Business Greenhouse Design Center

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Design Session Agendas

Business Greenhouse Design Elements

The Concept

  • Growing businesses naturally..not making them.
  • Uses natural process that has been proven over a billion years. No waste...like natural systems
  • A form of biomimicry...working in the way natural systems work. In fact, it tries to match the way we're made...so there are not any built-in conflict points (energy losses)
  • As best we try, it will be imperfect at the start, but like natural systems, it will evolve.
  • Not being done because it's cool or right thing to do (which it is); it's done because it's better....for the planet, people, and profits.
  • Living in a world of unintended consequences...global warming, financial meltdown, spill in the Gulf, ...

Measures of Success

  • While we don't think that everything that is important can be measured, some measures set a clear and helpful direction for the work.
  • Here is our current Measures of Success for the Business Greenhouse

Natural Business Approach

Natural Stages of Business Development
Natural Stages of Business Development (click to enlarge)
  • Overview
    • These are the natural stages of business development and the associated activities and characteristics of each
    • It's purpose is to enable people seeking to develop businesses to understand where they are in the natural development process and what next work might be most helpful.
    • It's ok to go in both directions ... small is beautiful...think about it as East and West...both are good...it depends on who you are, where you're going and why.
    • It's ok to stay at one stage for as long as it's healthy (giving you energy) and you're learning.
    • At this point skipping stages while possible, seems to introduce significant risks that make the business less sustainable.
    • Look across the columns and see the vast learning that is possible at each stage. Take the time to do the real work.


Natural Cycle of Business Growth
Natural Cycle of Business Development (click to enlarge)
  • Overview
    • This is the natural process that occurs at each stage of business development (see section above)
    • This is like the photosynthesis for businesses...how it converts energy into triple bottom line value.
    • It's ok to go in back if you think you forgot something important...it often how the most important discoveries are made.
    • It is essentially a systems-level design analysis based on a biology model (the study of life) versus a Newtonian model (the study of mechanics).
  • Natural Cycle Detail Process
    • So we are able to repeat, share and continuously improve the process we have created a detail process of how to do this design analysis...it's on the Natural Cycle of Business Growth - Detail Process page.
    • We'll build our knowledge, repeatable patterns and relationship wealth around this process.


Resource Networks

  • Communities
    • Idea
    • Competency
    • Funding
    • Production
  • 3X Mentoring
    • Jackie -Avalon (employee involvement, product innovation, community, )
    • Dan and John - MCBW (product innovation, community)
    • Phillip - Slo' (employee involvement, product innovation, community, )
  • Resource Platform
    • Dan S. (see Diagram)

Natural Business Test Cases

  • Viridia... trap grease to biofuel and clean water idea. Go to Viridia Test Case.
  • Breeze Cab
  • Detroit Rebuilt Ruins
  • Other Potential Cases
    • Jay's ideas
    • NJ Ein-Start
    • Comfort Co.

Research and Design Roots

The research that contributed to the development of this approach for developing 3D businesses naturally is shown on here ... 3D Business Research and Design Roots. We are very thankful for the courage and vision of these authors.

Business Greenhouse Labs

...this is where people can create "virtual work rooms" to do work...leave them messy and then transfer info when it's ready for public consumption.