Wednesday Wisdom: Social Entrepreneurship is a Win

Wednesday Wisdom, Inspiration for Women Entrepreneurs, Female Business Owners

As one of our members travels to a dangerous country to help build a house because her company gave enough money to sponsor a 4 Walls Project House, which will change the lives of a family in Nicaragua, another woman in 2015 created a secret marathon in Afghanistan because there are still places in the world where women are not allowed to run or walk outside. In both cases these women are carving out ways to support the next generation.

For the most part, women reading this Wednesday Wisdom blog post today don’t work or live in dangerous locales, but others do. Sometimes we take for granted our dwellings, fortunes, and freedoms since they are naturally gifted to us because of where we live and who we are. Most of us didn’t start our businesses to be social entrepreneurs but we may or could develop into one.

According to Wikipedia, social entrepreneurs are people who develop, fund, and implement solutions to social, cultural, or environmental issues. The concept of social entrepreneurship emerged in the 1980s. Entrepreneurship becomes a social endeavor when it transforms social capital in a way that affects society positively.

I’d like to think pleading my message the past 30 years of “buying from women first and foremost to help with the pay inequality” is my way of being a social entrepreneur through Women TIES, because I care more about the women in my organization making money over the amount of money I earn. My company isn’t a non-for-profit but has operated close to one for many years. I do it because I believe women need to make more money and my voice and marketing platform help to shine a light on it and make that difference.

So, what can you do if you are interested in morphing your business or programs to a more social entrepreneurship model? Well, today’s Wednesday Wisdom suggests you consider: what about the status quo are you not satisfied with, what bothers you, what is important to you, what lights you up more than anything else, and what values guide you? These questions can lead to the beginning of envisioning and planning. Don’t get overwhelmed by the big picture, think just about what you can do today and get started.

When our member returns from her trip, we will host her as a speaker to inspire more social entrepreneurs in our organization, but until then you can join me and global women on March 8 in running “The Secret 3K,” an offshoot of the Secret Marathon, to support organization that helps women run freely and fearlessly. One step forward is all it takes sometimes. Join me in taking this small but mighty step, by clicking here to join my team or donating or starting to morph into a social entrepreneur yourself.