Play it Green
Sustaining success
Play It Green is a subscription service offering a simple and effective route to Net Zero, providing immediate environmental and social impact.
Sustainability in three steps
Founded by friends Richard and Chris, Play It Green is a service that helps businesses to simplify their journey to Net Zero. For a small fee, businesses can sign up as members and find support to reduce carbon footprints. It takes place through Play It Green’s innovative three-step ‘Repair, Reduce, Regive’ process, which provides educational resources, support and a tree planting scheme. The business also helps members through weekly tips and product discounts to reduce their environmental impact - giving 10% back to a charitable cause of their choice.
Members can also benefit from a ‘Climate Positive Workforce’ and additional perks such as green energy brokerage, carbon literacy training, carbon footprint reporting and a Net Zero business framework.
Co-founder Richard Dickson explained: “What we’re trying to do is make sustainability accessible and understandable to everyone, and to bridge the gap between good intentions and real action.”
Bringing a bright idea to market
While developing their concept, the founders approached the GM Business Growth Hub for support to bring the service to market, and expand their network of prospective members, partners and experts for an advisory board.
Richard and Chris joined the Innovation team’s Innov8 programme, where they gained knowledge and ideas to put to use for getting their business off the ground. They also received one-to-one advice from an Eco Innovation specialist, including support to improve their digital presence and develop their professional network.
Play It Green also benefitted from the Hub’s Access to Finance service to finetune an investment pitch and prepare for investment. This additional support, which included a practice pitch session with angel investors (individuals who can provide businesses with funds in return for a share of the business) – proved key in gaining early-stage investment of £150,000.
Sustainable success
With support, Play It Green has since gone from strength to strength. It has grown its membership base to 42 clients, and at the end of 2021, entered a second phase of website development. The plan is for the website to soon become a fully functioning e-commerce platform, giving members access to wide range of additional benefits.
The founders also worked closely with the Hub’s Green Technologies and Services team to increase its profile in Greater Manchester and explore new opportunities. A specialist advisor provided market research on the potential to bring Play It Green’s service to the UK airport market. They also helped them to secure a spot for Richard at Greater Manchester’s landmark business conference PROGRESS, meaning he was able to talk about Play It Green to a huge audience of potential contacts and advisors.
If you are looking to get your business up and running, speak to one of our specialist finance experts today to see how we could help.
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