Friday, July 27, 2012

The Golden Circle




Well, folks have been asking, "How's it going, trying to start a new business?  Aren't you scared?"

I quip, "So far, so good."  And then I start to falter, "Warhorse Solutions is...is...blossoming...."




Alright, let's be blunt: "blossoming" is the wrong word, like a flower that just blooms when it's ready--all quiet, beautiful, and wonderful.  Actually, my company's jump into the business world is getting...serious, not my high school, backyard little "experiment" anymore. Taking my "Naturally Aggressive" WARHORSE, my other recipes, and my fine-tuned sustainable process to the big-boy- but-not-that-big-market is...not like a blossoming event.

Nope, this feels like an alien birth--foreign, sharp edges, slippery, unexpected complications, AND EXCITING because of the awesome energy that spurred this birth. In order for Be Kind to be a solution, we're going to add other members and resources to our family. Be Kind Solutions is having some birthing pains for sure.  Will it need a surgeon, scalpel, C-section, and an extra pint of blood?   Maybe...maybe not.




Ahh, there's hope with the birthing pains: My Polk County High School fellow teacher and now Summer Time Warhorse Solutions Research and Development Director Kim Mirasola just spent a week energizing science, math, and technology curriculum and told me Warhose has a lot going for it because it was conceived, nurtured, and parented with "The Golden Circle" philosophy. 

Ok, now I'll breathe easier...


Kim Mirasola applies her bio chemistry expertise for Be Kind

What? nobody ever told me about "The Golden Circle" business philosophy...so I GOOGLED it, even watched a youtube video about it.  I feel so much better now. Hey, Be Kind has sprouted in the right garden, from the right birthplace: the WARHORSE was born because two students and local Polk Co. High graduates inspired and helped me, along with my sister, who shared the WARHORSE Cleaner and its story with anyone who wanted a kind cleaning solution. 

Back to the circle:
 
The Why? Why does Warhorse exist? It's necessary to explore and innovate--innovate the way we use resources and the way we share them, particularly with our communities and schools. Let's use and move green energy into new paradigms.  Warhorse is about recycling, re-purposing, and collaboration in a way that is kind to people, pets, planet. 

The How? We (there's a growing team now) use our sustainable, green energy process to make our cleaners and soaps.  In addition to our process and products, Warhorse partners with  our communities, organizations, and schools to share resources and knowledge. Students have inspired us and we work to inspire them. 

The What? Warhorse Solutions has 2 solutions:
  • unique, non-toxic, and naturally aggressive WARHORSE cleaners and soaps made from our sustainable process.
Our new label look: Now the WARHORSE label has the energy of the WARHORSE. This is not the clearest pic, but you can see the change.
  • continued collaboration with our local schools and community with a bio systems project on our high school campus--renewable energy, hydroponics, composting, soldier flies (will explain sometime), materials engineering, sunflower project, etc, etc.  Collaboration with Dr. Houser and Dr. Taylor at Appalachian State, David Thornton Bio Systems Guru at Clemson University, and our high school science department has fired up a unique learning opportunity for Polk County School students. More news about these projects coming soon!



Now, idealism can be tricky.  Yes, Simon (from the The Golden Circle youtube video), The Why Warhorse exists is the foundation for our process and products.  In fact, the WARHORSE himself embodies our company's character--work ethic, innovation, collaboration--and a naturally aggressive goal to "make safer, value added products, following Green Chemistry Principles." Ok, we're opening up shop for the right reasons.

Regardless of The How and The What, The Why isn't going to change--doesn't matter how big this baby gets.

So now, we have to take care of the other components.  And as Simon mentions, lots of companies die before they reach the age of 3. Will Warhorse the LLC die?  We'll see.

But the WARHORSE won't.  Energy never dies.


This is Noble, our real WARHORSE.  He's a fast learner, gets bored easily, good manners, likes a challenge, and is kind to his friends. 

Noble lives nearby with Lyndsey, one of my former students who has been on this Be Kind ride with me for several years.

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