Social Entrepreneurship

Candy Without the Guilt
Are you searching for something sweet to give your sweetie? Give a treat that's as diet-friendly and socially responsible as it is tasty. Huh, you say! When did Vistas start pushing products? Bear with me while I explain.

Small businesses that win awards for being great places to work range from hardware stores to nursing care, from car washes to tech support; in some respects, they have nothing in common.

But in other ways, they have much in common, including thriving even during tough times, treating employees as assets, paying them fairly, and listening to them.

Wow! Having a college degree and an alumni network are not as important to successful entrepreneurs as everyone thought. What really counts is hard work – we knew that – experience, and your professional network. Also not so important: investor advice, alumni networks and government help.

"What is a social entrepreneur?" Now that is a really difficult question. First, you have decide what an entrepreneur is. Then you have to decide what qualifies as social entrepreneurship.

Neither task is easy.

Definitions of Phrases Making a Difference – One in a Series

How do you define corporate social responsibility? At the least prescriptive end of the spectrum, corporate social responsibility can be defined as doing no harm, following both the spirit and the letter of all regulations and, maybe, sponsoring a local Little League team.

Not bad, not too hard, but not really doing much to earn your stripes as a socially responsible corporation.

Every year, organizations like Heifer International urge people to give their loved ones cows, goats or chickens that will be used to create a sustainable living for people in third-world countries.

The Money Is in the Chocolate
You’d think that the economic value of a product would be in the raw material. To a small degree, you’d be right. But the greater value by far is in the production process, especially in high-end products such as gourmet chocolate. Making chocolate generates five times more income than fair trade cocoa, even if your beans are considered the finest in the world, according to Tim McCollum of Madécasse.

Last week, I attended the 6^th Annual Conference of Social Entrepreneurs at NYU Stern’s Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. My big take away: Sometimes the past provides a road map for the future and sometimes you need to blaze a new trail.