Social Entrepreneurship.
This word has been bandied around a lot, and many companies, colleges and people pay lip service to it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_entrepreneurship
- How do we create a sustainable enterprise that makes profits and fulfills social obligations?
- Can we help uplift the stature of the small town that we came from, where we were nurtured, before the city lights seduced us to the big city?
- How can we make more money that by having a job in the city?
- How can we have more stature and recognition than being a factory worker in a big corporation?
- Can we take the unemployed youth of our town, the girls who are prevented from having a career in another city and make something that will create wealth for the young people of our town?
NextWealth is showing the way. Read it here.
How I wish that some more mentees used this example, and created a sustainable enterprise in their home towns.
Of course it’s doable. It always was. There is a very inspiring book called “how to change the World” by David Bornstein which showcases all the awesome work done by Ashoka Foundation (an organization that encourages social entrepreneurs all over the world) in this regard and enquires into what drives social entrepreneurs to do what they do, against all odds. Social entrepreneurship is much better than charity (NGOs, charity is not sustainable in the long run) or CSR (most of which is just sham, done for free publicity, or to satisfy the ego of the company’s owner). I wouldn’t exactly call it social entrepreneurship, but my company (Gracia Marcom) in partnership with a waste management company in Ahmedabad, is starting a business model where unemployed, less qualified youth (10 – 12 pass outs or even drop outs) from ahmedabad will be provided an opportunity to make a good living (15-20k per month) by collecting waste (paper, tin, glass, leather, anything that is not food waste). If the ahmedabad model becomes successful, we will take it pan india. it’s not glamorous, but it has huge potential.
Shiv
Wow! Well done Shiv. Along with you, around 90 odd alumni (7%) of IBA Bangalore are entrepreneurs in their own right. I am so proud of what you guys do. Maybe during the alumni meet, we should discuss how we can make more entrepreneurs out of IBAians.
Regards
Chandu
It’s always good to foster the spirit of entrepreneurship. no mater where and in what form. Entrepreneurs are the future of this country. So why not during the alumni meet? How about starting an entrepreneurship cell in IBA with the help of Alumni members? I am a bootstrapper myself (still struggling to create a sustainable business from nothing, without any external funds) and can take a few sessions for my juniors on the campus on how to be a bootstrapper (most of them, like me won’t have capital to invest) and how to avoid the mistakes I have made during my very short run.
Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it to the meet this time, even though i registered because train tickets on the right date are not available and air travel is beyond my humble means. Ahemadabad is quite far off from Bagalore. So next time perhaps. If all goes well, I might be in campus to hire trainees next summer 🙂
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