I’m Pratiksha More, and here I’ll be sharing the achievements, dramas, and experiences of 2023.
Last year was quite eventful – I met numerous people at conferences, smiled purposefully, and received a ton of emails from award companies promising a “Budding Female Entrepreneur Award” if I paid an absurd amount of money. I also had some interesting conversations with industry veterans who suggested I should join a big MNC instead of running my startup.
I'm posting this blog in June 2024 to update everyone on how I and my company are doing. I've debated whether to make this blog formal, funny, sarcastic, or subtle. Ultimately, I want it to be as human as possible. By the way, ChatGPT and Bard are my favorite go-to resources for both personal and professional queries.
Last year, I hired some incredibly creative people. I love working with smart individuals, even though I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. Being an entrepreneur is a daily grind – opening my laptop every morning and figuring out what needs to be done. I lead team calls, delegate tasks, and sometimes can’t believe how far I’ve come.
One significant milestone was on May 9th, when I registered “Sustainability 101” as a private limited company. It was frustrating to learn that the name was already taken. It took me three months to come up with a new name, and finally, I settled on “Green Genius 101 Education Private Limited.” The registration process was hectic and often confusing, but Google was a reliable friend throughout.
Now, I’m in the process of trademarking “Sustainability 101” as well. It’s been a journey, but I’m excited about what the future holds.
The 2023 Wrap-Up post can serve as the annual report for Sustainability 101.
A little bit about Sustainability 101
We are a cutting-edge environment venture driven by a singular mission: to demystify sustainability, making it both accessible and affordable for everyone.
With the clock ticking for the world to meet ambitious climate targets, we position ourselves at the forefront – carrying the sustainability torch into corporate boardrooms and family living rooms. As a cause-driven organisation, we provide the knowledge and tools to activate change-makers across the economic spectrum.
From multinational conglomerates developing mitigation roadmaps to local organizers rallying communities, we believe collaboration across groups is imperative. That is why we strive to be a conduit – translating sustainability into digestible insights that rally our clients around this shared global imperative. Our multidisciplinary expertise allows us to meet the unique needs of diverse organizations.
United by urgency, we have an opportunity to motivate action towards a thriving, equitable, carbon neutral future. We invite everyone to join us on this urgent endeavor – let’s walk the talk together.
We met super talented people along the way. It was inspiring to see so many individuals eager to learn and implement sustainability in their organizations and personal lives.
In-person ESG meetings in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Mumbai were the highlights, allowing us to see what’s really happening on the ground. Our trivia and debate sessions always stand out, adding a unique flavor to our meetups.
I personally conducted over 100 counseling sessions, guiding college students, people transitioning to ESG jobs, and company employees suddenly promoted from EHS to ESG officers. Helping them pivot their careers has been incredibly rewarding.
The great part about Sustainability 101 is our amazing alumni network. We always have supportive people around us. In fact, 25% of our alumni return for the next bootcamp and workshop we plan. We love serving them every time with the same dedication.
Hiring and firing (haha) have been part of the process. I like people who are dedicated, love what they do, and enjoy working for themselves. Very few people can stick around in a startup because there are multiple roles that one person can play here. You are not associated with one task but 10 tasks, with multiple opportunities to learn if you are ready to work hard.
But yes, everyone’s contribution made a significant impact, pushing us further with each bootcamp and workshop.
We get along with many experts we call "EDUCATORS." We take care of them very well, helping them design PPTs, sharing minute details about program attendees, and assisting with assessment questions.
In my experience last year, there are many technical experts, but only a few can translate the language of sustainability and communicate and teach with dedication and passion. We were lucky to have 28 educators last year.
GARP SCR has been a significant influence. If I had come across their books and website during the COVID times, I might have been working in climate finance or the climate transition economy in a different country.
GARP SCR Books are like a bible to me. I learned a lot and decided to teach others about the same. It had a big impact, and we thank everyone who joined us along the way.
LinkedIn is the best tool I’ve come across in my life. It gives me power and hope every day.
Every day on LinkedIn, I receive messages from unknown people saying,
"Hey, I read your post and they are insightful," or
"Hey Pratiksha, I cracked my interview because of your simple, demystified posts."
I draw courage from reading these comments and messages.
“You don't know what power you hold until and unless you are ready to explore."
I always say this to myself. Single-handedly, I took care of multiple projects, and I am grateful to every individual who trusted my abilities.
One short story about how we started the Sustainability 101 community.
I was skeptical about sharing my cellphone number on social media or even starting a group.
One day, I shared details about an upcoming bootcamp as part of our marketing efforts in Sustainability related group. A few people got angry and started saying, "Remove her, she is spamming with marketing content."
But in my mind, I was just trying to educate people through a very low-cost workshop, not even thinking about making money from it. It was simply an experiment to pass on learnings.
Later, I gathered the courage to ask my team about starting a WhatsApp group. Within a month, we had over 1,000 + participants and had to create another group to host and welcome them.
It was a proud moment for us to cater to so many people.
Today, Sustainability 101 is a thriving community of passionate individuals dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment. Our alumni network is robust, with 25% returning for future bootcamps and workshops.
Looking back, I am proud of how far we have come. From a simple idea to a vibrant community, Sustainability 101 has grown beyond my wildest dreams. This journey has taught me the power of perseverance and the incredible impact that a group of committed individuals can achieve together.
After multiple designs and alternatives, we finally concluded with the certificate design.
We hope you like it too when you receive it from us after completing the program.
I'm happy to share that over 500 + people have received their certificates and are proudly displaying them on their LinkedIn profiles in the certification section.
This gives me immense joy and happiness, knowing that we have made a meaningful impact.
Sustainability 101 has found its place in the world.
Writer
Pratiksha More.
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