Storytelling for solarpunk enterprise
As well as solarpunky pods, videos & articles
[Neigbourhood enterprise hub IMAGE: Olalekan Jeyifous]
What can we do to make a solarpunk world a reality? This is a question we ask ourselves a lot at SolarPunk Stories.
As well as telling thrilling tales from better futures and updating you with solarpunky news and views, we are offering something new.
We are telling the founding stories of mission-led businesses to help them grow and encourage others that a solarpunk future is possible.
[Cycling to the shops in a solarpunked Paris IMAGE Katie Patrick]
You’ve told us how much you’ve been inspired by hearing about the examples of enterprises that show the seeds of a solarpunk future today. For such businesses to work they need enough customers to thrive.
I know from my own experience of starting a mission-led business how hard it can be to succeed financially. I created the world’s first Tea Pub.
This championed small tea growers and better ways of growing, provided work experience and job opportunities to ex-offenders and sourced energy from a green power provider.
When you run a values-driven business, it’s all the more important you get enough customers to make sure it flourishes.
We’re providing this service as part of Merlin Branding. That’s because the wizard Merlin told the people the story of how Arthur took the sword from the stone, letting them know he was the right king to serve them.
Research has shown that people are 22 times more likely to remember information when it’s presented as a story and much more likely to share it with others.
Telling your founding story effectively can make a big difference for a mission-led business. It can help you get many more customers, inspire others and help create a bigger positive impact for the world as a result.
We’ve already helped tell the story of Joseph Sciarizzi at Solarpunk VC. He is providing seed investment to solarpunky start-ups. Joseph said,
“Merlin Branding expertly communicated my story and vision in a way that precisely relates to the people I’m trying to connect with.
The founding story they wrote for me has achieved much higher engagement than my normal content on social media.
I recommend getting Merlin Branding to tell your founding story as it builds trust and shows where you have shared values with your target audience. As if we don’t share values, why should we do business?
The next three enterprises that we tell the founding stories of will get a specially discounted rate. This is because we are keen to get even more testimonials from solarpunky businesses.
If you know someone who runs a mission-led business then please share our founding story service with them. Together we can help make a solarpunk world that much closer to a reality.
Podcasts to check
I recently guested on The Circular Economy Podcast where I talked about SolarPunk Stories, my favourite example of a circular business today and how this concept has already found its way into the first two episodes of SolarPunk Detective. You can listen to it here.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) did a great interview with Associate Professor of Practice in Urban Technology at the University of Michigan, Matthew Wizinsky about solarpunk and urban design.
Matthew shared a lot of interesting insights not least how , like us, he believe solarpunk is more impactful when it is more rooted. You can listen to the 18 minute interview “Solarpunk: how to design a Utopian future” here.
And…
100% wind and solar is coming! @ Just Have a Think
Gen Dread
Climate Quickie: Why happiness is key to climate action @ Climate Curious
On the Radical Possibilities of Carbon Sequestration @
Uncle Sam Wants YOU for Climate Corps @ Living on Earth
Your Light - The Big Moon @ SolarPunk Stories Playlist
Build solarpunk
The main way this substack grows is people like you sharing it. Help bring a deliciously sustainable future a little closer by passing this on to anyone you think might enjoy a dose of inspiration.
See you in the sunshine,
Alex Holland
Founder, SolarPunk Stories