What makes a good social entrepreneur?
What is the difference between an entrepreneur and a social entrepreneur? This was just one of the questions I had when I joined the Tech x Social Impact Harvard Franklin Fellowship. I hoped to learn what one must consider when building a social impact enterprise in the tech world and I wanted to better understand what kind of person will be successful in building such an enterprise. Ultimately, I was intrigued to find out what the secret sauce is for being an impactful social entrepreneur who utilizes tech to fuel the vision.
As part of the fellowship, I had the pleasure of chatting with Morgan Lopes, CTO of New Story Charity. To be succinct, Morgan is a beast. Aside from being CTO of New Story, he‘s also the co-founder of Polar Notion and is a serial entrepreneur who has founded numerous startups. He was refreshingly passionate about his work, self-aware, kind, and much more.
Morgan enthusiastically explained how New Story Charity is pioneering breakthrough solutions like 3D printed homes to end global homelessness. They are contributing to sustainable well-being with Lean Participatory Design — an inclusive process that invites community members of all ages to contribute feedback about what sort of homes will meet their specific needs. They partner with local businesses, governments, and nonprofits to ensure empathetic decisions. They have a feedback loop so they can continue improving their approach and are very transparent with stakeholders. You can read more about the charity here (linking to a wonderfully written article by the amazing Alaisha — another fellow — discussing what New Story Charity does right and how they could improve).
Morgan gave insights into how a great nonprofit is structured, what it means to be a good social entrepreneur, and how to build truly impactful tech. As I listened to Morgan, I began to piece together why he is a respected and successful social entrepreneur.
In an Entrepreneur article titled “Do You Have What It Takes To Be a Social Entrepreneur?” Harry Kraemer, Professor at the Kellogg School of Management and author of Becoming the Best: Build a World-Class Organization Through Values-Based Leadership, defined social entrepreneurship. “In social entrepreneurship, values-based leadership is essential. In particular, the two principles of self-reflection and genuine humility are especially important” Kramer noted.
Let’s dig a little deeper into these:
- Self-Reflection
I’m sometimes skeptical of self-proclaimed social entrepreneurs. I question how they are achieving that feel-good satisfaction: is it because they are truly passionate about X problem/issue? Or is it because they’re getting recognition — the label of a “social entrepreneur”, accolades, etc.? In other words, are social entrepreneurs driven by intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, or a combination?
Of course, a social entrepreneur who is extrinsically motivated can still do impactful work. There are so many entrepreneurs, regardless of motivation, that accomplish many amazing things, which is great. However, I think that to maximize impact on others and personal growth, establishing goals and values to keep you grounded and true to yourself is essential. Especially when there are so many different avenues in the tech world, I think the most successful social entrepreneurs take meaningful time to evaluate their character and drives. That’s why self-reflection is so important.
Self-reflection allows you to take a step back, return to your roots, and be reminded of why you are doing something and what you are working toward. I found Morgan’s ability to self-reflect quite refreshing. For example, when asked about how he is able to handle so many different ventures, he said he has a personal purpose statement that is his north star in his social impact entrepreneurial journey.
According to Morgan, one of the keys to being a great social entrepreneur is to create a clear declaration of intent and focus — something to always remind you of what drives you and a standard to measure and align decisions. Morgan’s personal statement is to “pioneer a more beautiful future for others.” He feels at his best when he’s helping others, doing something positive for others. So, takeaway: before diving into tackling a problem, define your goals and values, a purpose statement to always keep you on track if you find yourself astray.
https://www.morganjlopes.com/purpose-statement-framework/
Morgan said that one of his fundamental beliefs is that the job of a nonprofit is to put themself out of business. In other words, New Story Charity shouldn’t exist if they eradicate homelessness, and until then, they will tirelessly work toward that goal. I’d like to believe that this idea stemmed from someone who is able to spend meaningful time genuinely reflecting on their values. I really appreciated this insight.
Something else he said that stood out to me: “Leadership is a choice, not a rank.” Perfect example of being intrinsically motivated; I’ll leave that quote here for you to interpret and apply to your own pursuits.
2. Genuine Humility
During the chat, I felt that Morgan often emphasized that he’s constantly learning from those around him. I think this is essential for social entrepreneurs who want to do good in the tech sector. No one has all the answers, and you have to be receptive to feedback and open to change. Especially in the social impact scene, it can sometimes be hard to critically evaluate yourself, to ask those hard-hitting questions, and be honest with yourself.
As a serial entrepreneur, Morgan also mentioned that different problems require different solutions and products. I think that sometimes, social entrepreneurs fall into the trap of thinking that they are tackling a problem in an impactful way, when in reality, they may not be using the most effective approach. Having the guts to repivot and adapt to maximize impact — even when it might mean accepting temporary defeat — takes courage and humility. Takeaway: build something that people want by fixating on the problem, not your solution.
New Story Charity is well-aware that they alone don’t know how to build the perfect house for others. That’s why they deploy their Lean Participatory Design design process to gather input from the families/communities they are building for. They also rely on local partners to provide geographic-specific expertise. Rather than imposing status quo beliefs of what housing should be, this model of inclusiveness has enabled New Story to fuel local economies, create jobs, and successfully house 11,000+ people.
I also admired that New Story Charity was realistic and aware of their scope. One of their missions is to first solve their own problems and then democratize to help others. They know they don’t have everything figured out. They want to spend thoughtful time into getting it right foundationally so that they can maximize impact in the long run.
All in all, I think Morgan is truly motivated by social justice, and I don’t think I can say the same for everyone in the tech x social impact sphere. He truly strives to do impactful work and radiates passion. I think any aspiring or current social entrepreneur can learn a lot from him :)
