A review of New York Entrepreneur Week 2010
By Rachel Starobinsky
Last week, at the Scholastic Auditorium in New York City, hundreds of people gathered together and over 120,000 tuned in live to experience New York Entrepreneur Week (NYEW). This event, the only one of it’s kind in New York, was devised by Gary Whitehill in hopes to bring together the New York entrepreneurial community so that we may learn, grow, network, and ultimately drive economic change through the opportunities and connections generated throughout the week.
Although the words “design strategy” were never spoken on any of the panels, it became evident that even if it wasn’t mentioned, it most certainly is a part of business today. The idea of the sustainable business model and the triple bottom line (which focuses on people, planet, and profit) was interwoven in every panel. The whole point of having a business is to make a profit; that is a given, but the majority of all discussions came around to ethics and how entrepreneurs now have social and environmental responsibilities. Both events encouraged that the long-term viability of a business is now dependent on the successful use of the triple bottom line; profit is no longer the only factor.
There were a number of examples of entrepreneurs currently implementing design strategy and the new, more holistic business model. Green Apple Cleaners, a dry-cleaning company that uses liquid CO2 for their process, which is the most benign to our health and the environment, is one such innovative business. The owner, David Kistner was a panelist on the closing day of the event, which focused on sustainability and having an eco-conscious business. The only unfortunate thing about the entire week was seeing how the majority of the participants did not necessarily see the importance of the “green” panel. Throughout the week, there were hundreds of people in their seats, and on that last day, the number of attendees had dwindled down greatly. The highly knowledgeable panel included David Kistner of Green Apple Cleaners, Stefan Doering of BEST Coaches, Inc., Erica Grigg of Carbon Outreach, and Ari Meisel of LEEDPro. The panel discussed how being a green company is profitable and beneficial for business. Their insights were quite valuable and their causes great, and it was unfortunate that they did not get to speak to a packed house.
It was a busy week, and tycoons large and small from all over were in New York City to improve themselves and their companies. As so succinctly put by Peter Shankman of HARO on the first day of NYEW, an entrepreneur’s mission is to elicit “passion; to infect.” The diverse group of panelists throughout the week showed the audience that a successful venture could be started by anyone: a woman or a man, young or old. The influx of younger entrepreneurs has led to a new set of role models using the triple bottom line, and a new standard for the next generation of business-owners. Design strategy has become an integral part of the way business is conducted. The new model has come into play.
As a LEED Accredited Design Professional, Rachel been practicing sustainable design in New York City for a number of years. She earned her BFA from New York School of Interior Design, and is currently working towards her MPS in Design Management at Pratt Institute.
