Articles by C.J. Hayden
Social Entrepreneurship:
Where Business and Social Change Meet
There's a quiet revolution going on in the world of business. A 2005 survey by the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce reported that 81% of business executives believe that "corporate citizenship" should be a
priority, and 75% report their businesses are actively involved in bettering their communities. In
a 2006 survey of MBA students by Net Impact, 81% thought businesses should work toward the
betterment of society. Read more
If You Can't Make a Living, How Can You Make a Difference?
...not all of us who set out to help others through our businesses succeed at it. In
fact, many of the best-intentioned professionals fail at building a sustainable business or private
practice. It seems that the skills and mindset of helping others don't always match those needed to
build a profitable business. Read more
Not Exactly Business As Usual
When a tragedy strikes, I hear people asking many things, of themselves and others. "How can I help?" is one
common question. "What will this economic downturn mean for my business?" is another. I also hear
people asking, "Is what I am doing really meaningful? After all, if I don't know that I'll be alive
tomorrow, is this work where I truly want so many of my waking hours to be spent?" Read more
You Can't Learn to Fish Without Water:
Building a Culture that Supports Women Entrepreneurs
Supporting entrepreneurship in the developing world has long been considered one of the best
approaches to "teach people to fish" and build sustainable local economies. In recent years,
studies by the United Nations, World Bank, and others have shown that women entrepreneurs are more
likely to contribute to community development than men, and are therefore better candidates for
support programs. Read more
Coaching Social Entrepreneurs: Changing the World
One Client at a Time
There's a revolution going on right under your nose. A new sector of the economy is employing 40 million
people worldwide, and engaging 200 million more as volunteers. Instead of focusing on a profitable bottom
line, the enterprises in this new arena are choosing to pursue a "triple bottom line" of people, planet, and
profits. The leaders of this movement are called social entrepreneurs, and you can coach them. Read more
Recommended Books & Multimedia
Creating
a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism by Muhammad Yunus
The founder of the Grameen Bank tells his own compelling story of bringing microlending to Bangladesh and
describes dozens of ways that social businesses can alleviate poverty.
Enterprising
Nonprofits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs by J. Gregory Dees, Jed Emerson, and Peter
Economy
A hands-on guide to social enterprise in the nonprofit sector, filled with real life examples and step-by-step
directions.
The
Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty through Profits by C.K.
Prahalad
Studies how to profitably serve the world's poorest people and help them escape from poverty.
Includes a video of 12 case studies.
How to
Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas by David Bornstein
Profiles nine champions of social change who developed innovative ways to address
needs they saw around them.
Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship by C.J. Hayden
Audio workshop on CD or MP3 that covers the basics of social entrepreneurship ventures: what are
they, who is launching them, what business models do they use, and where do they obtain funding.
The New Heroes hosted by
Robert Redford
PBS miniseries on social entrepreneurship, available on DVD. Visit the site for stories and slide
shows about social entrepreneurs around the world.
The
Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World
by John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan
Successful business models for social entrepreneurship, including case studies of for-profit and
nonprofit social ventures.
Social
Entrepreneurship: The Art of Mission-Based Venture Development by Peter C. Brinckerhoff
Essential steps for nonprofit business development, including case studies and sample business plans.
Strategic Tools for Social
Entrepreneurs by J. Gregory Dees, Jed Emerson, and Peter Economy
Provides a complete set of tools for enhancing the performance of your enterprising nonprofit.
The Tactics
of Hope: How Social Entrepreneurs Are Changing Our World
by Wilford Welch and David Hopkins
First-person success stories from 30 social entrepreneurs, plus a how-to guide from the authors.
Venture
Forth! The Essential Guide to Starting a Moneymaking Business in Your Nonprofit Organization
by Rolfe Larson
How to find, test, and launch a successful nonprofit business venture.
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Social Entrepreneurship Glossary
Right livelihood - Meaningful work, consciously chosen, which makes the best use of
your talents, honors your values, and causes no harm. The term originates in Buddhist teachings, where right
livelihood is one of the steps of ethical conduct on the Noble Eightfold Path to enlightenment and the end
of suffering for all. In modern times, right livelihood has come to mean the work that you were "meant to
do."
Social business - A for-profit business established for the primary purpose of fulfilling a
social mission. Social businesses either dedicate a significant percentage of profits to a social cause
(e.g., an online bookstore that funds literacy programs), or the business operations themselves address
a social issue (e.g., a company that recycles garbage into housewares and accessories). The key difference
between a social business and a traditional business is its reason for existence. A social business is
formed primarily to solve a social problem rather than to generate income for its owners. Also
called a not-just-for-profit (NJFP) business or social sector business, a social business pursues a double
bottom line, seeking both financial and social returns.
Social enterprise - An income-earning venture with a social agenda that holds a higher priority
than maximizing profits. Social enterprises can be nonprofit or for-profit. They include nonprofit
organizations that derive a substantial portion of their income from selling products and services,
businesses that dedicate a significant percentage of their profits to social causes, or projects that commit
profits to social purposes which are operated by an otherwise traditional nonprofit or business. Profits
from the enterprise may be used to further a social cause (e.g., a thrift store that funds an animal
shelter), or the enterprise may achieve its social purpose directly through its operations (e.g., a
restaurant that employs at-risk youth, teaching them job skills).
Social entrepreneurship - Using entrepreneurial principles to create positive social change. Social
entrepreneurs launch innovative or pattern-breaking ventures in either the nonprofit or for-profit sector,
and create replicable systems that they or others can use to expand their impact. Some social entrepreneurs
are entrepreneurs in the classic sense: they launch ventures that generate income through the sale of
products and services (e.g., a bank that offers collateral-free microloans to the poor, charging interest to
fund operations). Others operate ventures that do not earn income, but are entrepreneurial in their design (e.g.,
schools for homeless children in train stations, a model which can expand to other cities and countries).
Resources for Social Entrepreneurs
Acumen Fund - Venture
capital fund that invests in social entrepreneurs, including both nonprofit and for-profit
initiatives. Acumen's focus is on projects that aid the "bottom-of-the-pyramid" poor.
Ashoka - Ashoka
identifies and invests in leading social entrepreneurs with ideas for change in their communities,
supporting the individual, idea and institution through all phases of their career.
Echoing Green -
Provides seed funding and support to social entrepreneurs with bold ideas for social change. Offers
a two-year fellowship program and provides hands-on support.
Good Capital - Venture capital firm that
provides funding for both nonprofit and for-profit initiatives in the areas of economic opportunity,
fair trade, health care, and education.
New Profit - Venture capital fund that
invests in social entrepreneurs, typically nonprofits in the areas of education, minority rights,
and global poverty.
Nonprofit Finance Fund - Offers
loans, lines of credit, and financial consulting to nonprofits. Also serves as a broker to help
nonprofits raise large amounts of capital.
npEnterprise Forum - Free online discussion
group for practitioners of social enterprise, with over 7000 members.
RSF Social Finance - Provides
loans of $250,000 to $5 million to both nonprofit and for-profit social ventures. Also awards
grants to nonprofit initiatives.
Schwab Foundation for Social
Entrepreneurship - Hosts the annual Social Entrepreneurs' Summit, co-sponsors the annual
Social Capitalist Awards, and co-sponsors the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.
Skoll Foundation - Invests in,
connects, and empowers social entrepreneurs. Skoll Awards provide grant financing to established
projects. Hosts the annual Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship.
Social Edge - Free online discussion
forum, newsletter, and other resources for social entrepreneurs.
Social Enterprise Alliance - Membership
network for social entrepreneurs in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Hosts the annual
Social Enterprise Summit and a comprehensive online Knowledge Center open to non-members.
Social Venture Network - Membership
network for leading social entrepreneurs, primarily for-profit CEO's, nonprofit founders and
executive directors, and social investors. Hosts two annual gatherings and an online Tools &
Best Practices library open to non-members.
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