How A Good Lawyer Can Make A Difference For Your Sustainable Business

Julie Starr • August 9, 2022



There are a lot of essential facets to running a successful and sustainable business. Making sure you have the right team in place, covering all your bases legally, and marketing yourself most effectively are all crucial aspects to consider. However, finding the right lawyer for your company is often overlooked. A good lawyer can make a world of difference for your business and can help you avoid costly legal mistakes. The following blog will discuss some key reasons you should consider hiring a lawyer for your sustainable business.

1) A Lawyer Can Help You Avoid Potential Legal Problems

One of the main reasons you should consider hiring a lawyer for your sustainable business is to help avoid potential legal problems . There are a lot of rules and regulations that businesses have to follow, and it can be challenging to keep up with all of them. A lawyer can help make sure your business is in compliance with all applicable laws and can help you avoid costly mistakes.

For example, let’s say you’re starting a sustainable fashion company. Many laws apply to the fashion industry, including those governing labor standards, environmental regulations, and intellectual property rights. A good lawyer will be familiar with these laws and can help make sure your business is following them. This will not only help you avoid costly legal penalties, but it will also protect your reputation.

2) A Lawyer Can Help You Negotiate Contracts

One of the most important things a lawyer can do for your sustainable business is to help you negotiate contracts. This is especially important if you partner with other businesses or organizations. A lawyer can help you draft an agreement that is fair to all parties and protects your interests. They can also advise you on what terms to include in the contract and how to negotiate if there are disagreements.

Entering into a contract can be a complex process, but having a lawyer on your side can make it much easier. They can help ensure that the contract meets your needs and objectives and that it is legally binding. Contracts are an essential part of any business, so it’s important to have someone who knows what they’re doing when it comes to negotiating and drafting them.

3) A Lawyer Can Help You Protect Your Intellectual Property

As a sustainable business, you likely have some unique processes or products. You might also have developed some innovative ways to do things. If so, you need to protect your intellectual property (IP).

A lawyer can help you understand your IP and how to protect it. They can also help you if someone infringes on your IP. For example, if someone copies your product design or steals your trade secrets, a lawyer can help you stop them and get compensation.

Without a lawyer, it would be much harder to protect your IP. You might not even know that someone has stolen from you until it’s too late. So, if you want to safeguard your sustainable business, talk to an attorney about how you can go about making it happen.

4) A Lawyer Can Help You Raise Capital

If you want to grow your sustainable business, you will likely need to raise capital. This can be done through various methods, including equity financing, debt financing, and grants. A lawyer can help you navigate the process of raising capital and ensure that you are compliant with all applicable laws.

Equity financing is when you sell an ownership stake in your company in exchange for funding. This can be done through private placement or public offering. Again, a lawyer can help you structure the deal and negotiate terms with investors.

Debt financing is when you borrow money from lenders and agree to pay it back with interest over time. A lawyer can help you negotiate terms with lenders and draft loan agreements.

Grants are another source of funding that can be used to grow your sustainable business. Grants are typically awarded by government agencies or foundations to support businesses that are working to achieve specific social or environmental objectives. Again, a lawyer can help you identify grant opportunities and prepare applications.

Raising capital is essential to growing your sustainable business, and a lawyer can help you navigate the process.

5) A Lawyer Can Help You Resolve Disputes

If you are in a sustainable business, chances are good that you will eventually have to deal with some sort of dispute. Whether it is a customer who is unhappy with your product or a supplier who doesn’t want to honor their contract, a lawyer can help you resolve the issue quickly and efficiently. In many cases, simply having a lawyer on your side can make all the difference in the world.

Of course, not every dispute will end up in court. In fact, most disputes are resolved through negotiation and mediation. But if you do find yourself in court, it is essential to have a good lawyer by your side. A good lawyer will know the law’s ins and outs and can navigate the legal system quickly and efficiently.

6) A Lawyer Can Help You Comply With Laws And Regulations

As a sustainable business, you likely must comply with various laws and regulations. This can be daunting, but a good lawyer can help ensure you are in compliance. In addition, they can help you understand the laws and regulations that apply to your business and develop compliance plans.

Complying with the law is essential to running a sustainable business. You could face heavy fines or even jail time if you don’t. So, if you want to run your sustainable business effectively and efficiently, make sure you have a good lawyer on your team.

In conclusion, a good lawyer can make a huge difference in your sustainable business. They can help you protect your intellectual property, raise capital, resolve disputes, and comply with laws and regulations. So if you want to safeguard your sustainable business, make sure you have a good lawyer on your team.

 

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.