4 Life Changing Books Every Social Entrepreneur Should Read
As a social enterprise, our aim has always been to educate young minds and guide them to become social innovators. And what better way to learn and acquire knowledge than to read books?
To keep the ball rolling, we have listed some inspiring reads for aspiring social entrepreneurs. The beauty of this list lies in the fact that they are stories that enlighten you with real-life experiences and empathising solutions. Isn’t that the kind of social entrepreneur you want to be?
1. The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time
Author: Jeffrey D. Sachs
In The End of Poverty, Jeffrey D. Sachs addresses the issue of global poverty and carves out an ambitious approach to eradicate it by 2025 which involves participation from wealthy nations. He emphasizes on various standpoints concerning poverty; where he identified it as a local problem and thinks it is very limited to a few countries; he exposes the dichotomy of the organizations in the development world.
The book serves as an impetus to people who believe in changing the world to be a better place. It’s an optimistic approach towards building a world without poverty.
2. Mountains Beyond Mountains
Author: Tracy Kidder
The book is based on the contribution of physician and anthropologist Dr Paul Farmer beyond mountains are derived from a Haitian proverb. Tracy focuses on the determination and dedication that went into building a healthier and happier atmosphere to the poor in Haiti.
Tracy Kidder does a great job in portraying Paul Farmer as the knight in shining armour in the Haitian diaspora. Tracy talks about his experiences as a journalist that led him to be inspired and motivated by the characters actions.
3. Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur’s Odyssey to Educate the World’s Children
Author: John Wood
This is one of those books that every person stuck in their monotonous routine would love. It’s for every person who seeks wanderlust. The book is John Woods own story about escaping the corporate world to build his non-profit organization ‘Room to Read’.
John Wood discusses how he found his true calling by going on a trip to the Himalayas. He talks about the scepticism he has to face after he proposed to run a book drive. The book is a testament to the influence an individual can have on various families and the global community in today’s world. He has expressed compassion and the importance of human values that could inspire every budding social entrepreneur.
4. The Lean Start Up
Author: Eric Ries
One of the most recommended books for social entrepreneurs had to be a part of this list. The Lean Start Up has been one of the most insightful books that concentrate on the idea of “validated learning” and the build-measure-learn feedback loop. It closely looks at setting up a sustainable business. Ries emphasizes on the necessity of favourable conditions and lack of wastage for new product developments.
The book draws on the fact that the methodology stated involves similar tools and approaches that have been tried and tested by entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley. He thinks this source can also translate into social innovation for impact. The Lean Startup overall boosts a change from the old-fashioned approach of design-execute to a performance focused one of build-measure-learn.
So, there you have it. Social entrepreneurs swear by these books and we hope that you benefit from these amazing reads as well. If you want to make a positive change, this is your moment. Take the first step towards educating yourself and building your dreams towards creating a world driven by compassion and insight.
Are there any books that have inspired you as a social entrepreneur or advocate for social change? Please share them with us in the comments below!
Visit www.unbound.edu.au to learn more about Unbound’s global education programs & local impact projects and find out about our upcoming events.
