Social Entrepreneurship: Combining Profit and Purpose for a Better World

Social entrepreneurs engage in ventures that seek to alter society for the benefit of underrepresented individuals by altering an equilibrium that puts disadvantaged groups first. Their aim is to achieve these social objectives within strict financial constraints while meeting their desired outcomes.

Muhammad Yunus created microcredit to alleviate the suffering of poor Bangladeshis who had few alternatives for acquiring even small loans, ultimately becoming the Grameen Bank.

The Purpose

Many entrepreneurs are driven by their desire to use their business to make an impactful statement about themselves and society as a whole.

Social entrepreneurship involves doing “something more” by improving society for the greater good. Social entrepreneurs search for solutions to problems too large for governments to tackle or those which do not fit traditional business models.

Necessity is often the source of innovation, and many social entrepreneurship ideas arise out of real needs identified within a community. One social entrepreneur developed an app allowing users to notify city administrators about issues like burst water mains or malfunctioning street lights quickly and easily.

Social entrepreneurs come in all forms; some operate as nonprofits while others combine profit with mission – like TOMS’ “one-for-one” shoe giving model – while still others provide both options to clients.

The Vision

Social entrepreneurs operate businesses that combine profits with nonprofit goals, such as charities or hybrid ventures that combine elements from both for-profit and non-profit businesses. Such endeavors are commonly known as social enterprises but may also be referred to as “social purpose ventures” or “social impact organizations”.

Many social entrepreneurs initiate their ventures by identifying an issue affecting people and seeking a business model which directly addresses this concern.

These innovators are motivated by a passion for change, and have the energy and drive to see it through no matter the odds. Their vision often extends far beyond their personal experiences and they’re not afraid of taking risks; testing ideas in small markets first helps determine whether their solution works on a larger scale while diversifying funding sources ensures they won’t rely solely on one source for funding.

The Market

People gravitate toward social entrepreneurs such as Muhammad Yunus, winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, because they understand that society’s most pressing problems cannot and should not be handled solely by governments and large corporations. Fueled by strong visions and the passion to see society move towards sustainable wellbeing.

Under-resourced entrepreneurs typically utilize limited resources, developing prototype products or services and testing them in small markets before expanding them further. This approach allows them to hone their approaches through feedback from those involved with setting their solutions into place as well as those who have taken advantage of them.

Entrepreneurial approaches to earning revenue also enable nonprofit organizations to diversify their funding sources and reduce reliance on grants with strings attached or unreliable corporate or individual donations.

The Business Model

Social enterprises require a sustainable business model in order to function, identifying how funds and products will be received and utilized as well as ways external parties can support its goals.

Social entrepreneurs typically create enterprises to address market needs; however, some of the most innovative ideas come from personal experience or passion – as in Scott Harrison’s charity: water non-profit which supplies clean drinking water to developing nations.

Social entrepreneurs strive to find innovative solutions to address specific problems while at the same time being creative in their approach. For instance, they might try new business concepts such as for-profit community development banks or hybrid organizations that combine both nonprofit and for-profit strategies. Furthermore, these entrepreneurs tend to have an impatience for measuring and responding to communities where they operate; this allows them to continually optimize their efforts and maximize impact.