In Aotearoa, we landfill around 380,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year. It’s a pretty clear sign our ‘reuse, reduce, recycle’ messaging isn’t having enough of an impact to minimise plastic pollution and consumption.
Elisa Harley saw the potential to create a real, tangible difference by building a business that makes biodegradable plant pots from New Zealand Primary Industry residue. At sixteen, after an injury, she had to quit rhythmic gymnastics, a sport she’d been passionate about for years. “I felt so lost. I had no idea what I was going to do next. I thought if I wanted to look smart, I had to take three sciences, calculus, and English.” Now, Elisa knows there’s more value in “choosing to do what you love over what you think other people will love from you, especially if what you love is going to help people or help the planet,” which is precisely what she did.
Through the Young Enterprise Scheme at her school and a GirlBoss New Zealand challenge, Elisa conceptualised and started her business. Her solution-focused approach to a problem she’d found when selling plants fundraising for gymnastics competitions has since grown, earning Elisa multiple awards and making real change across the country. “It's not just a vision or idea anymore. We’ve raised over $110,000 in grants now. And we're making pots. We've got industry connections. I've been directing teams of scientists who've been in the industry for decades, doing science for up to 20 to 30 years. And I was 16 at the time.”
Starting Enivo Pots helped Elisa realise her skills and passions. At first, Elisa wasn’t a huge “plant girl,” but after selling native plants to fundraise and building a greenhouse with her dad during lockdown, she quickly developed a deep appreciation for New Zealand’s natural world. She also found she loved the entrepreneurial side, calculating costs and profit margins, putting work into a product people enjoyed. “In high school, a lot of what I was doing wasn't recognised as successful within the curriculum. NCEA wasn't going to give me points for my business, no matter how many awards I won.” Elisa’s success within her business shows a different pathway into sustainability, one not rooted in policy, politics, or complex maths, but in identifying problems and creating real solutions.
“We complain a lot, and the complaining doesn't ever create change,” Elisa said. “I really love what Brianne West is doing… on LinkedIn recently she said something like find a problem, think of a solution and keep going even if people say it's impossible. Keep trying until you've found that it's impossible.” This is a saying Elisa has been following since starting EnivoPots, tackling problems with grace. When her initial seedlings all died, she talked to a local nursery and was given 2,000 new seeds; when her business outgrew her parents sunroom, she designed and built a greenhouse; and when she discovered 350 million plastic pots are used (and often discarded after just one use) in Aotearoa each year, she put in the work to deliver a sustainable solution. “I pursued what I knew was going to make an impact,” she said – no sweat, right?
Elisa’s advice for people looking to create a solution or a business of their own is to take the leap. “I encourage you not to worry about what other people say or think, because there is so much out there. And if you let yourself be limited by those around you, you might not realise how much is possible.”
Opportunities which supported Elisa include:
GirlBoss New Zealand, https://www.girlboss.nz/
Young Enterprise Trust, https://youngenterprise.org.nz/
You can follow Elisa’s work on Instagram @enivopots.