It's how we live.

Sometimes, the greatest opportunities are where you least expect to find them, and the intersection of business and the environment is no exception. In fact, I think this intersection represents the single greatest opportunity of our time, but I didn’t always believe this.

My sustainability journey began at a young age. I studied the causes of acid rain and frog deformities in agricultural areas. Industrial pollution and agrochemical runoff became dinner-table talking points. I pursued a degree in environmental policy, hoping I could address sustainability issues through regulation and policymaking, spending time in the U.S. Senate, at the EPA and a number of environmental NGOs. The work was important and rewarding, but something in my worldview was shifting.  I was starting to look at the very industries and companies that we were working to regulate or campaign against as the key to driving positive impact on a large scale.

My first foray into the sustainable business space was at Seventh Generation. I was blown away by the passion and vision of Jeffrey Hollender and the company as a whole. After witnessing the positive impact consumer brands can have on the world, I had decided on a new career path.

I joined Walmart in 2008 and fully immersed myself in the world of corporate sustainability thanks to the retailer’s 200 million U.S. customers, mission to save people money so they can live better and bold sustainability goals. I created campaigns that educated consumers about the business benefits of renewable energy, helped introduce more sustainable products into stores and worked across the supply chain to better understand and quantify products’ total life cycle impacts. My tenure at Walmart solidified my belief that business embracing sustainability represents the greatest economic and environmental opportunity of our time.

Today, I find myself at home at BBMG, working at the dynamic intersection of branding, sustainability, technology and social purpose. Every day brings a new challenge and a new opportunity to engage consumers in a vision for making the world a better place. I still get to partner with the Fortune 500 set as well as with the bold visionaries at companies like Seventh Generation and Earthbound Farm. It’s a perfect fit.

Through this journey I’ve realized that there are many ways to do good work and bring sustainability and social equity to the world–and that it doesn’t matter if that mission is carried out inside the world’s largest company, at a small Vermont NGO or in the halls of government. What is important is finding the environment that excites me the most and feels the most authentic, and where I can leverage my strengths to make the greatest impact.

And, I’ve learned a few lessons along the way:

Passion is Paramount – A business case or new policy alone won’t cut it.  If you’re passionate about the issue or the outcome you’re driving towards, you’ll be much more successful. You will use the power of storytelling to bring others on board and draw attention to your initiative.

Create a Coalition – Don’t try to go it alone; build a robust team of supporters along the way and keep them updated, engaged and excited.  Share the work and share the success with your network at key milestones.

Stick with It – Having a great idea and a handful of supporters is just the start and, in some ways, the easy part. Follow-through and determination is what wil get results in the long run.