Sheryl Guarniero With GreenHer Earth

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open for Business. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here. Another episode of GWBC Open for Business, and this is going to be a fun one. Today on the show, we have Sheryl Guarniero with GreenHer Earth. Welcome, Sheryl.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:00:31] Hi, Lee. Thank you so much for having me on.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:33] Well, I am so excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us about GreenHer Earth. How are you serving folks?

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:00:39] GreenHer Earth, we are a sustainability firm. So, what we do and what that means, because sustainability has lots of definitions nowadays, is we’re working with businesses and companies to help them measure their impact on the planet and reduce their carbon footprint. And then, also, continue to improve that throughout the years and incorporate that, also weave it into what they do and how they do it, and really tell their story to the public and their employees. And if they have a board, their board.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:17] Now, how did you get into this line of work? What attracted you to sustainability?

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:01:21] Well, I’ve been in the environmental industry for, gosh, just under 20 years now. Originally, when I went to college, I was like, “I want to go save all the wild animals,” and very much that conservation space. And in the real world, that’s a volunteer position, which I very much still do volunteer work. But I got into the field of environmental consulting and a lot of it, up until recently, was mostly just kind of cleaning up other people’s messes, I call it.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:01:56] You get some companies that were just irresponsible with the planet, and we’d have to come in and fix what they created a mess of. And then, while we were in there, we would start giving them tips and feedback and really helping them navigate the waters of being more proactive to prevent these messes later.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:02:19] And as time has gone on, especially within the last two to three years, a lot of attention has come forward to climate change in our carbon footprint and being more responsible human beings, and that has really turned into its own space now. And that’s when I am feeling the push and pull now of individuals who don’t even know what this means are finally recognizing its importance.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:02:45] So, now, it’s really time to let it spread its wings on its own and be what it needs to be to help them, you know, be more proactive. There’s a lot of companies now that want to be responsible and do the responsible thing ahead of time versus just let’s do what we can to make as much money and deal with the consequences later.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:03:07] So, that’s really what caused me to pivot more into this individual sustainability piece, which was always there, but it never had a name because these larger companies didn’t see a monetary value behind it. And now they do, which is a great thing for us. But that’s really how I stepped into creating this space. And now I get to really work with some amazing individuals and companies who are here to do really, really good things

Lee Kantor: [00:03:37] Now, for the listener who isn’t as familiar with these terms as you are, can you share a little bit about how sustainability is a little different than just environmentally conscious? It kind of bleeds into socially conscious. So, if I think sustainability means environmental stuff that I can in my head go, “Well, I’m not manufacturing anything. So, really, does it pertain to me?” But, to me, sustainability is not just kind of environmental and maybe just carbon footprint. If you’re a services firm, you still can have a sustainability program.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:04:19] Absolutely. Interestingly enough I like to throw in tidbits of statistics because I feel like they resonate really well with people and it’s easy to understand. So, for example, a lot of pushback I get is from firms that are remote or they’re like, “We don’t make anything, so we don’t really have any waste.” I mean, we all have waste, of course. But what I think a lot of individuals and companies even now don’t realize is the carbon footprint behind technology.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:04:53] And that just within the last year, the carbon emissions that are associated with just using computers, and technology, and social media, and using the software and such to run your company, the emissions on that was higher than the airline industry. So, there’s this level of importance across the board that we all not only pay attention to our environmental footprint, you know, what you’re throwing away, or are you recycling, and all the basics that I think many of us know already.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:05:32] But they’ve discovered and there’s been studies done by Yale and Harvard that the environmental piece, the social piece, and the environmental pieces are intricately interwoven with each other. So that you need to have both in order for them to really, truly work. You need to be taking care of your community and be taking care of the individuals that live there, whether they’re customers, clients, or employees. Because if somebody is worried about where their next meal is coming from or how they’re going to pay for their health insurance, they can’t possibly be concerned about their carbon footprint or what’s happening to the planet. And so, that’s a huge integral piece.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:06:20] I will stop there because I’m sure we’ll get into it a little bit deeper. But it’s a huge benefit to companies, to their employees, to their retention rates, to a number of things. It’s a very big money saver and money maker being holistically sustainable, as I call it.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:39] And then, especially in today’s competitive environment when it comes to attracting talent, especially if your talent is young people, if you don’t have kind of a why associated or a mission that’s worth kind of being part of, it’s going to be hard to attract young people to be your employees. So, I think sustainability is an area where a lot of organizations maybe have underinvested in terms of attracting talent. And then, if you can kind of put a good sustainability story together for your company and really walk the walk, then attracting quality talent becomes a lot easier.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:07:22] Definitely. There’s been a ton of studies done. One of the statistics that’s out there – and this one’s actually a little bit older, it’s a couple of years older, so this might have changed and become even a better number – employee retention rates on a company that focuses on their sustainability, and their mission, and their vision, and how they’re impacting the planet both environmentally and socially, they have a 98 percent retention rate of their employees. So, 98 percent of their employees stick around year over year versus a traditional business that isn’t focused on that. And you’re looking at that number anywhere from 80 to 85 percent.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:08:08] So, to make it simple, as a business owner, if you’re spending $10,000 a year on training an employee, if two of those employees leave, that’s $20,000 out of your pocket. But if 15 of those employees leave, that’s $150,000 out of your pocket. So, you’re saving $130,000 just by focusing and growing your sustainability of your organization, both from an environmental impact as well as a social impact.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:45] Now, can you talk a little bit about how you work with organizations? Is this something that they have zero sustainability? Or they have kind of just a minimal and then you come in and say, “Okay. Where are areas we can really lean into this?” Or is it something that they’re already doing a decent job and they’re just trying to get to a new level?

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:09:04] I think most organizations now it’s pretty standard to have some kind of environmental policy, whether if it’s an office just recycling or purchasing somewhat responsibly through your standard supplier. So, I think most companies have this bare minimum basic foundation, which is fabulous. And something is always better than nothing.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:09:29] But, yes, most of the companies that I come into, you know, the larger organizations depending on the industry, can have a pretty comprehensive – what they call – an environmental management system. And they are trying to do the right thing within the organization socially with making it diverse and making sure they’re paying well and such. But there’s always room for improvement, just like there’s always new technology coming out.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:09:59] But most of the time, I want to say most of my clients, they’re doing basic stuff that they’ve read about. And they don’t realize a lot of the additional things they could be doing or how accessible things are. Because being sustainable and dealing with things like renewable energy, like solar panels, or updating fixtures within a building from a physical standpoint, it’s gotten much cheaper.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:10:24] And especially even in the packing industry and shipping as well as the restaurant industry, a lot of those items that you’re using to mail things out, bubble wrap, the Styrofoam containers people are using, there’s still this old thought process around, “Well, anything sustainable, compostable, anything made of paper or anything like that, so it’s going to be more expensive.” And it’s actually not. It’s actually just as comparable in price or cheaper. And so, that’s a big thing coming in and kind of blowing these old myths out of the water that are still sticking around is a lot of what usually ends up happening on my end.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:11:06] And from the governance perspective – governance meaning how you’re handling the internal company culture – that is a big one that I think a lot of my companies, especially right now with what was happening with cancel culture and a lot of things being very public with social media nowadays, it’s a huge piece of the puzzle that they just kind of stand there and, “I have no idea what to do. I don’t want to do anything because I don’t want to offend anybody. But I want to do something because I don’t want to look like I’m doing nothing.”

Lee Kantor: [00:11:40] That’s a tough balancing act.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:11:44] Absolutely.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:45] Now, do you have a niche in terms of types of company you work with? Are they manufacturing? Are they kind of in supply chain? Like, do you have an area that you specialize in?

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:11:58] Interestingly enough, my niche is not necessarily specific, like a fashion company or a company that produces widgets and mails them out. It’s actually more around the individuals that own the company. So, my niche is around individuals who are owners who are ready to be responsible. They tend to be more forward thinking. They’re like, “All right. I don’t want the traditional corporation.” I know you and I had this conversation before we started recording. But they want to be out of the box. They don’t want that traditional corporate feel. They don’t want the traditional corporate offices.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:12:37] And not to say that everyone can’t do this, but that tends to be the people that I work with and that seek me out are the ones that are ready for change. They’re ready to make the change. And they’re already there ready to think about working outside of the box. Because going through the process with me through, you know, an overall audit as well as progressing to a B Corp certification, if that’s something that they would like to do, it requires a lot of change and a lot of being open minded. Because maybe there’s hard things that need to happen, things that might require a little bit of investment.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:13:22] So, you know, typically that is somebody who has the most success and usually who I tend to work more with. It kind of comes across like any other business. We get people from other areas coming in and going, “What are you doing? Can I be a part of that?” even if they’re not necessarily ready.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:42] So, now, let’s talk about what an engagement looks like. So, I can have any type of business. I could be a law firm. I could be an owner of a restaurant or six restaurants in my area. And I can say, “I want to do a better job. I am going to call Sheryl and her team.” Kind of what’s the initial conversations look like? And how do you kind of help me, you know, be the best me I can be?

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:14:12] So, initially, what I always start off with is just what I just said earlier, that, there’s going to be a lot of change happening. So, to to be prepared for that and step into it with an open mind. If there is more than one individual involved, for example, if there’s a board or something like that, I always request that everybody who’s going to be involved in making these decisions is present for this. And that we do have one person kind of like a champion within the company that once we get the ball rolling, I can communicate with so that we don’t have 85 cooks in the kitchen and then things get hung up and we don’t get anywhere.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:14:53] But, typically, what I’ll do is I’ll come in and sit down and we’ll go through what you’re doing currently, how things are going, what they think their problem areas are, or what they feel they need assistance with. Because usually people do come to me, you know, as businesses, not just myself, but we provide solutions to problems. And so, we’ll kind of deep dive into that.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:15:18] And then, typically, I ask them to walk me through their processes. So, what exactly is it that you do here? Law firms easy, “We’re just practicing law and we have offices here, here, and here.” Versus a manufacturing facility where they take in X and produce Y. But I need to understand the bigger picture of what exactly is happening on an operations level in order to take a look at that, as well as taking a look at the HR piece of it, so that dives a bit deeper.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:15:51] But that’s something that we take a look at all of the policies that your organization has, which, again, it involves allowing your individual employees, not only to be paid well, but also to be able to go out into the community and give back and promoting that also. And then, looking at how they’re weaving what they’re doing into their company. Honestly, the biggest conversation I have to have with anyone that I speak to, regardless of how long they’ve been in business is, “What is your mission, what is your vision, and why are you doing this.”

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:16:29] And you’d be surprised, you know, sometimes people who are new feel like they’re behind the ball on that. And you’d be surprised at how many very well-established, not only experienced owners, but well- established businesses, don’t have a clear mission, vision, and why behind what they’re doing. And that then translates into everything across the company. And then, that allows me to ask, “Well, why do you want to work with me? Why do you want to do this for your company?” Because, truly, that is going to be the driving force behind everything we do.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:17:07] The little ticking off the boxes, and the audits, and the checklists, and stuff that we do when we work together, you know, I can go through a company soup to nuts, and that’s all the how of what we get it done. The bigger picture is the why they’re doing that and making sure that they’re behind that. That the board is behind that. You’re all moving the ship in the right direction. And communicating that with, not only the employees, but also the customers and clients.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:36] Now, in order to work with you, is my firm have to be of a certain size? Can you do a startup? Or is this something you have to have like a million dollars in revenue or ten million? Is there kind of a financial investment that I have to be aware of that if I’m going to go down this path, I’m going to have to be prepared to invest, you know, a certain amount of money in order to solve this problem?

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:18:01] Absolutely. So, typically, from an operations standpoint, I’m working with companies from an employee size anywhere from five or more employees, that’s the tiniest. Two companies that I’ve worked with that have hundreds of employees. So, that’s more of we’re going to come in very in-depth piece of the puzzle and look at everything you’re doing and everything I just explained. I also have had startups come to me and just kind of go, “I want to do things right from the beginning,” so I can kind of guide them. I have content for that in such that I’ve created to help them get on the right track.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:18:49] And then, depending on where they’re at, I’ve had people that have come to me who have had the revenue from another company. So, their current business that we’ve worked on and they’re like, “I want to start this other thing.” So, technically, it is a startup, but they want to get it right from the get-go so that they don’t have to backpedal and try and fix it later, and maybe potentially cost themselves a little bit more money than they anticipated trying to resolve the issues they’ve had.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:19:15] But, generally, the companies that I’m working with have been well- established. They definitely have been in business for at least about two years and you’re looking at revenue not in the millions per se, but about, like, a quarter to a-half-a-million is about where a lot of this comes in and people start to feel like they have it. You know, they’re like, “I can’t manage this anymore. I’m not really sure where things are going.” So, generally, that’s where it’s at. But I don’t discourage startups from reaching out to me simply because it is better to do it right from the get-go. And I definitely have resources for them for that if they choose to go that route.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:00] Now, you mentioned benefits corporation, can you share a little bit for the people who aren’t aware what a B Corp is and how that is a kind of a nice thing to think about if you’re thinking about getting into, “This is important to you. If sustainability is important to you, then educating yourself about being a B Corp might help you do this.”

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:20:24] Yes. B Corp is my heart and soul. So, a B Corp, a simple way to put it, it’s a stamp for your company. So, it’s simply very similar to almost the organic stamp that they put on food. Or if you’re familiar with construction, like the lead stamp that they give you for a building showing you that building is doing all of the right environmental things and they’ve made it so that it’s very efficient and et cetera, et cetera. So, B Corp is that stamp of approval, very simply.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:21:03] But when you dig a little deeper into it and the benefits to it, I mean, there’s lots of tangible benefits. But, really, it’s this amazing space where it is a form of an audit, but it is very well contained. So, they look at five different areas of your company, which is part of what I look at as well, your governance, your employees, your community, the environment, and your customers. And so, it’s making sure that you’re doing everything that you possibly can. And there’s scores involved around it, you have to meet a minimum score. B Lab is the one that helps run and audit this B Corp certification.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:21:53] And there’s a beautiful community around it, some of the larger companies that are B Corp certified, like Patagonia, Allbirds, the shoe companies B Corp certified. I believe that Avon is going through their B Corp certification as we speak. So, there’s a lot of notable companies that are doing this. So, definitely, this isn’t just a passing phase. It’s going to stick around.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:22:20] Part of being a B Corp that I think sometimes gets lost in communication, but is one of, I believe, the biggest benefits, is, there’s a legal status. So, most companies, you know, you’re either an LLC or C Corp or an S Corp, in order to be a business you have to have paperwork saying, “I’m a business.” So, part of being a B Corp is legal structure of a benefit corporation. So, that looks very similar to a regular corporation, whether you’re an S Corp or a C Corp.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:22:53] So, a regular company, if your designation is not an LLC, but a corporation designation, the benefit of being a benefit corporation is that you’re allowed to preserve what you’ve created and make decisions around the company based on the company culture that you’ve built, or the benefits you provide, or the environmental sustainability from making sure that you’re using packaging that is biodegradable or compostable. All of those tiny details that you’ve poured your heart and soul into when you’ve created your company, those get to be preserved.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:23:32] Because as a C Corp, if you’re going to sell or if you have a board, you have to follow the money. I like to call it follow the profit. So, they’ll do whatever they need to do as long as it’s focused towards the profit. You have to deliver the highest profits to your shareholders. Or if you’re going to sell, you have to sell to the highest bidder. And if those shareholders or that purchasing company or anything of that nature wants to gut your company and just use the brand, wants to fire everybody, wants to sell off to a larger corporation that is going to potentially deconstruct everything that you’ve just spent your life creating, you can’t do anything about it.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:24:16] In fact, legally, as a regular corporation, if you try to, they can sue you and you can get into a lot of trouble. Versus this Benefit Corporation designation where you get to call the shots. And you get to say, “No, we’re not going to sell to that company.” Or, “We’re not going to do this board of shareholders because it’s detrimental to the planet, it’s detrimental to our employees within the company.” And there’s nothing they can really say to that. Nobody can sue you. And it’s a larger conversation that you get to have and no one can force anybody to do anything.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:24:56] And so, the B Corp certification allows you to create that beautiful company, and also retain it, and hold it, and keep on to it, and make sure that it lives on as a legacy beyond you as an individual. So, it’s a very comprehensive certification.

Lee Kantor: [00:25:16] Right. But it’s not a nonprofit. You can be a for-profit business and be a B Corp.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:25:21] Yes.

Lee Kantor: [00:25:21] Like, it’s different than a nonprofit. So, I think that’s an important distinction. And a lot of folks kind of lump them together. And it’s not the case. There’s no shame in making money or making a profit. It’s kind of where your heart is and your intentions, I think.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:25:39] Yes. Actually, you cannot get B Corp certified if you are a nonprofit. They are for for-profit companies only. And if you want to kind of sum it up, it helps you make money responsibly. Make sure that you’re taking care of the planet and the people that are living on it. And you still get to make profits.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:26:02] I mean, one of my clients, we cut their carbon footprint in half, literally in half. And in that same year, their sales and revenue increased 704 percent. So, they went from making a little over $100,000 a year within one year. Within that year, they made just over, I think, close to 1.1 million.

Lee Kantor: [00:26:29] Right. So, that’s why it’s important. You can do well and do good. Those aren’t mutually exclusive.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:26:38] Yeah. Not at all.

Lee Kantor: [00:26:38] And that’s one of the things I think is important for business people to understand. And I’m sure that you help educate that with your help, they can kind of have it both ways. I mean, they could serve their community, they can serve their people, they can grow as an organization and a company, and be more profitable. So, it’s a win-win-win all the way around. And it’s, I think, really important for folks to understand that there is kind of a better way out there. And I’m sure with your help, you can really take companies to new levels that they didn’t even think was possible.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:27:15] Yes. Yes. What we do helps provide, not only a lot of the things I mentioned, but it’s a level of security. It’s actually much more secure than the corporate model of for-profit all the time. I think we’ve all shifted out of that.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:27:34] Back to the startups, like, I’ve had companies that in their kind of VC phases, you know, for tech companies, when you’re raising funds for investors and things like that, they do have employees at that point helping. Some might be working pro bono because they believe in the mission. But having a lot of these individual things set in place and you can be a pending B Corp, actually, and have a designation, have that stamp to show that you’re already starting to do the good things. You’re just not fully in business yet.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:28:12] And having all of that spelled out and starting to implement it actually made them a better investment to VCs and investors who they were looking to get money from. These investors saw them as more secure, less of a liability, less of a risk. And they really, truly connected with what they were doing and had this amazing appreciation for everything they were starting to do.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:28:36] So, whether you’re a startup looking to get that funding or you’re somebody who’s already established and looking to even get more money to infuse into the business to expand or grow, being a B Corp or even just instilling these items that I do within my audit when I come into companies, that’s a huge benefit as well being incredibly secure to the people that are going to invest in you.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:29:04] And just for your own personal well-being, being able to look at your finances within your company and what’s going in and what’s coming out monetarily-wise. And knowing like, “Wow. I’m in a really great place and this is all working well.” And you can almost, in a way, set it and forget it for a little while. And then, you know, revisit and retool every once a year or once every two years once you’ve really got a solid foundation set in place.

Lee Kantor: [00:29:32] Now, we’re talking a lot about community collaboration, things like that at the heart of your work. Can you talk a little bit about why it was important for you and your firm to be part of the Greater Women’s Business Council? Was there something that you saw in that group that attracted you? I know you mentioned to me that you moved from the north to South Carolina. Now, can you talk about how getting involved with GWBC has helped your organization?

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:29:59] Oh, gosh. Well, it helped me immensely. I belong to many others, not necessarily women business focused, but just overall. In my years of business, I’ve joined groups and organizations. And the level of giving back that the organization does, there’s always, always some kind of event, whether it’s in person or virtual. Talking not only about a specific item in your business, whether if you’re a retail provider helping increase your retail sales, things like that, but they’re connecting you.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:30:40] The biggest thing is the community, the connections I’ve received just through participating in events or virtual events, even just making these connections with individuals across the board. Not only are all the women I’ve met been wonderful in helping and collaborating and wanting to help, but also just the individuals coming in and teaching these courses that the organization is promoting, or the pop-up marketplaces, or the specific networking events. And that was a huge draw for me was that level of community, and support, and knowing. The resources were a huge bonus.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:31:28] But when I originally saw all of the website and looking through everything and going, “Oh wow. I really want to join this organization. Let me make this happen.” You know, a big piece of it was that level of community that I was seeing that was there.

Lee Kantor: [00:31:43] Well, Sheryl, congratulations on all the success. If somebody wants to learn more about what you’re up to and get on your calendar or just kind of explore some of the resources you discussed, is there a website?

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:31:54] Yes. Absolutely. Actually, our website is greenher.earth. Which just worked out, I didn’t even know dot earth was an extension, but it is. That’s our website. And through there, you can contact me directly via email. And we also have links to our social media, too, if you’re a little bit more inclined to pop on Instagram and send a DM. I know I’ve gotten contacted that way quite a few times.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:32:20] And, also, our social media, especially Instagram, we’re always updating it and not only providing tips and tricks and showing people new technology that’s coming out that’s really cool, but we’re also updating that and connecting people through through that. Featuring businesses that are doing good, we love to do features. And just really focusing on creating community there so that everybody who wants to be involved in this doesn’t feel like they’re doing it on their own.

Lee Kantor: [00:32:53] Well, thank you again for sharing your story. You’re doing important work and we appreciate you.

Sheryl Guarniero: [00:32:57] Thank you so much, Lee. Thank you for having me on.

Lee Kantor: [00:33:00] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We will see you all next time on GWBC Open for Business.