Social Entrepreneurship

Sometimes we lose sight of the forest for the trees. Yes, climate change continues. Yes, we are still fouling our own nests with toxic chemicals, garbage, and excess consumption. Yes, the gap between rich and poor continues to grow.

Some make change by using old tools – growing mushrooms or training bakers – other redesign the standard business model in order to change the world. 

Last week, I described the innovations of two of the Utne Social Ventures Network 2010 Innovation Award winners who are using the basics to change lives. Now let's look at tweaking the business model.

They’re all extraordinarily impressive. Where do you start in either lauding or supporting the inventiveness of people who use coffee grounds, mushrooms, and bread to improve people's lives? Or create green jobs and solar energy to save the planet?

I guess you start by saying "Wow!" Human inventiveness is unstoppable, and aren't we glad it is!

If you aren't a fan of cause-marketing, you might look around you this month and reconsider. How many pink ribbons do you see?

That's the power of cause marketing. Organizations from Yoplait to the Susan G. Komen Run for the Cure are sending a message everyone instantly recognizes: that pink loop of ribbon means both donate and get a breast exam.

In September, Vistas was one five finalists – second place! – in an international blogging competition. The subject: How to unlock $120 billion of investment funds for social enterprises. The blog was posted on TriplePundit October 1.

Check it out and let us know what you think.

I've long been a fan of Echoing Green, which invests in and supports entrepreneurs who creatively attack the world's social problems. Echoing Green uses words like "Moment of Obligation," that instant in which you realize that you are the "somebody" in the phrase, "Somebody should do something."  And "gall to think big."