Connecting and networking
Connecting and networking with other social entrepreneurs can benefit you in several ways – from new perspectives that spark business growth to new contacts and mentors to bounce ideas off …
Course: Social Enterprise: Turning Ideas into Action
Tips for social entrepreneurs
Starting a new venture isn’t easy. You know that. But don’t get discouraged! As you can see from the video above, there’s a lot to be learned from those who’ve …
Social enterprise legal structures
Social enterprises can choose from a variety of legal identities detailed below to suit their unique needs. Choosing the right form for your social enterprise can help it grow and …
Understanding the core components of marketing
Now that you’ve developed your idea and defined your business model, it’s time to think about how you will market your products or services. Marketing is the activity which connects …
Moving from a marketing strategy to a plan
Are you ready to develop your marketing plan? Your marketing plan should identify practical steps and tactics to deliver the marketing strategy. If you don’t feel ready to start developing …
Q&A: Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular alternative to traditional funding sources. It harnesses the power of social media to raise funds from online networks with shared interests. In this article, Sheeza …
Becoming impact investment ready
Impact investments are investments made into companies, organisations, and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investing challenges the long-held views that …
Making the community a part of your team
In addition to building a core leadership team, social enterprises draw their organisational strength from the ways in which they involve local communities in their decision-making processes. A distinguishing feature …
Business models beyond profit
What makes the social enterprise business model different? Your business model is an integrated view of your entire organisation, bringing together your social model, strategy and operational plans. These components …
Funding sources for social enterprise
Because social enterprises are structured differently from a traditional charity or business, they may obtain funding from grants, investments, or a combination of both. In recent years, a number of …
Business Model Canvas
As your social enterprise idea becomes more clear and you start to test it, you’ll also need to keep in mind your business model. A good way to keep your …
What makes a good social enterprise team
In this video, social entrepreneurs and their team members share some of the traits and values that help them work well together. What makes a strong and cohesive social enterprise …
Putting your team together
Getting a social enterprise off the ground is a team endeavour. While individual founders may come up with innovative ideas, it takes a range of knowledge and skills—rarely possessed by …
Human-centred design
Human-centered design is a creative approach to problem solving. It’s a process that starts with the people you’re designing for and ends with new solutions that are tailor made to …
Theory of change
How do social entrepreneurs connect their specific business models to broader visions of social impact? In the previous course in this program, we identified a range of global and local …
