This is Social Entrepreneurship: Changing A Society

"Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry." - Bill Drayton

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Introduction

Have you ever thought about a problem in this world that needs a solution? Do you dream of making a difference in people's lives? If you answered yes to these questions then you could become the next social entrepreneur. Social entrepreneurship is becoming the new norm for individuals that find problems in a world that has many undiscovered solutions. You can be the next person to change the way future generations live their lives. Throughout this blog, we will dive deeper into the meaning of social entrepreneurship and what it really consists of.

What Is Social Entrepreneurship?

Social entrepreneurship is when an individual leads a systematic change in a social system, whether that be nationally or internationally, in the form of a business. These highly regarded individuals face many challenges and resistance during their attempts to transform systems, but they possess drive and motivation to overcome any hardships that appear. Social entrepreneurs have a passion for creating positive change in a problem-ridden society.

Their success is defined by how impactful their business is for the world. During entrepreneurialism, it is important to not get satisfied but to also not get to depressed. According to David Bornstein, a social entrepreneur's main focus is not profits; however, the main focus revolves around the social or environmental change created (2007). Currently about 5% of entrepreneurs are classified as "social entrepreneurs." The social entrepreneurship industry is one of the most under-appreciated in the world.

Becoming A Social Entrepreneur

Becoming a social entrepreneur does not happen over night and takes time to plan out. The first step is to develop a passion for a topic that is problematic or nonexistent. Like Bill Drayton, find a group of people that are knowledgable and have a similar passion. These people can consist of colleagues, friends, or even family, but make sure they posses sufficient qualities. There will likely be denials, roadblocks, and bias throughout your journey, but the best social entrepreneurs keep moving forward with their visions. You have to be willing to ignore the naysayers, but also use constructive criticism to flourish. If you are going to attempt a social entrepreneurship opportunity, then you need to be fully invested in the task at hand. It will be important to create an emotional connection with the individuals you are trying to reach. In today's society, social media is a big influence and it is essential to utilize all platforms to expand your target market. Not sure what solution you would like to fill? Go to local nonprofit organizations and learn about charities that are being funded or just watch the news, which contains about 75% of negative/problematic news. These sources could help you find your ultimate passion and mission.

Examples of Social Entrepreneurship

Portrait of Gloria de Souza

In the book "How to Change the World," Bornstein gives the examples of a few social entrepreneurs. Their names were Bill Drayton, Gloria de Souza, and Florence Nightingale. Bill Drayton was a smart, passionate guy that attended Yale University and founded Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. This organization had a mission of finding people inspired to create social change. They wanted to focus on social issues of education, environmental protection, healthcare, poverty, and rural development. Gloria de Souza (pictured to the left) was an elementary school teacher in India and she went through many tribulations to create an organization called Parisar Asha, meaning "hope for the environment." This organization engaged in an Environmental Studies (EVS) learning style that increased student's interests in school and resulted in higher test scores. Lastly, Florence Nightingale was a passionate individual about the nursing industry and came from a rich family in England. Nursing was not a highly regarded industry, but she experienced her passion when she arrived at war to high mortality rates in the hospitals of the British soldiers. She worked countless hours to reduce the mortality rate from about 43% to 2% in three months. Through her work, she established the Nightingale Training School for Nurses and transformed nursing into a respectable profession. These people are role models for all current and future social entrepreneurs.

Conclusion

Overall, this blog follows through on the definition of social entrepreneurship, the mindset necessary to become a social entrepreneur, and some past examples of successful social entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurship has been revolutionary in the past few decades even though they have always existed. Universities are even starting to offer courses that teach social entrepreneurship. I challenge everyone to find a problem within their community and try to create a social change that betters the lives of individuals in that community. Now go out and CHANGE THE WORLD!!!

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