Sheldon Wardell and James Vogt retired from automotive marketing and commercial building, respectively, a few years ago. Then the recession hit and the friends decided they should be back in the workforce, but they decided this time to start their own business,
Eco-Green-Energy.
The East Pointe-based company helps businesses and building owners create more sustainable facilities, mainly through replacing older lighting systems that are acting like energy hogs with newer, more energy efficient versions. It has done this work with a variety of big-name customers, such as
DTE Energy and
Bedrock Real Estate Services in downtown Detroit.
"Changing lighting is low-hanging fruit," Wardell says. "It's easily done and the payback is two years or shorter."
The company went from the two partners four years ago to seven people today. It also plans to add a couple of interns this summer. The company has hired two people over the last year and expects to keep expanding.
"We're just continuing to grow," Wardell says.
Source: Sheldon Wardell, partner with Eco-Green-Energy
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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