Embodying a Social Entrepreneur
by Ariana Salazar
Social entrepreneurs are a unique bunch. In an increasingly cynical world, it can be difficult to continue striving for the benefit of others, even more so trying to make a profit from it. From my experience in the world of startups and enterprises, I have learned that entrepreneurship is a mindset more than a career path, but social entrepreneurs take it to a new level. These entrepreneurs fully commit to continuously finding the balance between maximizing profit and creating social impact. It is not a path that many people take, but it’s a path that many people could benefit from.
In the past three years, the Social Impact Accelerator (SIA) under the Innovation for Social Impact Partnership (ISIP) has strived to support the development of social enterprises in the country. It has provided business development support through learning sessions, support services, mentorship, and access to network, all of which provide further opportunities for growth. The social entrepreneurship journey is a long and arduous road and while we may think that they have a lot to learn, the truth is we could learn a lot from them as well.
The Boring Stuff is Important
“it’s important that you start your business right.”
The startup life can seem thrilling. You innovate at every turn, looking for new and unprecedented solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. But just like any business, your new and improved solutions must also come with operations manuals, human resource processes, and financial management systems. At the very core of the Social Impact Accelerator, we walk social enterprises through this tedious storm of theories of change, and business continuity plans, and government compliance. There is no way to escape the boring parts of it, but at the time, the “boring” parts are crucial in ensuring that your enterprise, and therefore your impact, survives. Ms. Noreen Bautista, Co-Founder of Panublix, articulates very clearly, “it’s important that you start your business right.” Setting up those mundane yet key foundations can mean all the difference down the line.
Don’t be Afraid to Reach Out
If there’s one thing this pandemic has proven, it is that the world can seem so big and so small at the same time. Due to the online environment that everyone is currently living in, it is now easier to get a hold of partners and stakeholders and peers, and you can set a meeting in 10 minutes or less. However, this “new normal” also makes it more difficult to actually connect. All those networking sessions and events, and spontaneous gatherings fostered a natural social environment that our computer screens just cannot replicate. Despite all this, I have seen support organizations and investor networks broadcast time and again that all founders and entrepreneurs have to do is to take that extra step to reach out. We cannot wait for things to come to us. As an entrepreneur, exploring and leaping at chances are just part of the job description, and taking that extra effort to reach out could just lead to the very opportunities you have been waiting for.
Remember Your Why
This is something that I’ve heard time and again, but is nevertheless the most crucial learning both for and from any entrepreneur, most especially for social entrepreneurs. Again, the journey of the social entrepreneur comes with many twists and turns, but the incredible thing to witness is how they consistently and constantly commit to their cause. The “why” is the smallholder farmer with an increasing income through Mayani. It is the mother getting employed through Filipina Homebased Moms (FHMoms). It is the small business owner who can focus on growing his company because Taxumo took a load off their plate. It is one thing to see profit, but it is a completely different thing to see impact. If there is something you can take away from social entrepreneurs, it is their perpetual drive to create impact the people they benefit.
These lessons aren’t new but that only speaks more about why they matter. The ISIP program has seen 29 social enterprises grow and develop both in and out of the Accelerator, and all the SEs embody these lessons to the core. Yes, the competition is intense, and just starting the venture is difficult enough to discourage anyone. It is exciting, however, to see these individuals who are just crazy enough to believe that we could be providing the world so much better. If we follow in their footsteps and embody these lessons, these innate characteristics, then maybe we can be just crazy enough too.
Ariana is an experienced Project Management Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the civic & social organization industry. She believes in the power of innovation for nation-building in the country and has worked with various enterprises and organizations throughout the startup ecosystem. She is currently the program coordinator for Entrepreneurship at ISIP.