We know that bespoke consulting projects and counsel is expensive. For most small businesses, hiring a consulting firm to help with strategy, reputation, and sustainability sits somewhere between “someday” and “never,” even when the owner cares deeply about how the business treats its people, its community, and the planet. We also know how impactful small businesses can be to the global economy, and how deeply committed to sustainability so many small businesses are.
Since Veerless’ inception, it’s always bothered us that our services can’t always fit the small business budget. Most Veerless clients are multi-billion-dollar companies. We build their sustainability strategies, write their reports, and prepare them for regulations around the world. We love that work, and we love the companies we have the privilege to serve each day. But Veerless is a small business too, and we see ourselves in the coffee shop owner sourcing ethically, the studio founder weighing B Corp certification, and the landscaper trying to cut fuel costs and emissions at the same time.
So as a small, Minneapolis-grown B Corp, we are committed to extending the frameworks and knowledge we build for the world’s largest companies to small businesses as well. We call this work Veerless Ventures. Read more on how we engage with small businesses and share our knowledge and resources.
First, we buy small.
Our purchasing is the simplest place to start. Every year, our client gifts showcase small companies, most of them certified B Corps, so our clients meet makers they might never have found on their own.
Our everyday purchasing follows the same rule. We choose women-owned, minority-owned, and local Minneapolis businesses whenever we can. As a women-owned B Corp, we know what one steady customer means to a small company.
Second, we built a diagnostic sized for small companies.
Small businesses ask big questions. Are we ready to become a B Corp? Which certifications matter in our industry? Where do we even start?
Our Responsibility and Sustainability Readiness Diagnostic answers them. We ensure this diagnostic is priced for any company’s scope, so a business of any size can get expert guidance on sustainability and corporate responsibility. You get the same thinking we bring to our largest clients, focused on the decisions in front of you.
Third, we built industry-specific guides for small businesses for less than the price of a book.
Not every business needs a consultant. Many need a clear place to start.
The Veerless Ventures shop on Etsy offers $19 industry guides built for small business owners, covering:
- Coffee shops
- Yoga studios
- Gyms and fitness studios
- Nail salons
- Retail boutiques
- Interior design and remodeling firms
- Home cleaning services
- Landscaping companies
- Healthcare practices
- Tech services firms
- PR and communications firms
Each guide turns the frameworks we use with large companies into practical steps across people practices, community relationships, environmental footprint, and core business ethics. The library keeps growing, from first ethics audits to B Corp certification roadmaps.
Browse the guides at veerless.etsy.com, or reach out at veerless.com/connect to talk about the Readiness Diagnostic.