Dare to Dream: 7 Tips and 7 Stories on How to Be a Social Entrepreneur.
In today’s entrepreneurial scene, it’s not all about tech startups and the next big app. More and more people are diving into the world of businesses that take on society’s toughest challenges. That’s the world of social entrepreneurship.
But let’s not ignore the elephant in the room — just two years ago, as the pandemic unfolded, Campaign was on the brink of collapse. That near-death experience taught us that the path to success in social entrepreneurship isn’t a cakewalk. But every cloud has its silver lining. For us, it materialized when our companies decided to step forward to be more active and innovative in their social activities.
So, given this elephant-sized challenge and the incredible show of support, what does it take to thrive as a social entrepreneur? How do you navigate the twists and turns of this journey?
Embark with me on a journey through Campaign’s highs and lows as I share seven tips, each enlivened with stories from Campaign’s adventures in social entrepreneurship:
- Identify Your Passion and Purpose: Ensure that your social enterprise addresses an issue you are deeply passionate about, as this will be your driving force during challenging times. For me, the Ice Bucket Challenge wasn’t just a viral sensation; it was a spark, igniting a fervent curiosity — how might we catalyze similar movements for varied causes?
- Understand the Issue Thoroughly: Deep dive into the social problem you wish to address to create relevant, impactful, and sustainable solutions. But start with an open mind and new experiences. While working on various campaigns, from social to political, our definitive pivot toward a social startup happened with our first two large-scale social campaigns: WWF’s #DoubleTiger and Lentera’s #MulaiBicara. These campaigns didn’t just inspire us — they led us to commit 100% to the social sector.
- Develop a Robust Business Model: Ensure that your social enterprise has a sustainable business model that supports its social mission over the long term. This was always difficult, but when offline events, our primary revenue stream, crumbled amidst the pandemic, we had to pivot to an app-centric model, navigating through uncharted waters to sustain our mission amidst chaos. Thankfully, companies decided to try something innovative and new with their social activities, giving birth to our online sponsorship business model!
- Build a Strong Team: Bring together a group of people who share your passion and vision and bring a diverse set of skills to your enterprise. It is not easy to attract the best talent when you are just starting. My advice is to be authentic and wholehearted in all that you do. Transitioning to a fully remote setup during the pandemic was a precaution to protect our team. Unexpectedly, it blossomed into a unique value proposition, magnetizing a myriad of talented, passionate individuals from across the nation to our mission.
- Measure Impact Effectively: Develop metrics to measure not just financial performance but also the social impact your enterprise is creating. Peter Drucker’s wisdom, “What gets measured gets managed,” became our north star. By interweaving our social and business KPIs, we found a way to navigate through complex decisions, ensuring that our impact and sustainability walked hand in hand.
- Collaborate and Network: Forge partnerships and networks with other organizations, social entrepreneurs, and stakeholders to amplify your impact. Meeting people through conferences, festivals, or social events. Or through platforms like LinkedIn. Shake some hands, exchange name cards or scan QR codes! It is through building trusted relationships that Campaign continues to do what we do.
- Stay Adaptable: The entrepreneurial journey is filled with unexpected twists. Be ready to change your approach and adapt to changing circumstances. Through multiple iterations — from business models to app interfaces — change morphed from a challenge into a mentor. Adopting the kaizen philosophy, we learned to perceive crises not as obstacles but as opportunities to evolve and elevate.
In a continuously evolving world, our commitment stands steadfast: to foster positive change through innovative social campaigns. Yet, our voyage doesn’t sail alone — we’re seeking partners who dare to venture into these transformative tides with us.
Become a Sponsor, Make an Impact!
If you or your organization share the same spirit in harnessing collective efforts for social good, let’s weave a tapestry of change together. By becoming a sponsor, you’re not merely supporting a cause but becoming a part of a movement that intertwines your brand with impactful, positive change. Let’s kindle a beacon of hope, innovation, and tangible impact — together.
To explore sponsorship opportunities and to embark on a journey of collaborative impact with Campaign, connect with us here. Your commitment propels us further, enabling the continuation and amplification of our mission.
Dare to dream, dare to act, and let’s co-create a world that future generations will be thankful for. Together, let’s act #ForABetterWorld.
