Social Entrepreneurship 101

Ever since Tim and I started working on our immigration project and entered the social entrepreneurship scene, we have been asked numerous of times, mostly from our friends and relatives, what our business is all about. Terms like social innovation and social entrepreneurship are not widely known, especially to people with no entrepreneurial background or knowledge. In order to bridge the gap between those who are familiar with what we are doing and those who get a little bit confused by terminology, I decided to write this post, giving away the basics of social entrepreneurship.

Modern Definition according to Wikipedia

Social entrepreneurship is the attempt to draw upon business techniques to find solutions to social problems.This concept may be applied to a variety of organizations with different sizes, aims, and beliefs. Conventional entrepreneurs typically measure performance in profit and return, but social entrepreneurs also take into account a positive return to society. Social entrepreneurship in modern society offers an altruistic form of entrepreneurship that focuses on the benefits that society may reap. Simply put, entrepreneurship becomes a social endeavor when it transforms social capital in a way that affects society positively. Unlike traditional corporate businesses, social entrepreneurship ventures focus on maximizing gains in social satisfaction, rather than maximizing profit gains.

Prioritizing social value over profit

Social enterprises seek to serve the community's interest (social, societal, cultural, environmental objectives) rather than profit maximisation. Hence, a social entrepeneur is a pragmatic visionary that achieves large scale sustainable social change though a new invention, innovative products and services, new approaches to community issues. They are people willing to break through the status quo in order to create a justice sustainable society.

If we want to move forward in this world - our world- we need to stop being indifferent towards the things that matter the most. Deep down everybody wants to be a better person and contribute to society, though most of the times, cynicism and ignorance get in the way of acting upon our good intentions. Supporting initiatives like ours, developing a helping chain, is more than enough for getting us started. Hopefully, as our entrepreneurial journey goes on, we will get more and more people engaged to our cause. We want you aboard. Become part of the change.

The place to improve the world is first

in one's own heart and head and hands,

and then work outward from there.

Robert M. Pirsig