A Conversation with Colleen Spears of Spearpoint Strategies
Colleen Spears, founder and CEO of Spearpoint Strategies—a sustainability consulting firm—operates in a space where personal values meet business imperatives. “There’s this weird split that happens when people start their careers,” she says. “People who are very mission oriented, wanting to make a positive impact on the world, often go toward careers like teaching, nursing, or social work. But people who have these start-up ideas, or go into finance, or whatever business school, and they are trained in profit.”
Sustainability from the perspective of “People, Planet, Profits” (also known as the triple bottom line) is about creating business practices that are not only economically viable but also socially responsible and environmentally sound. The full concept of sustainability integrates the health of the planet, well-being of people, and the need for profitable, enduring business practices.
Spearpoint Strategies specifically advises businesses and organizations on how to operate in a more socially responsible, environmentally friendly, and economically viable manner. The consulting firm helps clients integrate sustainable practices into their operations, strategies, and overall business models.
“Generally,” says Colleen, “what I start is with companies’ stakeholder relationships. So what do your employees care about? What matters to them? What does your community care about? How are you impacting the environment? How are you communicating with your customers? Is there a way that the business can be structured and created so that when the business does well, when you’re growing, when you’re seeing profit, you’re positive impact is then tied to that success?”
Founded in 2022, Colleen has already worked with a wide range of industries—from a children’s clothing designer, a refill store, and a cabinet maker to name a few. But probably more amazing is that Colleen is only 23 years old.
“For a long time, I was like, oh, I’m going to work for ten years, fill up my network, and then start my business,” says Colleen. “So, I could wait until I was thirty, but then what? Go through a career change, become settled in the [sustainability] business by 35… Or, I could just start now and maybe have a fully established business by my late twenties. If I know what I want, I’m not necessarily going to wait to act on it.”
“And you know, it’s just it’s cool to own my own business.”
Colleen explains that networking is a big part of her entrepreneurial plan. “Living out the sort of spring break movie style version of my 20s was never something on my radar. And I’m talking to folks I wouldn’t otherwise reach out to. You know, CEOs or vice presidents of big companies are happy to chat with me for 30 minutes. There’s no reason I’d be on that video call with them if I didn’t have a company. I don’t feel I’m necessarily missing out on things.”
To find potential clients, Colleen researches companies who align with her values, downloads the corporate suite list of names, and reaches out to them through LinkedIn. A lot of companies are interested in sustainability because either their employees or customers are interested in sustainability. “A lot of owners want to be seen as like the opposite of Scrooge,” Colleen quips. “They want to be well respected by people. Helping others, that’s a good feeling, so I zero in on that feeling.”
“Businesses are very nimble,” says Colleen. “They’re able to make decisions quickly, form partnerships quickly, and they have a huge impact. Businesses shape the world in a lot of ways. So, if we can put all the strengths of businesses to work in the world in a positive way, then that is an incredible amount of power to be harnessed, right?”
By integrating social responsibility with business objectives, Colleen demonstrates that even young entrepreneurs can make a significant difference, proving that a commitment to sustainability and personal vision can shape a powerful and successful career. You don’t need to wait for the “right” moment to start a business.
The mission of Spearpoint Strategies is to address social and environmental challenges by promoting sustainable business strategy and helping organizations make a positive impact through our consulting work. The firm offers a comprehensive range of services to help businesses enhance their sustainability efforts. The Spearpoint Sustainability Audit provides a personalized roadmap for companies to assess and advance their impact without long-term commitments. For those seeking ongoing support, the Fractional Director of Sustainability service offers expert guidance and project management, allowing companies to achieve their sustainability goals without building an in-house team. Spearpoint also assists with B Corp Certification, streamlining the process to ensure timely and efficient progress. Additionally, Spearpoint Sustainability Trainings equip teams with the knowledge to engage effectively in sustainable business practices, integrating sustainability into their core strategies, fostering innovation and value creation.
