social catalyst

Why do we do it that way?

?       A question has been swirling around in my head for weeks now. I can't seem to answer it or even utter it to those who might listen. It would be like swearing in church or wearing shorts to a formal wedding; you sometimes want to, but you know the response from the crowd will be instant rejection.

What is this question(s)?

    Why do we spend so much money, time, and resources on asking what communities want in their neighbourhoods? And         why do we only do this in disadvantaged areas? And finally, does all of this consultation add up to anything constructive?

It is an interesting question, because I often find that the people assigned to ask the community questions come to the task with assumptions like these;

1. They need access to good health care.

2. They don't want anything too nice/posh.

3. They do want a community centre.

4. The 40 people or 100 people consulted at a free workshop are representative of the 3000 in the area.

Amazingly, I have heard number 2 uttered more than once in the last 90 days by "regen professionals". I was dismayed.

What would happen if we stopped trying to plan so much in a disadvantaged neighbourhood and starting simply setting people loose to start things (biz, groups, etc.),  set up investment zones; proper planning/zoning boards; and provided some small funding to support a residents group to balance the developers? What would happen if we didn't focus on community centres? (This sounds allot like what happens in non-disadvantaged areas.)

The regeneration game has been playing for 40 years and the list of disadvantaged areas hasn't really changed substantially. The areas that did drop off the list; it is likely they were of two types (1) a large track of mostly unused land that was completely redeveloped as part of a single massive scheme or (2) it was regenerated without help from the government.

We need to put more efforts into replicating the actions of the second type.

Entrepreneurial Leadership, not Bureaucratic Paradigms

Social Enterprise Business is currently being led by 45 person boards of coalitions and 1,720 quangos. Is this a real movement-a new way to do business- or is it simply a place to park some government funding? When the Times and RBS give out social entrepreneur awards to CEOs running charities...we have surely lost the plot. The folks mentioned in the awards are highly qualified and delivering high social value. But, I would argue that incorporation as a charity is not really social entrepreneurial. (yuck! I sound like some ranting fool in the corner.) *Footnote: I did not apply for, nor do I know anyone who applied for the awards.

But, this got me thinking about what I was doing. I have been working on this dream of a new economy for 4 years. Not long by most accounts. But, what I noticed lately is that I have become entranced with the public purse. What direction is government going? What will the local authority do next? What is the regional play?

These are important issues, but who is leading this? God help us (and I think they would agree) if the quangos/local authorities/government/fill in the blank are leading this. We, the entrepreneurs need to lead this. What is THIS? It's a better way to do business and create value. Social Business.

I read a book called Creating Shareholder Value during my MBA program. I want to write the new version, with the help of a tribe; Creating Stakeholder Value. A small change, but a huge difference. Stakeholders are the beneficiaries of the social outcomes of social business. It might be a group of people (elderly, poor, disabled), it might be an area (think regeneration), it might be international (think eradication of disease or drinking water), it might be environmental (think green), it might be (______). Importantly, the value will have a wider impact and will be both monetary and social. (And so ended the lesson)

Let's build a business focused tribe that gets the importance of social impact. Focused on starting and growing businesses that do more than profit. No, we will not make subscription to specific paradigms a pre-requisite (charitable/community owned/etc.) - making a difference is difficult enough. No, we will not hold seminars on how to get public funding or contracts - if you are an entrepreneur, you will have figured this out. No, we will not hold seminars extolling the virtues of social business - it's not about group chants, it's about data, profit, change. No, we will not hold award ceremonies giving trophies to the same group of 12 for 3 years running b/c we can't be bothered to dig deeper to find those like Baraka Coffee.

We will get like minded entrepreneurs together to share ideas and inspiration.
We will drive forward a community to connect (with money) and support (with info).
We will make profit the priority (in order that we may support our social mission!).
We will insist you must be doing more than CSR.
We will change the world. Together.
We will lead.

How is this different than my perception of the workings today? The social business creating value attracts the finance/investment, interest from government; moving away from the social business begging a bureaucrat to approve an investment in something they know little about. Tails, Dogs, and wagging.

Want to be part of this tribe of social entrepreneurs running business differently? Stop following the mandates and start leading from where you are.

Measuring impact. oh really?

Ok. So you are social entreprenuer. Your business works (congrats you are now in the top 10% of SEs) and you want to increase the scope of your impact. You now need additional outside investment.

Problem: how do you prove that you are already making an impact?!

1. You provide a myriad of case studies. (anectdotal)
2. You point to your output list from the original grant portion used to start the biz. (vutually meaningless; it's likely your outputs are quantities, but aren't they the same ones that were achieved by the last bunch in the 90's?)
3. You contrast a video,picture, survey of your area/tribe with one today and photoshop one for the next 5 years. (getting closer, but didn't loads of other projects work on your area? Could it be them who has succeeded in making the change?)

What's that famous paradox? Now you really know what it is to be a social entreprenuer.

There is not one right way to tell your story, but there are better ways. We are trying to clarify what we impact and finding it challenging staying out of the above traps. In the end, I think we will go for the macro level indicators, and bet on a sustainable model that probably delivers modest impact over a longer period. At least the ROI will be greater and grant money can be directed towards other non sustainable but equally important things.

In Charge. And getting out of the way. (Well Said.)

I don't think I can improve on this post and its message; so I am posting it here in its entirety with links to it.

This is from a daring person who is taking control of a process usually much out of your control (finding a job). She is, at least from what I gather from her approach and her website, pretty much the prototype for hiring. She? I have lost my manners; it's Susan. And Susan says:

One person in charge at a time

k at a company with more than two people, you’ve likely had a project that was SNOWED.

Jeremiah Owyang brought the term up in reference to websites that look and run like mush. SNOWED – Stakeholders’ Needs Overwhelm Web Experience Design. Basically a case of too many cooks. And you see it all over the web. And in print and in events and in customer service and in … .

There’s a severe lack of amazing to be found in what marketing produces and some of it is related to Jeremiah’s solution to the website issue.

The way I see it, if you want to get something done, if you want it to be amazing when it is done, you’ll only get there by having one person in charge at a time. One person whose job it is provide the vision and watch the critical path. One person who understands the true goal and can say no. One person who accepts the responsibility for blame or credit.

Sounds like leadership, huh?

Unfortunately, companies end up with one of two scenarios instead. Either projects are run by committee and no one steps up to lead and nothing gets done. Or someone is designated the leader and undermined at every step by the way by people who won’t let them be in charge and nothing amazing happens.

Do you want amazing? Put one person in charge. Be willing to be the person in charge. Take charge, take responsibility, take the blame, share the credit.

*As seen on Susan's website/blog: http://main.susanhiresaboss.com/

This is the classic scenario at most companies; including ours. Plowing the SNOW out of the system is the way forward---just hope you find enough people to do something amazing AND you get out of the way. Entrepreneurs need especially take note.

Open source social business

Is there a way to get the important info to people starting or running a social business (aka enterprise) in a collaborative open source way that eliminates the bureaucracy of hub sites and presented on a user friendly way? Importantly, if you found a way, what chance does it have of reaching a meaningful portion of the businesses?

Imagine you are running a social biz. You are probably (this means most, not all!) not very good at the business part of social biz. But, you don't realise this usually until it is too late.
How do we, an open source (read free) resource, get you to find the information you need. Info that will skill you up, help you make the right decision, or push you to hire that operations mgr that will save you from yourself.
Breaking through for social biz, as aspired to at the latest convention, will depend on being able to answer this very question.

coming soon!

I have taken some time off from blogging (again!) to figure out the focus of socialcatalyst.

I am now clear on what I will be talking about here: inspiring and instigating those outside the movement to join and those inside the movement to take big steps and actions towards changing the world around them. of course, the action and subsequent change in the world I want to instigate will be through medium of social business.

off on holiday for some rest and relaxation: see you in MAY!

*in the meantime; when are you hitting optimum impact? perhaps the time can be pinpointed?

Recession Busting @ Shine

 Our social enterprise, Shine, is looking at ways to help small businesses in this recession while still maintaining our newborn business. So we thought; how do people exist without actual cash?

Well, that's a tough one. But I do think that the barter economy holds some secrets to beating the recession. In fact, my childhood was spent mixing traditional and barter economy through the trading/collecting of baseball cards. I would get some money for cleaning the house or garden and buy a pack of cards, but to get the cards I really wanted, I usually had to trade the ones I bought, and this is how it was for every kid. It got really interesting when you traded 1 special card for 5 less special cards. (Pictured Here: Greg Maddux, one of the best all-time pitchers and on my favorite team - Braves!) 

Well, our idea is sort of a barter and it's sort of a web model brought to bricks and mortar.

OFFER:
We are offering a 600 sqft office (3-12 people depending on your comfy quotient), inclusive of: 2 parking spots, high speed internet, professional reception, mail, extended hours access, BUSINESS RATES, and all the electric/heat you need. In other words, you get a kick-ass office in a fantastic building (Best Commercial Space in Yorkshire 2008) for £0 per month. Yes, £0 per month.

How does that work?

Well, if you are a fairly connected person, you probably know lots of people who hold lots of meetings and more importantly conferences. If you can get them to move some portion of their meetings/conferences to Shine you can have the office for FREE. How many conferences/meetings? Enough to equal the value of the free office x 1.5. Simple, introduce your contacts to our fabulous space - they love it, they use it, you win, they win, we win!

If you want to know more about this innovative offer and how you or someone you know OR even a couple of companies who want to share an office can take advantage, call Claire Irving @ Shine (0113 388 0000).

Spread the word. This will make perfect sense to the right person(s).

fashinistas pt 2

the second half did not disappoint. a mixture of african influence and 1950's. some striking pieces. i was especially taken by the innovation in the ensembles. just think, a platform for new talent right in your neighborhood with proceeds going to support local entrepreneurs. well done to randolph and the whole team who pulled off a great show.

fashionistas in beeston

blogging live from the myCatalyst fashion show at Hillside in Beeston. Wow! some interesting pieces from a diverse group of ambitious designers. Some of these fashion designers are doing there first show, but you couldnt tell. Music, drink, dancers and good food are mingled in between two sets. standouts include custmised hoodies (yes, those!), retro funky dresses and some bold evening dresses. refreshingly, the models are a mixture of semi-pro and friends and represent aspirational and typical body types. i see a potential fashion tribe forming in myCatalyst! back to the show!

Outlier updated

I shouted about the new book by malcolm gladwell this morning (Outliers), promising to refine my commentary on the book later today. My refinement is a distillation of 3 reasons i think it is an important book for agents of change and society in general: (1) it debunks the bubblegum theory of success and culturial biases-that success is destiny or not entirely free will-and puts responsibility for success back onto success enablers and those who would be successful, (2) it suggests practical ways that we can make widespread and powerful social change; how we might go about bringing more socio-economic balance to society, and (3) it is an inspirational and fascinating read, even if you are not planning to bring about social change before tomorrow's tea. Get the book and give the book.