Welcome to our Startup: Phase One fundraising page. Help us make Kentucky first in good business!
Our story
Our story starts in 2001 when Scott took over FMS, a small janitorial company in Shelbyville, KY after his father unexpectedly passed. Scott inherited a business with 30 employees and over $750,000 in long-term debt, that was losing $100,000 a year. Thankfully, he also inherited his father's values around kindness and compassion which helped guide him through his transition into being a business owner
Since then, FMS has become one of the region’s most successful janitorial services by caring about people and communities. In an effort to become more intentional about this way of doing business, FMS became the first janitorial B Corporation in the world in 2016 and the first Public Benefit Corporation in Kentucky in 2017.
They’ve grown from 30 employees to over 800, seen at least 10% revenue growth every year for 17 years, and have a turnover rate that is a fraction of the industry average.
Scott helped pass Kentucky's Public Benefit Corporation Bill and while traveling the state to support the legislation, Scott met many good-hearted business people who were running their businesses with integrity, transparency and a mind towards helping. Inspired by the receptivity and enthusiasm across the state to this way of doing business, he wondered:
"Could a bunch of good-hearted businesses, making positive social change, work together to make Kentucky better and could Kentucky cultivate and attract these sorts of businesses better than any other state?"
Canopy was born.
With the help of many others, the answers to these questions eventually turned into the goals and objectives of Canopy.
Canopy is a nonprofit organization aiming to make Kentucky first in good business.
We're working to create the best environment for profitable companies that are doing verifiable good work for our neighborhoods and communities because a) we want Kentucky businesses to expand their measurable impact, b) we want to attract new socially conscious businesses and talent to relocate or startup in Kentucky, and c) we want to help coordinate the efforts of good businesses to tackle some of our toughest problems.
Why?
Every year, US News and World Reports puts out state rankings that show how states are performing for their citizens and how they compare to every other state. Kentucky is ranked as the 41st state in the country. Here’s how we rank in some key areas:
This is a numeric representation of how people in our state are hurting and Canopy wants to help.
When thinking about solving our toughest social issues, most folks' thinking goes to government, nonprofit programs, and grassroot community efforts. It's time for new ideas and we think ethical, socially conscious small and midsize businesses are an underutilized resource.
Kentucky needs the resources that socially conscious businesses can bring: jobs, tax dollars, measurable social impact, and inspired innovation. We’d like to see a Kentucky that has hundreds of businesses run by men and woman with a vision to make the world a better place as they go about doing their work and making profit.
And there's already so many people that want to see this way of thinking take hold.
How will we do it?
Education. We’ll travel around the state sharing a new way of doing business that combines impact, accountability, and transparency with profitability. We’ll present to businesses, government, universities, non-profits, community groups, and consumers to show the benefit of becoming Canopy-Certified.
Certification. We’ll create the Canopy-Certified Business Assessment that recognizes Kentucky businesses that operate openly, honestly, and with the interests of all stakeholders in mind. We will create recognizable branding so folks can easily identify Canopy-Certified companies. We’ll make sure there’s a strong group of like-minded partners on board to help businesses get started on their own paths.
Advocacy. We’ll advocate for a Kentucky where government, consumers, and businesses embrace Canopy-Certified Companies. We’ll work hard to make Kentucky an attractive environment for socially-conscious entrepreneurs, and we’ll help bring them here.
Results. We’ll compile and disseminate the collective data and success stories of Canopy-Certified Companies. These results will attract and retain socially responsible organizations to make Kentucky first in good business.
Canopy will make Kentucky the best state for socially conscious, impact driven businesses so we can keep and further develop our existing good businesses and attract the very best from around the country. We'll work hard to inspire good businesses to work together to tackle some of Kentucky's toughest problems.
It's a smart, new vision. Help us make it happen!
Canopy Team
Canopy is co-founded and overseen by Scott Koloms and Colleen Reilly with the support of their assistant Lauren Cline and our 100s and 100s of passionate supporters and volunteers across Kentucky!
