When you hear the term “Social Entrepreneurship”, what do you think? Do you picture wealthy individuals giving away their time and money to make a difference in the world around them? Or do you imagine college students conducting fundraisers to help students pay for college? Both are reasonable conclusions. What I am interested in is understanding the different aspects of social innovator.
What is Social Entrepreneurship?
Social entrepreneurship refers to those who use social enterprise theory to come up with new and creative ways of creating social value through innovative social practices. These practices can include community development, pro-bono activities, or building international partnerships. Most social entrepreneurs are resourceful and innovative thinkers.
Why it is Important?
In today’s day and age, the world as we know it is quickly becoming one big dumpster fire. While many individuals and organizations do good things for the world, countless others do not. For the world to continue to have sustainable social effects, we need more individuals and organizations that are both resourceful. By tapping into social entrepreneurship, we are giving ourselves a chance to make a difference… one social impact at a time.
Is Social Entrepreneurship the Future of Social Change?
Individuals who adopt smart business practices will drive the future of social change. Organizations and businesses that practice good social entrepreneurship will impact greater numbers of people and contribute more value to the world around them. By making use of smart business practices, these organizations and businesses can foster a social change movement that grows beyond any one individual or organization.
How do Smart Business Practices Create Social Innovator?
Social entrepreneurship works by encouraging and empowering small groups of individuals and groups of organizations to create positive social change through unique and thoughtful creative solutions. By creating open sources of information and knowledge, social enterprises can build trust among their communities, giving them the capacity and the incentive to come together and find solutions to actual problems. Through effective collaboration and leadership, these small social enterprises build a sound foundation that encourages the growth and development of entire communities.
What is Social Entrepreneurship 101?
Just as “Social Man” was once the primary character of science fiction stories, so too are individual social entrepreneurs at the core of modern business and government initiatives. While many businesses and governments have attempted to follow a path that has been laid out by great social entrepreneurs – creating programs that give aid and support to those in need, providing jobs and training to those who are suffering, etc – very few have followed the lead of great social entrepreneurs and created successful programs in this arena. While everyone agrees social entrepreneurship is vital, few can argue that there are few effective ways of making social entrepreneurship work.
So, where do you begin if you want to get started using social entrepreneurship to make a difference in the world? There are many programs available today that provide mentoring and training to novice entrepreneurs, and you can use some or all of them if you feel you have what it takes. For those who feel like they’re up against a more experienced field, it’s also possible to receive training from some of the more experienced social entrepreneurs who work to change the world using similar methods. Some several excellent books and articles explain in great detail how to get started with social change and entrepreneurship.
In the end, every entrepreneur must begin at the bottom and work his or her way up. By dedicating themselves to the cause of social entrepreneurship, by taking risks, and building a resilient foundation, those who do so will be rewarded with the fruits of their labor. Just as science creates new technology, social entrepreneurs create new social technologies. The best place to find out more about social enterprise is to spend some time online looking through the resources on this site and to keep your eyes open for opportunities to make a difference in the world.
