Founder Spotlight: Dane Baker (EcoCart)
Meet Dane Baker
Company:
EcoCart
EcoCart’s Chrome browser plugin automatically calculates and offsets the carbon footprint of online shopping orders at no cost to the user. EcoCart donates to carefully vetted, ethically proven, and scientifically verified carbon offsetting projects that comply with the world’s major carbon standards.
Startup Stage:
Seed
Location:
San Francisco, California, USA
What led you to where you are today?
Dane has always believed strongly that entrepreneurship is the best vehicle for making positive change in the world. Previously, he founded an online peer-to-peer rental marketplace because he thought that renting, in stark contrast to consumption was a far greater net benefit for the environment - especially with high-plastic items like kayaks, snowboards, etc. Throughout operating the business, he realized that sustainability, both for businesses and consumers, was incredibly complicated and expensive, so he started EcoCart with the mission to make the fight against climate change easy, affordable, and accessible so that everyone can do their part.
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
It’s all about passion. Running a startup is a hard life - there is nothing easy about it and times truly get tough. Therefore, the absolute most important aspect of running a successful startup is “the why.” Why are you setting out to do what you’re doing? You need to be obsessively passionate about your business and the problem it’s solving and that will push you through any challenge you face.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
One of the biggest challenges has been juggling priorities and managing the team. Being a two-product company, there are so many things needing to be done that are pulling us in many different directions. Keeping the high-level objectives and company goals top of mind while at the same time ensuring the in-the-weeds details are optimal is a tough balance. As time goes on, I’ve personally gotten a lot better at this constant context-switching and prioritization of high-level objectives.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
More than happy to be a resource to all VEGPRENEURs in any way that I can. Entrepreneurship is a team sport!
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
Growing a tool like EcoCart is all about word of mouth. Would love if if you'd share EcoCart's free Chrome browser plugin with some friends or your community :)
Fun fact about you:
I obtained my black belt in Taekwondo at 10 years old!
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