I love the Google Docs version of PowerPoint
Two weekends ago, I had the pleasure of participating in
Urekaweekend (although, to be honest, I mostly lived vicariously through Dan and
his project).
I spoke about a few social enterprises on the Friday night and I just wanted to put them in one place in case anyone is interested in doing more research on their own. My selection process involved thinking about programs that would be accessible and inspiring for people trying to go from idea to action in one weekend. I also wanted to make sure that there were some clear take-aways that participants could apply to their work. Here’s a run-down of who I mentioned plus related links:
Ashoka & Ashoka’s Changemakers: An obvious choice but incredibly relevant. While the Ashoka Fellows Program may be for established social entrepreneurs, I love that Changemakers competitions are accessible to entry-level entrepreneurs and anyone with an interest in innovative ways of addressing social issues.
Links: Ashoka & Changemakers
Dowser: I mentioned Dowser during the presentation since I had just read an interesting interview with Kyle Berner of Feelgoodz, a flip-flop company that takes its triple bottom line (concern about the social and environmental impact in addition to profits) very seriously.
Links: Dowser & Interview with Kyle Berner
Jezebel: Not a social enterprise by any stretch of the imagination but they recently posted about how most products that are labeled “green” aren’t really “green” but that’s what sells. Social enterprises go beyond green-washing or token CSR – the social mission is the core of their work.
Link: Jezebel post
Souktel: I love Souktel’s business model and the value their service provides to their customers. Job-seekers pay a modest SMS fee to search job ads or post their mini-CVs; employers pay higher fees to post jobs and search CVs. And the best part is that they pretty much cover their expenses through the fees. In thinking about Souktel’s model, I suggested Urekaweekend participants ask themselves, “What existing platforms can I use for my project? What low-cost resources are already at my disposal? Who is my target audience or consumer? Is there potential for the idea to be financially self-sustaining?”
Links: Souktel & their Changemakers entry
Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE): SHE uses design, local materials, and local buy-in to increase access to sanitary pads for girls and women. This is a noble enterprise in and of itself but SHE’s business model has multiple positive impacts at each stage of production and distribution. In one product, SHE recycles banana leaf fiber, creates jobs in sanitary pad production and distribution, introduces a product that will enable women to go to school or work even when they are menstruating, enhances sanitation, and reduces stigma, among other things. I asked Urekaweekenders to think about the ways their products can be more sustainable environmentally and financially and how they might take something that has negative value – for example, discarded banana leaves – and turn it into something with positive value. In other words, what are innovative ways to keep your expenses low while maximizing profit?
Link: Sustainable Health Enterprises
A to Z Textile Mills: A to Z Textile Mills is addressing the negative impact of malaria through the production and distribution of specially-treated bednets. There’s a lot of information available about them on Acumen Fund’s website but they’re a solid example of how innovation can come from enhancing existing products or systems. As I told Urekaweekenders, think about how you can build on other people’s ideas by creating something more effective, less expensive, or more targeted.
Links: A to Z Textile Mills on AcumenFund.org plus slideshow
MicroDrip: One of the most effective aspects of MicroDrip’s model is that you don’t have to buy their entire micro-drip irrigation system at once. You can buy what you can afford now, use it on a small section of your land, and see the results for yourself. For Urekaweekenders, is there a way that you can demonstrate impact and efficacy for your new product or service? And are you setting an affordable price-point for your intended consumer?
Link: MicroDrip
BEN Namibia: Bicycling Empowerment Network Namibia (BEN Namibia) won a recent Changemakers competition with their program for training and equipping women to run community-based bicycle workshops. To give you a little background, they started out distributing bicycles but soon realized that people lacked training on basic repairs and maintenance. So they developed a new bike distribution model that involves delivering 350 second-hand bicycles, tools, spare parts, paint, roofing materials, and workbenches to grassroots organizations that then run a community-based bicycle shop. I asked Urekaweekenders to think about the distribution model for their ideas. How are you going to get your product to your consumer? Is there sufficient infrastructure on the ground to support it? If not, what can you do to help build the network and systems necessary for your product to thrive?
Links: BEN Bikes & Changemakers entry
Amul: I was only recently introduced to Amul so I’m not an expert in their work but they are a very successful Indian dairy company. Their three-tier cooperative structure encourages many positive social impacts, including job creation, rural development, and poverty alleviation, and their company has increased the accessibility of affordable and nutritious products. At the same, their place at the cornerstone of India’s “White Revolution” (India is now one of the top milk producers in the world) has demonstrated the importance of taking a commercial/business approach to development.
Links: Amul & Amul on Wikipedia (don’t judge!)
EcoMovement: EcoMovement is a New Hampshire-based company that picks up food waste at a lower cost than trash pick-up, turns the waste into compost, and then sells it to local landscapers. This is another excellent example of taking something with negative value and turning it into multiple things with positive value: compost you can sell, less waste at restaurants, and lower costs for businesses that use the service. Some additional things I asked the Urekaweekenders to think about: if the idea you’re working on has an element of behavior change, for example, encouraging people to recycle, what are ways that you can make recycling easier, cheaper, more convenient, and even more fun than just using the trash can? What are the typical barriers to addressing recycling behavior and how might you need to shift cultural norms in favor of the use of your product or service?
Links: NPR story & SeacoastOnline story
Twitter: While not a social enterprise, twitter is a valuable aggregator and a great way to learn more about the fields that interest you from a variety of perspectives. Do your research, read up on the competition, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments. Once you have a lay of the land, think about what you do best. Where is your competitive advantage? And how is what you’re developing making the most of your unique experiences and abilities? As I say ad nauseam, “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel!” If someone does it better than you, outsource or use their platform.
Links: Twitter (with social enterprise hashtag)
Good luck and happy social enterprising!
