Keeping it Green: Business and Social Entrepreneurship

Tania Rodriguez, MBA ‘11, grew up in a poor family near Mexico City. While her grandmother fed 13 children and her mother had no opportunity for education, a pair of tennis shoes given by her mother allowed Rodriguez to grow beyond her limits. By representing Mexico in athletic competitions, Rodriguez earned a scholarship to attend Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, where she graduated with a degree in architecture. From there, Rodriguez founded multiple companies before attending the McCombs School of Business for her MBA.

After getting her degree, Rodriguez went on to found the McCombs Mexican Alumni Network and her most recent company, Green Habitat Co. Through her company, she is currently working on the architectural prototype for the “School-Out-of-a-Box,” which are energy efficient, sustainable learning facilities for rural communities as part of a collaboration with a nonprofit organization in Dallas, Texas. Last month, Rodriguez spoke about sustainable business models at TEDxTulum. As a social entrepreneur, Rodriguez aims to create affordable green homes and appliances to help empower families and benefit society.

What attracts you to activism and social entrepreneurship?

The world needs more sustainable business models. My old brand, “Evo Formance,” produces lights for the aftermarket car industry in Asia. 10 years ago, I was not aware of the environmental problems we were creating, as the product packaging was susceptible to polluting the ocean if not recycled efficiently. If you track the production and consumption chains, you will see that we are damaging the Earth.

As entrepreneurs, we need to really investigate our motives. It’s not only about the profits but also the goods that you are creating. I am convinced that we can create a better outcome if we choose to make our money for the benefit of society, not just to benefit the interests of a couple of people.

What is green architecture and how does it play into social entrepreneurship?

Through good design, green architecture can minimize the cost of energy in your house. You don’t have to be worried about having $300 to pay for air conditioning or heating. Green architecture could be solar water heaters, reducing water consumption, or organic materials to reduce exposure to toxic materials. You will be in a home that is not aggressive toward you but is actually welcoming you to become more tranquil and peaceful.

I believe in this mantra: “We can raise the dignity of the people if we deliver empowering and dignified spaces.” Once you help a family to have a better day-to-day life, they can start looking for better careers, opportunities, and education. It’s like the Maslow hierarchy of needs. Once your base is covered, which includes security, food, clothes and having a home, you can start evolving into the best version of yourself, including spiritually and educationally. I think green architecture allows me to create a business model that helps me do energy-efficient, clean business and at the same time empower society and communities.

My company Green Habitat is not only doing residential solutions, but also helping schools in the Caribbean and in Mexico — we don’t want them to be depending on the grid. It’s offering a different choice, especially when we are in a climate with extremes.

What about families who may not be able to afford these solutions?

Green architecture does not necessarily have to be expensive. That’s part of my educational approach: I’m telling people it’s not about having to spend extra money on technologies that are unavailable to you. There are a lot of solutions and possible opportunities, like programs with the city or with other companies to create a much cheaper and affordable solution. That is where I need as much collaboration as possible. My dream is to not only create the solution and sell it, but to provide a whole education system that makes it more accessible to society.

Right now, it’s easier to go to Home Depot and buy whatever they have there. But you never know the chain of that product, the toxics, and the chemicals involved in the manufacturing. We all have to be responsible about the choices we make, especially when we are consuming products in our homes.

Describe the experience of being a female entrepreneur in male-dominated fields.

A lot of industries are male-dominated, such as the architecture, construction, and automobile industries. My MBA class had 30 men and three women. I judge some venture capital competitions, and it’s very typical to see teams with six men and one woman. The numbers are the problem. When it comes to really trying to approach gender equality, we need to make sure that we incorporate the power of being a woman and the power being a man and then just embrace that unity.

How did the Executive MBA program help you to achieve your goals?

The McCombs School of Business has been a blessing in my life, starting with the quality of the education. I wouldn’t be able to completely understand the problems and solutions if I didn’t have my eyes opened in class. The professors are high quality and they are preparing us for the challenges out there.

I have some of the most amazing faculty mentors. John S. Butler is an amazing human being who once told me, “You are a star. Keep doing the hard work. We believe in you and you’re going to reach the sky.” It’s just been his mantra with me all this time.

Originally published at www.today.mccombs.utexas.edu.