34. Creating Conscious Profitable Businesses With Catherine van der Meulen
Catherine van der Meulen
Conscious Profitable Businesses
SHOW BONUS: Complimentary 30 minute coaching session on creating a Conscious Business with Catherine van der Meulen
Catherine van der Meulen is a conscious business consultant. A coach and innovator, expert brand and marketing manager, author and keynote speaker, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Catherine advises, facilitates and empowers clients to discover and implement revolutionary change within their business to achieve holistic success and growth while reducing environmental impact.
With a strong background in fashion, growing up in the family business of SUPRÉ, Catherine is now on-purpose, creating holistic business models underpinned by sustainable values. Her consulting and coaching stems from her vision to enrich consumers to make responsible choices based on socially and environmentally-enduring principles.
During my conversation with Catherine she shares:
- How research on the journey of food led to a conscious business focus
- The alignment between personal goals and sustainable business practices
- How being sustainable is often cost-saving
- Examples of successful businesses built on ethical practices
- How an impact strategy can be implemented in stages
- The health and marketing benefits of a conscious business
- A department store’s plan for a 100% ethical and sustainable vertical supply chain by 2020
- The prevalence of, and opportunity for impact investment
- Where to begin to create a more conscious business
- The cost cutting benefits for an environmentally sustainable business
- Why you need to ask your customers what they want; and
- How educate your customers on your progress in reducing impact
Catherine’s Example Of A Customer-Centric Business
- Nespresso – for their 5 star greeting, knowledgeable staff knowing their customer habits
- Eco Caffe – biodegradable coffee capsules
Selected Links For This Episode
- Think Business Services – Catherine van der Meulen’s business
- Catherine on LinkedIn
- Catherine on Facebook
- Conscious Business Program
- BCorp Assessment – take the test to measure your business’ current impact. To identify areas of need and certification available.
- Moeloco – product with a purpose – for every pair of flip flops sold, they donate a pair of shoes to a child in poverty
“Start with 1% this year and change something in your business to be more conscious and more ethical, and do another 1% next year. In the next ten years you have then changed by 10%”-Catherine van der Meulen
“Know what your community wants rather than what you want to sell. We need to understand their lifestyle, their needs, to support them or make their life easier”-Catherine van der Meulen
On surveying customers: “I think about what I actually want to change in my business. Once I have all this information, what do I want to use it for? I work my way backwards to craft a question..to start to understand them more”-Catherine van der Meulen
On building community: “The more you know your people intrinsically, the better the outcomes are, the better the relationship”-Catherine van der Meulen
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