Social enterprise - rhetoric or reality?

Rhetoric or reality?
GMCVO Conference, 3 June 2008

What we’ll do today
Outline why I’m enthusiastic
Let you know what winds me up
Open it up to discussion

What do I do?
Training - market research, marketing, social business planning
Consultancy - social enterprise
One to one support
Photo from Ant Smallwood via flickr.com

What have I done?
University of Leeds - Spanish & French
Senda Juvenil
Trade for Change
Social Enterprise Leeds
WYSE School
Social Business Consulting
A journey from activist to entrepreneur

Trade for Change 1995-2004

Blogito ergo sum
I blog
I write
I think
I challenge

Social entrepreneurs are not superheroes
Guardian article
Irrational exuberance
Credibility crunch
Credit - dougward via flickr

Why I’m enthusiastic about social business
Customers come first
Marketing - building relationships
Learn from the best in the business
The double-bottom line
Problems need entrepreneurial responses

Why I’m enthusiastic about social business
It’s attracting talented young people
A challenge to the voluntary sector
A challenge to the private sector
A challenge to the public sector
Some openness to learning from failure

Things I’m not so enthusiastic about
Celebrity social businesses and entrepreneurs
It’s a bit too popular with politicians
Unrealistic expectations
Financial buck-passing
Social enterprise shock-therapy

Things I’m not so enthusiastic about
Big is beautiful/corporate lite
Football clubs were not-for-profit too once
“ Oh yes, we now do social enterprise.”
Still not enough maturity about risk/failure
An assumption that business = smart

Bradford and Bingley From mutual to bank to biggest buy-to-let lender

Good to Great and The Social Sectors
We must reject the idea - well intentioned, but dead wrong - that the primary path to greatness in the social sectors is to become “more like a business”. Most businesses - like most of anything else in life - fall somewhere between mediocre and good. Few are great. The critical distinction is not between business and social, but between great and good. (Jim Collins)

On balance
Social business and social entrepreneurs give me hope
There’s a lot of nonesense spoken - but a lot of good done.
For me, you can’t argue with the idea of doing good and doing well
But we need a more mature attitude towards it all

Over to you….
Comments?
Questions?
Photo from aymlis via flickr.com

www.socialbusinessconsulting.co.uk
Lots more resources on all aspects of social business planning
Links to other sites

www.thesocialbusiness.co.uk
Blog about social enterprise
e-newsletter
[email_address]
0113 257 3942
07905 800 710

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Social enterprise - rhetoric or reality?

by Rob Greenland on Jun 03, 2008

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Social enterprise - rhetoric or reality? — Presentation Transcript