
When I was a brand-new parent, my friend Mara O’Connell gave me the best advice I’ve gotten in my life. I confessed to her how overwhelmed I felt with the responsibility of caring for such a precious, helpless creature. I had so much to learn; the enormity of what I didn’t know pressed on me like a heavy weight. I was frightened by it. Her advice was, don’t worry. You learn what you need to know, when you need it, little by little. As you go along.
I have come to appreciate that this is a perfect observation about life in general. Especially life as an innovator or entrepreneur. I don’t have to know everything there is to know about business, nor beat myself up about the things I don’t yet know or understand. In fact, what I DON’T know about business could fill a good-sized bookstore. Yet, somehow I don’t let that stop me.
"Experience is the best teacher" is something I have feared and felt in awe of all my life. Continued
JG Architectural supply was founded in 2006 and specializes in Green Building materials. Apart from eco-friendly materials, JG offers a LEED Accredited Professional to assist you with any of your Green Building needs. Offering numerous high-quality eco-friendly materials and energy-conscious expertise, JG aids in finding the best materials that will keep long-term energy and maintenance costs low.

Terra Logos Green Home Services, Inc. is a Baltimore-based company that offers cost-effective solutions to reducing energy bills and creating healthier, more comfortable homes. After performing a Home Energy Inspection, they analyze a home’s unique performance, and provide a Home Energy Report, which recommends prioritized improvements with cost estimates.
Helicon Works is local architect and ‘green’ builder William Hutchinson. Specializing in environmentally-sensitive architecture and building practices Bill has accepted projects from Maryland and Virginia to Santa Barbara and Southern Baja. Bill designed and built his own house, which features straw bale walls, a living roof, solar pv, corn stove and is equipped with his own biofuel filling station. You can even take a tour of his home or get involved by taking a workshop. Visit the Helicon Works website for more info.

Working with local and regional architects, builders, and contractors, Second Chance rescues wood, metal, marble, plaster, stone, and other architectural elements from buildings which are entering the demolition phase. They then give those elements new lives, in new homes, in new ways, with new uses, giving modern homes a touch of history. Through public and private funds, they continue to train low-income Baltimore residents on how to safely deconstruct a building without damaging its historic elements, while also equipping them with a variety of skills, from carpentry to craftsmanship. Visit their website for more information on the company, its events, and training opportunities. Find more salvage centers in the surrounding area here.