTERVIEW)
Fair Trade Online Store
Affordable Solar Light Alternatives
WAKAWAKA is an Innovative Lamp for Those Without Electricity
Alok Appadurai, Founder of Fed by Threads (INTERVIEW)
Providing Meals to Americans in Need
Tammy Allen, Founder/CEO of Do Good Get Rewards (INTERVIEW)
Platform to Encourage Volunteers
Connie Duckworth, Founder of ARZU (INTERVIEW)
Offering Employment to Weavers in Afghanistan
Bridget Hilton, Founder of LSTN Headphones (INTERVIEW)
Socially Conscious and Eco-friendly
Katie Harris, Co-Founder and Design Director of The Amazings (INTERVIEW)
Social Enterprise
Alaina Paradise, Owner of One World Flowers (INTERVIEW)
100% Fair Trade Certified
Torkin Wakefield, Co-Founder of BeadforLife (INTERVIEW)
A Fair Trade Non Profit in Uganda
Nathan Rothstein, Marketing and Sales at Project Repat
Artisan-Empowering Enterprise
Stephen King, Founder of SocialBusiness.org (INTERVIEW)
A Place to Find Positive Social Change
Ann Oliver, Founder of XENI Collection (INTERVIEW)
Couture Fashion for the Physically Disabled
Emily Holdridge, Co-Founder of Everything Happy (INTERVIEW)
Kid's One-for-One Blanket Business
Sissy Rooney, Founder of Street Style Surgery (INTERVIEW)
UK-Based Creative Workshops for Youth
Iman Fadaei, Founder of Ethical Art (INTERVIEW)
Fair Trade Artwork Supporting Education
Dave Goodman, Founder of Collaborative World Brand (INTERVIEW)
Co-Profit Fashion Business
Tara Rogerson, Director of Social Enterprise at Evergreen Brick Works (INTERVIEW)
Eve Friedman, Founder of Eve Echo (INTERVIEW)
Beauty Products That Provide Microloans
Zehra Abbas, Founder of YTGA (INTERVIEW)
Youth Troopers for Global Awareness and Studio89
Adrien Edwards, Founder of The Naked Hippie (INTERVIEW)
Microloans Through T-Shirts
Edouard de Broglie, Founder of Dans Le Noir (INTERVIEW)
A Restaurant Where You Dine in the Dark
Sayan Sarkar, CEO of InvigorateNOW (INTERVIEW)
Social Business Fighting Preventable Blindness
Eric Cope, Founder of Smile Squared (INTERVIEW)
One for One Toothbrushes
Greg Seaman, Founder of Eartheasy (INTERVIEW)
Family-Run Green Ecommerce Business
Liz Forkin Bohannon, Founder of Sseko Designs (INTERVIEW)
Sandals for Tuition in Uganda
Duncan So, Founder of Phinklife (INTERVIEW)
Non-Profit Building Potential Through Community
Ajay Godhwani, Founder & CEO of Intuary (INTERVIEW)
Verbally for iPad
Lon Wong, Co-Founder of Unstash (INTERVIEW)
Collaborative Consumption Platform
Non-Profit Collaboration-Enabling Groups
The Taproot Foundation is a Changemaking Organization
Jill Doucette, Founder of Synergy Enterprises (INTERVIEW)
Eco Business Consultant
Amanda Judge, Founder of The Andean Collection (INTERVIEW)
Colorful Beads That Empower Women
Tyler Gage, President and Co-Founder of Runa (INTERVIEW)
Fair Trade Ecuadorian-Sourced Guayusa Tea
Al Harris, Founder of Blue Ventures (INTERVIEW)
Marine Conservation Organization
Carbon Offsetting Cookstoves
The Paradigm Project Offers A Safe Alternative to Open Fire
Emily Hill, Founder of Stop Traffick Fashion (INTERVIEW)
Empowering Employment for Women
Conchy Bretos, Company Principal and Founder of Mia Senior Living Solutions (INTERVIEW)
Amanda Fisher, Designer at Bachhara (INTERVIEW)
Beautiful, Ethical Fashion from Indian Slums
Beneficial Business Locating Programs
The Social Impact App Uses GPS to Find Responsible Retail
Joanne Gouaux, Founder and President of Penelope Poet (INTERVIEW)
Socially Responsible Jewelry
Sarah Chayes, Founder of Arghand Cooperative (INTERVIEW)
Afghanistan-Sourced Materials
Dave Llorens, CEO of 1BOG (INTERVIEW)
Making Home Solar Affordable
Tony Whitehorn, President & CEO of Hyundai Motor UK (INTERVIEW)
Leslie Beasley, Co-Founder/Managing Director of The Open Arms Shop (INTERVIEW)
Tiana Reid, Trend Hunter Editor and PR Specialist (INTERVIEW)
Kevin Jones, Co-Founder of Good Capital (INTERVIEW)
Investment Firm with Poverty and Inequality in
Alicia Lai, Founder of Bourgeois Boheme (INTERVIEW)
Ethical Vegan Shoes
Communication-Aiding Equipment
Action Deafness Tech Provides Tools That Better Lives Across the UK
Kristin Johnson, Co-Founder of Global Mamas
Empowering Women Through Employment
Dana Raviv, Service Officer at Catchafire (INTERVIEW)
Connecting Nonprofits with Professionals
Samuel Miller of Bombastic Plastix (INTERVIEW)
Upcycled Goods Made from Balian Plastic Bags
Bike-Donating Ads
The Pedal with Pride Campaign Promotes a Cyclothon to Help Indian Children
Ken Blanchard, Co-Author of 'The One Minute Manager' (INTERVIEW)
Fuel-Efficient Cookstoves
BURN Manufacturing Provides High Quality, Cleaner Alternative Ovens
James Murphy, Founder of KereKere (INTERVIEW)
An Aussie Social Enterprise Cafe With Heart
Peter Cousins, Founder of Brighter Future Workshop
Teaching Tech Skills to Disabled Youth
Dave Simnick and Eric Vong, Founders of SoapBox Soaps (INTERVIEW)
1 for 1 Soap that Gives Back