Typology of social entrepreneurs. Second type.
We continue to create the typology of social entrepreneurship. I mostly rely on the Russian landscape and it is interesting to compare this case study with other countries where social entrepreneurship has also appeared relatively recently. The first type of “Savior” — well entered the audience. He is bright, recognizable; readers willingly put it on their friends. With the second one it will be more difficult. This time, I do not call for examples, but any criticism of the author is welcome.
So, the second type is “Merchant”.
Having entered the world of social entrepreneurship, Merchant begins to develop actively in it, quickly assessing all the advantages of this quiet harbor. Compared to the classic market, there are practically no storms, demand is growing and competition is lower. The margin is also low, but the sector is giant and if you grow enough, you can settle well.
In social entrepreneurship, Merchant gains a source of earnings and internal sustainability. Merchant sincerely wants to create a sustainable business and earns money in an honest way. Merchant perfectly organizes processes, sets tasks and monitors rules. He is the master of reports and protocols. Methodical and meticulous, he is ruthless to inefficiency, along with its carriers. He’s ready to work hard, not afraid to get his hands dirty, work for free if he sees perspectives. The right words and staged photos are always at hand. Social packaging is important while helping to promote, but if the need goes away…, no one has promised love till the end. Merchant builds his empire and is ready to make a sacrifice and show self-restraint. His virtue ends exactly where his interests end. It’s nothing personal — just business (in the social sphere).
He turns out to be not a very pleasant type, he is the opposite of the romantic Savior. But it’s too early to label him as a moral disgrace, he’s not as bad as he might seem. Deep down in his soul, he may not care about the public good, but as long as he gets paid, he will help not worse, and sometimes even better than the Savior. Cheaper, in more organized manner and on a large scale.
He is an important element of the market of social services. His conformism and energy, pragmatism and ambition, make him an excellent administrator, technocrat and manager. The larger the social enterprise becomes, the higher the need for Merchants, their cold professionals and effective managers. Hiring of Merchant becomes mandatory when it comes to scaling through the franchise. He will be a loyal and dedicated to his master until the end (of his contract). All human activities began as mobility and smoothly became professions.
I think Bill Drayton (Ashoka) would hardly call him a social entrepreneur. But in Russia the market has been is only forming for 12 years it is not over, the critical mass is not yet gained, and therefore, we mobilize everybody. Who wants to take the initiative? Part of the Merchants use social entrepreneurship as a great training ground, a safe springboard into the world of big business. And this is an honest exchange; they are ready to invest in the sector, to acquire the necessary skills and competencies.
Many will remain in it, they are no strangers to anything human. While working in a social sphere, they have been slowly impregnated with humanitarian values, learn empathy and change priorities. In return, they share their pragmatism and sustainability. In short, the Union of Merchants and Social Entrepreneurship is more than viable. There is nothing wrong with marriage by calculation with transparent terms of the contract.
It seems important to me to conduct a record of the sectors’ development, describing all its advantages and disadvantages. Not by the sterilized language of academic research or by praising certain work in the media, but by showing the contradictions and roughness of the environment and its heroes. I want to show that there are different players, as in any sphere. Then there will be more life, more trust, and more interest to the topic of social entrepreneurship.
Write what you think about it and how do you treat the Merchants in social entrepreneurship?
And welcome to our community of social entrepreneurs and impact investors — www.iiic.ch
