Are you about starting an environmental consulting company? If YES, here is a complete sample environmental consulting business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting an environmental consulting company. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample environmental consulting marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for environmental consulting companies. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.
Environmental consulting is one of many business niche ideas in the consulting industry that someone with certification in environmental management can successfully launch in the united states and still breakeven within record time if indeed they know their worth.
As an environmental consultant, there are loads of industries that you can consult for. You can work for the construction industry, water resources, oil and gas, agriculture, mining, and a host of other industries as long as they have things to do with the environment.
If you have decided to start an environmental consulting firm, then you must make sure that you carry out thorough feasibility studies and also market survey.
This will enable you properly locate the business in a community or city with the right demographic composition. Business plan is yet another very important business document that you should not take for granted in the bid to launching your own environmental consulting firm.
Below is a sample environmental consulting firm business plan template that will guide you towards writing your own business plan and ultimately launching your own business.
A Sample Environmental Consulting Firm Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
The environmental consulting industry is made up of firms that offer advice to businesses and federal governments on environmental issues such as controlling environmental contamination. Environmental consultants identify problems, measure and evaluate risks and recommend solutions.
A standard environmental consulting firm employs a multi – disciplined staff of scientists, engineers and other technicians.
A close study of the environmental consulting industry shows that the industry has experienced varied results over the past five years, as an increasing emphasis on environmentally sustainable behaviors has been offset by a decline in government funding.
On the other hand, rising private investment as a result of improving economic conditions, coupled with an increasing focus by consumers and organizations on reducing human impact on the environment, has more recently renewed revenue growth for the industry.
Besides, disasters have boosted demand for consultants due to the need for emergency site remediation and cleanups. The future of environmental consulting is promising as well. Environmental regulations are anticipated to increase, particularly in the areas of oil drilling and energy dependence.
The Environmental Consulting industry is indeed a large industry and active in countries such as United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Australia and Canada et al. Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 58,116 registered and licensed environmental consulting firms responsible for employing about 127,651 and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $16 billion annually.
The industry is projected to grow at -1.0 percent annual growth within 2012 and 2017. It is important to state that AECOM, CH2M, and Tetra Tech have the lion market share in the industry.
A recent report published by IBISWORLD shows that the Environmental Consulting industry is characterized by a low level of market share concentration. The report also stated that in 2017, the four largest companies operating in the industry accounted for only 21.6 percent of total industry revenue.
Tetra Tech Inc. is currently the largest company in the industry, accounting for 7.4 percent of industry revenue. The company earned about $2.6 billion in total revenue in fiscal 2016 and it is estimated to earn $1.2 billion in industry-specific revenue in fiscal 2017.
The industry is largely composed of small operators, many of which are non-employers. Relatively high-profit margins and low barriers to entry allow many small businesses or sole proprietors to enter this industry and provide consulting work in their field of expertise.
One good thing about the environmental consulting business is that there are readily available markets for their services.
This is so because in most cases, organizations that are looking towards achieving excellence and good results in any of their environmentally inclined projects would naturally want some professional touches hence the need to hire the services of environmental consulting firms.
2. Executive Summary
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is a licensed environmental consulting firm that will be located in Main Street Greenville – South Carolina, United States. We have been able to secure a long – term lease for a standard office facility in a good business district in the heart of Greenville.
We will handle all aspects of environmental consulting such as environmental assessment, environmental audits, site remediation services, natural resource management consulting services, Waste Management consulting services, policy, licensing and litigation support services and specialized environmental consulting services for players in various industries and government agencies.
We are aware that to run a standard environmental consulting firm can be demanding which is why we are well trained, licensed and equipped to perform well.
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is a client-focused and result driven environmental consulting firm that provides broad-based experience at an affordable fee. We will offer a complete range of environmental consulting services to our local, state, national, and multi-national clients and we will ensure that we work hard to provide the required consulting services and solutions needed by our clients to accomplish their business goals and objectives.
At Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP, our client’s best interest comes first, and everything we do is guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hire certified environmental management consultants who are well experienced in a wide variety of environmental consulting services.
We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely. We will at all times demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a firm, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is founded by Arthur LeBlanc. Arthur LeBlanc graduated from University of South Carolina (First Degree), and Brock School of Business at Stamford University (MBA).
He is a Certified Environmental Management Professional with over 10 years of hands-on experience working as a senior environmental consultant with one of the leaders in the environmental consulting industry prior to starting Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP.
3. Our Products and Services
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is going to offer varieties of environmental consulting services within the scope of the industry in the United States of America. Our intention of starting our environmental consulting business is to make profits from the industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the US to achieve our aim and ambition.
Our business offerings are listed below;
- Environmental assessments
- Environmental audits
- Site remediation services
- Natural resource management consulting services
- Waste Management consulting services
- Policy, licensing and litigation support services
- Specialized environmental consulting services
- Contamination control consulting
- Risk evaluation
- Air and water quality consulting
- Sustainable development consulting
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our vision is to become the number one environmental consulting firm in the whole of South Carolina.
- Our mission is to provide professional, trusted and result oriented environmental consulting services that assist businesses and non-profit organizations in operating sustainably and maximizing profits in their businesses.
Our Business Structure
Usually, starting a small scale environmental consulting firm would require that you settle for two or three staff members, but as part of our plans to build a world – class environmental consulting business in Greenville – South Carolina, we have perfected plans to get it right from the beginning which is why we are going the extra mile to ensure that we have competent, qualified, honest and hardworking employees to occupy all the available positions in our firm.
The kind of environmental consulting firm business we intend building and the business goals we want to achieve is what informed the amount we are ready to pay for the best hands available in and around Greenville – South Carolina as long as they are willing and ready to work with us to achieve our business goals and objectives.
Below is the business structure that we will build Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP;
- Chief Executive Officer/Lead Consultant
- Environmental Management Consultant
- Legal Secretary
- Admin and HR Manager
- Business Developer (Marketing and Sales Executive
- Accountant
- Customer Service Executive
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Executive Office/Lead Consultant:
- Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
- Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
- Responsible for providing direction for the business
- Produces, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy
- Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Assesses the success of the organization
Legal Secretary
- draws up contracts and other legal documents for the company
- Produces information by transcribing, formatting, inputting, editing, retrieving, copying, and transmitting text, data, and graphics; coordinating case preparation.
- Provides historical reference by developing and utilizing filing and retrieval systems; recording meeting discussions; maintaining transcripts; documenting and maintaining evidence
Environmental Management Consultant
- In charge of environmental audits
- Responsible for handling site remediation services
- Responsible for handling natural resource management consulting services
- Responsible for handling waste management consulting services
- Responsible for handling policy, licensing and litigation support services
- Responsible for handling specialized environmental consulting services
- Responsible for handling contamination control consulting
- Accountable for handling risk evaluation
- Liable for handling air and water quality consulting
- Responsible for handling sustainable development consulting
- Handle any other responsibility as assigned by the Lead Consultant
Admin and HR Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Designs job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for clients
- Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of HR Policies, Procedures and Processes
- Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products
- Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements
- Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
- Carries out induction for new team members
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
- Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities
Business Developer (Marketing and Sales Executive)
- Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
- Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects
- Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
- Develops and evaluates new plans for increasing sales
- Documents all customer contact and information
- Represents the company in strategic meetings
- Helps to increase sales and growth for the company
Accountant
- Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
- Responsible for administering payrolls
- Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
- Handles all financial transactions for the company
- Serves as internal auditor for the company
Client Service Executive
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
- Manages administrative duties assigned by the manager in an effective and timely manner
- Receives visitors/clients on behalf of the organization
- Receives parcels/documents for the company
- Handles enquiries via e-mail and phone calls for the organization
- Distribute mails in the organization
- Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager
6. SWOT Analysis
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist the firm in building a reputable and result oriented environmental consulting firm that can favorably compete in the highly competitive environmental consulting industry.
We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be welled equipped to confront our threats.
This is the summary of the SWOT analysis that was conducted for Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP;
- Strength:
Our core strength lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team that are considered experts in the industry, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in environmental consulting. Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected workforce and our strong online presence, we have the ability to compete on effective cost controls, access to multi-skilled and flexible workforce.
Also, LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is well positioned in a business district with the right demography and we know we will attract loads of clients from the first day we open our doors for business.
- Weakness:
As a new environmental consulting firm, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and work for some high profile and high paying clients; that is perhaps our major weakness.
- Opportunities:
Reduce, recycle, reuse: New regulations and more eco-conscious consumers will open more opportunities for us. So also, digital technology has provided new opportunities for environmental consulting firms to assist multiple businesses per time. No doubt, the opportunities available to environmental consulting firms are indeed massive and we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.
- Threat:
Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as an environmental consulting firm operating in the United States are unfavorable government policies, the arrival of a competitor within our location of operation and global economic downturn. There is hardly anything we could do as regards these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
With the recent rise in the demand for environmental consulting and advisory services most especially by players in the oil and gas, mining, construction and chemical industries, is one of the key growth drivers of the environmental consulting services market.
Another growth driver is the increase expenditure on pollution control and environmental remediation in developing countries. In emerging economies, these initiatives are carried out in addition to government funding for renewable energy for energy security in the long run and for low levels of emission.
In municipal areas, measures for waste minimization, site remediation, and sustainable development will also make way for increase in industry demand. Additionally, diversification of services in nuclear power plants such as carbon polluting standards and life cycle assessment are expected to promote the growth of the industry.
Hazards to human health due to release of toxic substances into groundwater or soil are also displaying the need for environmental management services. In the oil and gas industry, regulations in place that monitor gas station storage tanks for leaks and spills are also propelling the demand for environmental consulting services.
Environmental consulting services, waste management, site remediation, and environment management and compliance are the segments of the market. Waste management consulting services trailed by environment management are anticipated to be the leading segments of the market in the near future.
8. Our Target Market
Although Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP will initially serve small to medium sized businesses, from new ventures to well established businesses, but that does not in any way stop us from growing to be able to compete with the leading environmental consulting firms in the United States. We hope to someday merge or acquire other smaller environmental consulting firms and expand our services beyond the shores of the United States of America.
As a full service and standard environmental consulting firm, Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP has a variety of practice areas to help startups grow especially as it relates to carrying out environmental impact assessment prior to starting their projects.
While we work with a variety of organizations and industries, LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP will also specialize in working with startups, real estate investors, and contractors, construction engineers, miners and government agencies at local level.
Below is a list of the people and organizations that we have specifically designed our products and services for;
- Construction companies
- Chemical Production Companies
- Oil and gas companies
- Geological services companies
- Bore hole drilling companies
- Real Estate Owners, Developers, and Contractors
- Research and Development Companies
- The Government (Environmental Department, Construction Department and Public Works Department)
- Waste management companies
- Agricultural, Fisheries, And Biological Companies
- Energy, Mining, Geological, and Geophysical Companies
Our Competitive Advantage
The level of competition in the environmental consulting industry depends largely on the location of the business and of course the niche of your environmental consulting business. If you can successfully create a unique niche for your environmental consultancy business, you are likely going to experience little or no competition.
For instance; if you are the only environmental consultancy firm that offer environmental assessments, environmental audits and site remediation services in your location, you are sure of monopolizing that aspect of business for a long time.
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP might be a new entrant into the environmental consulting industry in the United States of America, but our management and board members are considered gurus. They are licensed and highly qualified environmental management consultants in the United States. These are part of what will count as a competitive advantage for us.
Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the environmental consulting industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract clients on a regular basis.
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP will generate income by offering the following environmental consulting services for individuals and for organizations;
- Environmental assessments
- Environmental audits
- Site remediation planning services
- Natural resource management consulting services
- Waste management consulting services
- Policy, licensing and litigation support services
- Specialized environmental consulting services
- Contamination control consulting
- Risk evaluation
- Air and water quality consulting
- Sustainable development consulting
10. Sales Forecast
We are well positioned to take on the available market in the U.S. and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough profits from our first six months of operation and grow the business and our clientele base beyond Greenville – South Carolina to other states in the U.S. and even the global market.
We have been able to critically examine the environmental consultancy market, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to startups in Greenville – South Carolina.
Below is the sales projection for Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP.
- First Year: $250,000
- Second Year: $600,000
- Third Year: $1,000,000
N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same additional services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy
We are mindful of the fact that there are competitions amongst players in the environmental consulting industry in the United States of America; hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developers to handle our sales and marketing.
Our sales and marketing team will be recruited base on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization. We will also ensure that our excellent job deliveries speak for us in the market place; we want to build a standard environmental consulting business that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients.
Our goal is to grow our environmental consulting business to become one of the top 10 environmental consulting firms in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in the U.S but in the world as well.
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;
- Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to organizations and key stake holders in Greenville – South Carolina and other parts of the U.S.
- Promptness in bidding for environmental consulting contracts from the government and other cooperate organizations
- Advertise our business in relevant business magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations
- List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
- Attend relevant international and local expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
- Create different packages for different categories of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver quality environmental consulting services to them
- Leverage on the internet to promote our business
- Engage in direct marketing approach
- Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
We have been able to work with our in-house consultants and other brand and publicity specialists to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to take the environmental consulting industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement.
Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise our environmental consulting business;
- Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community programs
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, twitter, et al to promote our brand
- Install our billboards in strategic locations all around Main Street Greenville – South Carolina and major cities in the United States of America
- Engage in roadshows from time to time in targeted communities
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
- Position our Flexi Banners at strategic positions in the location where we intend getting clients to start patronizing our services
- Ensure that all our staff members wear our customized clothes, and all our official cars are customized and well branded.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
We are aware that hourly billing for consulting services is a long – time tradition in the industry. However, for some types of consultancy services especially environmental services, flat fees or per hour billings make more sense because they allow clients to better predict consultancy costs.
As a result of this, Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP will charge our clients a flat fee or per head for many basic services such as one-off environmental consultancy services et al.
At Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP we will keep our fees below the average market rate for all of our clients by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to startups, nonprofits, cooperatives, and small social enterprises.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.
Here are the payment options that Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment with cash
- Payment via credit cards
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
- Payment via bank draft
In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payment for our services without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who may want to deposit cash or make online transfer for services rendered.
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
Starting an environmental consulting firm can be cost effective because on the average, you are not expected to acquire expensive machines and equipment. Basically, what you should be concerned about is the amount needed to secure a standard office facility in a good and busy business district, the amount needed to furnish and equip the office, the amount needed to pay bills, purchase relevant software apps, promote the business and obtain the appropriate business license and certifications.
Basically, these are the areas we are looking towards spending our startup capital on;
- The total fee for incorporating the business in the United States of America – $750
- The budget for basic insurance policy covers, permits and business license – $2,500
- The Amount needed to acquire a suitable office facility in a business district for 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) – $40,000.
- The cost for equipping the office (computers, software applications, printers, fax machines, furniture, telephones, filing cabins, safety gadgets and electronics et al) – $5,000
- The cost for purchase of the required software applications (CRM software, environmental related software and Payroll software et al) – $10,500
- The cost of launching our official Website – $600
- Budget for paying at least three employees for 3 months plus utility bills – $10,000
- Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,500
- Miscellaneous: $1,000
Going by the report from the research and feasibility studies, we will need about $150,000 to set up a small scale but standard environmental consulting business in the United States of America.
Generating Startup Capital for Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is a business that will be owned and managed by Arthur LeBlanc and other business partners. They are the financiers of the firm, but may likely welcome partners later which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources.
These are the areas we intend generating our startup capital;
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
- Source for soft loans from family members and friends
- Apply for loan from my Bank
N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 (Personal savings $40,000 and soft loan from family members $10,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.
One of our major goals of starting Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.
We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer nothing short of excellent and result oriented environmental consulting and advisory services at pocket friendly rate to all our clients.
Arthur LeBlanc & Co® Environmental Consulting, LLP will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.
As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of ten years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.
Check List/Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check: Completed
- Business Incorporation: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating part of the startup capital from the founder: Completed
- Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
- Writing of Business Plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
- Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
- Graphic Designs and Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of the needed software applications, furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
- Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
- Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
- Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
- Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry: In Progress