In February I started writing the Build a Social Enterprise blog. In April, I began sharing some of its content through a LinkedIn newsletter. In just eight months, more than 650 people have signed up. I can’t quite put into…
I started my first social enterprise in 1984, when I was six years old, selling parrots to local pet shops. My purpose and my calling were aligned long before I had the language to describe them. What are “Purpose and…
I have just completed a ten-month leadership fellowship with Acumen Academy. The UK Fellowship is “a reflective programme that brings together a cohort of extraordinary individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset and a commitment to solving problems of poverty across the…
In this blog, I want to explain why I believe bearing witness is a crucial practice for everyone to learn, especially for changemakers and social entrepreneurs. These reflections come from my own lived experience as a social entrepreneur, a manager,…
In the last blog we explored “Five Ways to Stay Connected With Your Team”. In this blog we explore five ways to connect with people who can support you beyond your team and board. I believe that some of the…
One of the common threads I’ve noticed among the founders and changemakers I coach is a sense of loneliness and isolation in their roles. It’s a feeling I know well, not only during the early, chaotic years of launching my…
Celebrating 100 Pro-Bono Coaching Hours I’ve just crossed a milestone: 100 hours of pro-bono coaching with incredible purpose leaders from Brazil, New Zealand, the U.S., Kyrgyzstan, the U.K., and beyond. What do they all have in common? What is your…
As a founder of a social enterprise, you’re probably used to doing everything, or nearly everything, yourself. Those early days are magical. You wear every hat: from payroll to fundraising, marketing to service delivery, budgeting to team-building. It’s exhilarating. It’s…
Dear Fellow and Aspiring Social Entrepreneurs, One of the most frequent questions I receive, whether I’m coaching young people starting out or professionals seeking more purpose-driven work, is this: “What do I need to know to build a social enterprise?”“Where…
Dear fellow and aspiring social entrepreneurs, Some of the most common questions I get asked are:“How do we start a social enterprise?”“Where do we begin?”“What do we need to know?” This blog is my attempt to answer those questions, not…
Dear aspiring change-maker, future and current social entrepreneurs Tip no5: Embrace Your Identities Until recently, I hadn’t truly paused to reflect on my identities. One of the most powerful aspects of my fellowship with Acumen Academy has been exploring the…
Dear aspiring change-maker, future and current social entrepreneurs Tip no4: Find your tribe, fuel your passion I founded Micro Rainbow 13 years ago, at a time when social entrepreneurship was far less recognised than it is today; at least, that’s…
Five Ways the Acumen Academy Fellowship Stretched My Leadership Dear aspiring change-maker, future and current social entrepreneurs Tip no3: Stretch your leadership boundaries Running or founding a social enterprise can be a whirlwind. There’s always something demanding your attention—a funding…
Dear aspiring change-maker, future and current social entrepreneurs Tip no2: Lead with care, not exhaustion When creating a social enterprise or working for a purpose driven business, there is a lot to do and little time to rest. In a…
I often speak with social entrepreneurs, and the same questions come up time and again: This article is the first in a series where I’ll share insights, lessons learned, and practical advice to help you navigate the journey of building…