I’m only interested in things that drive structural change – that’s what motivates me.
Nick Gerristen describes himself as a “catalyst and social entrepreneurâ€. He is a lawyer with a significant portfolio in green-technology:
- www.crispstart.com
- www.aquaflowgroup.com – Biofuels
- www.carbonscape.com – charcoal
- www.celsias.com/ and www.celsias.co.nz/Â – climate change website
- www.ponoko.com/ – digital fabrication
- www.loomio.org/ – collaborative decision-making
Talking points
We’ve lost sight of the inputs and outputs that make community operate.
It was a surprise to me that people could be in business not wanting to do good.
You make decisions, they may prove to be wrong but they provide a framework for learning.
There is no magic out there, you just do the best you can do.
There are smart markets and dumb markets.
Anything we can do to substitute fuel has a multiplier effect as we can keep capital on-shore, in addition to climate effects.
We are a mining company but we are operating above the ground – making coal without having to dig holes.
NZ is selective about the good news stories we’re prepared to back.
Great opportunity for NZ is  to repopulate small places – this is NZ’s future rather than super cities.
Craft will get a boost as retail collapses.
Accept some things will trend to ubiquity. Â And first rule in business is not to be in that space. Everything not in that space will have special value.
Embrace constraint. Â Appreciate benefits and limitations.
I’m worried but also an optimist.
A simple step that I take may have the potential to trigger a super recovery scenario.
Community develops strength and capability to look after itself – that’s what resilience is.
200 years later, we’re learning that industrial revolution is a model that isn’t working.
Sustainability comes from embracing constraint, looking at inputs and outputs and enabling people to make real decisions for communities that they are part of.
Am I an activist?
If it is being silly enough to have an idea and to be able to dedicate a part of your life to it, and be responsible for it, and back yourself on it, then yes. Â All I’m trying to do is do the best that I can with the resources of time and energy that I have. Â It’s exciting, stressful and enlightening all at once.
Society is putting a lot of pressure on the next generation without clear identification of the doorways and opportunities for them to work through.
It’s not about money, it’s about creating a dimension of change.
On how to get more entrepreneurs:
We need more artists – people prepared to try and  test ideas with different materials and create some sort of  harmony that someone like and  might buy, that’s a direct metaphor for developing  technology, and new businesses.
Go out and try stuff.  If you don’t know what you’re doing – absolutely embrace it.  I’m an expert at not knowing what I’m doing.  If you are interested and excited about something then you will learn it.