Starting a Social Enterprise: It Takes Guts and Tenacity

Social entrepreneurs are impact driven. They are very passionate about solving social issues they found and pursue the missions, but that can be scary. If you are solving the world’s problems, you are creating something that’s never existed before. Here’s why you need to embrace that!

Why shouldn’t you be nervous about starting a social enterprise?

Humans are always scared of the unknown. But not just humans. It is universal that all the creatures are afraid of the unknown. One of my small hobbies is to watch videos that collect scared animals’ reactions, for example, when you put a cucumber right behind a cat stealthily while they eat and they found it and when dogs look themselves into a mirror.

It is appropriate to be nervous about starting not just a social enterprise but a business itself. It is more like instinct. I get that. However, why do people love Indiana Jones, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Marty McFly? Because people also do love adventures. You won’t know what would happen on any adventures. So are people afraid of adventures? No, people love adventures. Adventures are exciting, stimulate your curiosity and most importantly, always have missions.

“A1. Because starting a social enterprise is like an adventure, not the unknown.“

Social entrepreneurs are impact driven. They are very passionate about solving social issues they found and pursue the missions. It’s like adventures, isn’t it? The big difference between adventures and the unknown is if it has a mission. Indiana Jones has a reason why he does on an adventure every time no matter if he likes it or not. Captain Jack Sparrow always knows what he wants and goes on his voyage to grab it. Marty McFly needed to go back to the past and future to save someone all the time.

They always have reasons to jump into adventures as if they don’t have any other choices. Social entrepreneurs can’t stop thinking about issues since they found out and they won’t stop until they solve the issues. It’s their missions. On the contrary, the unknown is literally just the unknown, just you don’t know what it is. If you’re afraid of starting, not just a social enterprise but an enterprise, I guess you have the other option, that not to do it. If you have something that you cannot stop thinking about and want to move ahead, just go for it. Nothing will stop you.

Q. Why shouldn’t you be nervous about starting a social enterprise?

When you are nervous about something, it usually comes from a lack of confidence. It’s easy to say “So, why don’t you build confidence?”, but it’s actually harder than it sounds. Everyone knows it. So what else can help you to be less nervous? Community support.

You should keep it in your mind that you’re not alone. Let me share my experience with you. I’m originally from Japan and came to San Francisco in the United States only because I wanted to take a Master program called “Social Entrepreneurship.” Hult International Business School, where I finished the Master program, is a very international school and that’s the main reason why I chose the school because I was very curious to meet those who came from different countries and who are eager to learn specifically social entrepreneurship. In fact, we had over 60 classmates from over 25 nationalities in one classroom. Now we are very close to each other, stays in touch and would love to help each other.

This is the example of social entrepreneurship community. Whenever I meet and talk to a social entrepreneur, you have no idea how caring and sweet they are. If doesn’t matter how many times you have met them, maybe even for the first time, social entrepreneurs are always there for you.

“A2. Because you are guaranteed to get support from social entrepreneurship community.“

One thing that I would definitely is that social entrepreneurs are proud to call themselves social entrepreneurs and they feel special when they hear the words as well. The words are the key to open the social entrepreneurship community.

There are so many universities around the world have or think about start social entrepreneurship program. This is happening around the world right now.

Even though Frodo Baggins had a big mission of destroying the ring to destroy Sauron, he could have accomplished the mission without support from Sam, Gandalf, and Aragorn. In other words, Frodo had a mission and he fully committed it, so he eventually got supports even from Elves, dwarves, and humans.

Just remember; You are not alone. We are always stand by you.

Q. Why shouldn’t you be nervous about starting a social enterprise?

Above 2 answers are about you as an individual, but social enterprises are of course business. So what about social business in business trends? Very hot.

First of all, when you read Change Creator Magazine, you will see how many great mission is driven by social enterprises are around the world. Second of all, the movement is expanding and spreading the world. I can show you the 3 things to prove that.

“A3. Because social business is a hot trend around the world now.”

Conferences

The basic events are conferences. There are so many conferences about social entrepreneurship out there, so I’ll introduce one upcoming conference to you.

Related: What early phase entrepreneurs need to know about conferences

SOCAP

The world’s leading conference on social capital markets, that brings together social entrepreneurs, impact investors, funders, business leaders and other innovators and problem solvers from across the world. You build game changing partnerships build and collaborate powerful ideas with them!

This SOCAP takes place from October 10th-13th so you’d better check it out if you haven’t.

Business Competitions

Current social entrepreneurs are very important for human beings and the earth, but future social entrepreneurs are our treasure and hope. Here is one and the biggest example of it.

Hult Prize

The world’s largest social business competition for students from universities, colleges and business schools around the world.

Over 25,000 teams applied for Hult Prize last year and Hult Prize is having local competitions in several countries starting this year.

Winners of the Hult Prize earn $1million to start their social business.

Impact Investment

From an investment point of view, social business is an exciting field.

I specifically mentioned impact investment in the previous blog post so I’d like to check that out, but the point is that investors pay much attentions to social enterprises not because they are kind and sweet but also because they can make money by investing that field.

Part of Change Creator’s mission is to support the development and collaboration of social entrepreneurs to help tackle global problems.

You can’t help thinking and talking about social business once you put your feet into the field.

The great ideas and awesome team members definitely comes after your passion. So let’s join us and move on with us!

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