Yvonne LeFave loves all things green. She also loves looking at problems differently and finding ways to address them creatively. Go Green Trikes, a green delivery service that uses electric assist trikes for transportation, is the result of this combination.
Deliveries are performed by two vehicles; the Truck Trike and the Elf. The Truck Trike is their main vehicle and can hold about 600 pounds while the ELF is a covered trike with an electric assist motor charged by solar panels.
Founded:
Yvonne LeFave Launched on EarthDay 2013
Where the idea came from:
Yvonne herself has been car free since 1990 and she’s always known there were ways to use bikes in ways other people hadn’t thought of. She wanted to showcase what can happen, and what people can do, without a car.
Problem being solved:
Not only does she want to showcase a green business, but there are many issues and problems cars contribute to. There is so much congestion in downtown areas caused by double parked cars and delivery trucks that it can get overwhelming. The bikes can use the bike lane, and pull up on the sidewalk to unload so there is no blocked traffic. And, the businesses that use the service get a greener image.
Exciting opportunities:
She is excited to help folks find and embrace a greener solution to their problems. And getting deliveries done in a way that is gentle to the environment is one of those solutions.
Target customer:
Yvonne is looking to work with folks who are in the farm industry, who require bulk deliveries downtown and those that are interested in becoming green businesses. The East Lansing Food Co-op is already on board.
Biggest challenge:
Believe it or not? Insurance. She is having a hard time finding an insurer since her “vehicle” doesn’t fit in their “nice little box.” And, unfortunately, they can’t get up and running until they are insured.
Surprises:
Nicest surprise has been how receptive people are to the idea. She thought she would get a lot of, “You want to do what?” but it’s been more, “How cool,” and “That’s awesome.”
Funding:
The business has been mostly self funded with contributions from Go Fund Me campaigns and pitch competitions. On a whim, Yvonne entered The Hatching at the last minute and ended up winning the grand prize.
The Future:
While the first year is going to be spent getting over some hurdles, like where the business will live, by year 2 Yvonne hopes she can start hiring some people. By year 5 she’s hoping for a fleet of bikes, set routes and steady income.
Advice:
Yvonne’s advice for future entrepreneurs and startups is, “If you’ve got an idea, pursue it. The worst that can happen is they say no but the best is that you found passion and are living it.”
Connect:
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