Rebecca Reynolds
William Bowman
Annissa Liu
Amelia Riddell
University of Guelph
Ruben Burga
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Blue Ocean Office Supplies provides re-manufactured ink and toner cartridges to individuals and businesses across Canada. Their business model incorporates 10% of purchases to be donated to charities or organizations of the business's choice and approval. This company is aiming to restructure the market by providing specific, tangible support to local organizations through the purchase of basic office supplies.
This innovation emerged a few years ago when Stephanie was a saleswoman at a local IT company offering printer products. She has vast experience in all aspects of the industry, from ordering supplies from manufacturers to selling directly to clients. When her employer said he could not pay her hard-earned commission, the relationship ended. With her expertise and loans from her supportive family, she worked to present a proposal for remanufactured or recycled ink and toner kits to several manufacturing companies that she had connected with in the past. With the help of the Thinking Into Results program, facilitated by Doug Dane, she started thinking big.
As her business progressed, several charities contacted her requesting support, however Stephanie did not have the funds to give. Hence, the redesign of Blue Ocean Office Supplies business model to incorporate and implement the “10% of purchase donated to charities” plan. This forced her to seek a fund-raising expert, Blair Rennie, to help maintain the growth of the business. She believes that, “In order to have a great team, you must first treat them right.” The last piece to her expansion puzzle was to seek another mentor. Stephanie met Colin Sprake, a well known industry mentor with a specific business accelerating program for start-ups and entrepreneurs, who provids her with meaningful advice, direction and support.
The ink and toner products that Blue Ocean Office Supplies carry are recycled from old cartridges that have been discarded. Stephanie Birt, the owner of Blue Ocean Office Supplies, explains that many people decide to replace the entire printer instead of the ink cartridges because it is less expensive. At Blue Ocean Office Supplies, they believe in the necessity of reducing the amount of garbage being dumped in landfills and to recycle/reuse products as much as possible. This remanufactured product made from previous waste, is extremely beneficial to the environment because, by remaking new products with old ink toners, it significantly reduces the amount of plastic from ink cartridges in landfills.
In addition to this recycling goal, Stephanie has partnered with countless charities and organizations, supporting them by donating 10% of purchases. She strongly believes in transparency and therefore allows full tracking of all donations through a customized website code. She also provides detailed information of the donation transactions and makes them available online as well. Although there is a vetting process for charities, Stephanie accepts many organizations that contact her because of her strong belief in helping “everyone, not just a few.”
It is important to note that these charities do not need to have specific criteria or even listed as an official charity. The primary detail needed is the guarantee that “what they say they’re going to do is going to be done, and however much money they will be benefiting the ones in need is done so, like they promised.” This business model is an extraordinary example of a corporately responsible business based on its strong sense of meaning to giving back to the community, locally and nationally.
Blue Ocean Office Supplies was established when Stephanie decided she wanted to start up her own sustainable company that would be continuously giving back to her community. Specifically, while working at a major office supply retailer, she was surprised that most people would actually replace their entire printer rather than buy ink and toner for their current machine, which is hardly environmentally efficient. This is where her entrepreneurial motivation began and Blue Ocean Office Supplies & Solutions was inspired. In the beginning stages of her company, Stephanie was being asked to sponsor multiple charities and social events, but did not have the funds or resources to do so. She used her idea to create and then reconstruct a business model plan that incorporated the idea that a percentage of sales would be used for donation. She wanted to create a unique method of doing so, and that’s when the sustainable and charitable aspect of Blue Ocean Office Supplies was created.
While beginning her business, Stephanie’s primary mission was to assist as many companies as she could. She was constantly looking for ways to provide for others. One of Stephanie’s main goals within the business was to help local communities and she managed this by demonstrating to clients the specific impact their purchase donations would have on their local communities. She showed companies that, by buying her product, they can donate 10% of the total cost of their purchases to charitable organizations. By purchasing office necessities from Blue Ocean Office Supplies, they would be helping those in need and the surrounding environment whilst being a top competitor in the market.
Through extensive care and utilization of Stephanie’s business model, Blue Ocean Office Supplies is able to not only be a top competitor in the ink and toner market, but also give back to the community through charitable donations and environmental responsibility. Remanufactured ink cartridges are less expensive and by switching to remanufactured ink cartridges, customers are able to save an average of 20% to 50% per order, encouraging more environmental friendly alternatives to traditional ink cartridges. With these innovative practices, Stephanie has been able to attract a growing customer base with the use of charitable donations as incentives to buy from Blue Ocean Office Supplies as an alternative to less socially responsible companies. Stephanie explains that with every purchase from her company the consumer is able to donate 10% of the total bill to a charity of their choosing that has been vetted by Blue Ocean Office Supplies to guarantee that they fall within the company’s core values.
By allowing companies to donate 10% of their bill to any charity approved by Blue Ocean, many organizations have been directly supported by this company. By assisting these charitable organizations, Blue Ocean Office Supplies are indirectly supporting those most in need in the surrounding community and creates an overall healthier society and environment.
The use of Blue Ocean Office Supplies' remanufactured ink is less harmful for the environment and directly cuts the amount of ink cartridges in landfills. Remanufactured ink cartridges preserve our natural resources while keeping unnecessary metals and plastics out of the landfills.
Each discarded cartridge adds approximately three pounds of unnecessary waste to our landfills which can be reduced through the use of remanufactured cartridges.
Many companies have chosen Blue Ocean Office Supplies as their supplier for ink and toner over big box companies. As a cheaper alternative, many consumers have switched to this greener and socially improved product. Over the years to come, Stephanie’s business model will surely gain more attraction and influence over how other companies conduct business and help them also achieve higher socially responsible objectives. The continued use of the remanufactured cartridges will also have a long term positive effect on the environment reducing landfills and natural resource consumption.
It was estimated that 100 million laser and printer cartridges and 400 million inkjet printer cartridges are produced each year. Remanufacturing these 500 million will save an estimated four million cubic feet of landfill space. Clients have been very pleased with the product and service Blue Ocean offers. Recently, a manufacturing company purchased ink and toner, and were able to help support a very noble cause. Due to this one business transaction they were able to supply one local child and Big Brother. Their business plan has been profitable and socially responsible in the past and only looks larger and brighter for the future. With so much success in Canada, they are looking to expand into the United States next year. As this company grows, it will support more and more charities creating a better tomorrow for all.
Located in the heart of Guelph and as a Certified B. Corporation, Stephanie has brought this unique model to new heights by incorporating charity/organization donations into the purchase of her product.
The benefit to the business is saving money and environmental responsibility. This innovation provides great value to the image and culture of Blue Ocean Office Supplies. Virtually every business needs to purchase ink and toner for general day-to-day operations. With Blue Ocean Office Supplies, it is not just toner you are purchasing but also 10% of your total purchase are donated to a charity that has been approved of by the owner.
A business model such as this is what makes this company so unique. The charitable aspect and opportunities develops a reputable, positive and unmatched image for Blue Ocean Office Supplies. The values that Stephanie and her team have, as well as the values they look for in the charities they help, is what continues to grow and expand their business. Their sole purpose is not to turn a profit, but to help as many people as they can. During the interview, Stephanie mentioned several times, “We will jump through hoops for you if you will jump through hoops for yourself.” Their business model is intertwined with charities, organizations and communities, which will only further excel their business’ generosity and passion to their customers and communities. Stephanie is working intensely to be able to expand internationally in early 2017.
Stephanie and Blaire hold high hopes for the company as they work to expand to more products in the future. These women are not in this business for ink and toner or even excess profits, however their motivation is to provide a better solution to existing methods and sustain our local and external environment. “Ink and toner is a vehicle to drive our dream of helping others as much as we can”, said Blair.
Not only does this business model excel the company’s image, but the major impact Blue Ocean Office Supplies has is on its neighboring societies and environment. Firstly, the charities and organizations approved of by Stephanie can range from animal shelters to school/education programs, the range of assistance can and does continuously expand. Any company that purchases from Blue Ocean can choose which charity they’d like to donate their 10% to (once approved of by Blue Ocean). Therefore, this company offers assistance to any charity around Canada. For example, they just received a new client in British Columbia and the organization they would send their 10% to is located in British Columbia as well. Even though Blue Ocean Office Supplies is located in Guelph, Ontario Canada, they have the ability to support any company in any province. This is an incredible model as it allows any business to donate money to a group in need by simple buying products that are necessities to general business operations. It also does not put a limit or specifics as to what kind of organization they can help because any company can purchase their product and donate to the organization of their choice. Also, Blue Ocean has partnered with Canadian Ink & Toner suppliers, keeping jobs in Canada and manufacturing over 50% of their product in North America.
On the other hand, Blue Ocean Office Supplies offers an alternative to a detrimental product. The average ink and toner cartridges add approximately 3 pounds of unnecessary waste each to landfills that takes over 1000 years to decompose. Blue Ocean aims to reduce this statistic with their remanufactured cartridges, preserving our natural resources while at the same time, keeping avoidable metals and plastics out of landfills.
Blue Ocean Office Supplies is truly unique in its offering. It is an exceptional company that holds the most genuine and caring values compared to any other organization in its market. The positive impacts on their external environment and countless charities they help, makes this company’s business model one to take note of.
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Stephanie Birt, Owner
