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 words how grateful and hopeful this makes me feel. It tells me we are a movement of people who are not indifferent to what we see around us. We take action, in our own unique and different ways. We are changemakers.
The blog and the newsletter are spaces where I share the messy, uncomfortable, and meaningful parts of my lived experience of creating a different kind of business: one that puts people first and generates revenue to create impact sustainably. Writing and sharing this journey has been an act of vulnerability, healing, and connection and for that, I am deeply grateful.
Instead of publishing a brand-new article in December, I decided to pause and reflect on what I have written over the year. From that reflection came the idea of distilling twelve radical ideas from the blog, ideas that could accompany us into 2026, one for each month. And, of course, I couldn’t resist adding a coaching prompt to each one, in the hope that it will support you too as you reflect on the year just gone and the one we are about to welcome.
Here are my twelve radical ideas to experiment with in 2026. At the end of each idea, you’ll find a link to the related blog, in case you’d like to explore it further.
Radical Idea #1. Purpose and calling are dynamic, not linear. Instead of waiting for a fixed answer, follow where your calling is pulling you right now and let purpose emerge and clarify along the way. Purpose or Calling: Which Comes First?
- What makes your heart sing?
Radical Idea #2. Financial resilience should be treated as a core mission imperative, not an uncomfortable or secondary topic. Money is not a dirty word. More money means more impact. Money can help us withstand volatility and sustain impact without compromising our values. Build Financial Resilience, Not Just Revenue
- What beliefs or stories do you hold about money that might be limiting your ability to build financial resilience?
Radical Idea #3. Long hours and relentless effort are not evidence of sustainable impact; that’s endurance. True impact requires building systems, boundaries, and rhythms that preserve wellbeing and allow us to bounce back from setbacks; that’s resilience. Lead With Care Not Exhaustion
- On a scale from 1-10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest, where would you place your resilience? And your endurance? What does this scoring tell you?
Radical Idea #4. Shift from directive leadership to a coaching mindset, where nurturing curiosity, reflection, and self-awareness in yourself and your team becomes as important as operational outcomes. Think Like a Coach
- If you truly believed your colleagues already have the answers they are seeking from you, how would that shift the way you lead?
Radical Idea #5. Leadership is an expanding frontier, not a fixed role. Being a leader is different from having authority. Lean into discomfort and stretch beyond traditional leader identities to grow your capacity and impact. Stretch Your Leadership Boundaries
- When was the last time you felt your leadership skills grow? How can you create opportunities for growth?
Radical Idea #6. Community is not a “nice to have”, it is foundational. Social enterprise success depends on intentionally cultivating tribes that inspire, motivate and validate us. Build Your Tribe
- Where do you find validation, inspiration and connection?
Radical Idea #7. Your full identity, not just the professional part of you, is an asset to your enterprise. Embracing multiple facets of self deepens purpose and connects more authentically with community. Embrace Your Identities
- What are your identities? How does each one support you in your impact work? And how could each one support you more?
Radical Idea #8. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a strength and a core leadership competency for changemakers. Instead of struggling alone or equating self-sufficiency with success, social entrepreneurs must normalise vulnerability, build intentional support systems (mentors, peers, coaches), and lean into help. Reach Out for Help
- When was the last time you needed help and asked for it?
Radical Idea #9. Profit and purpose are co-drivers, not trade-offs. Design earned income strategies early on, they reinforce the mission, not detract from it. Generate Income While Creating Impact
- What does financial resilience look like for your organisation? Who could help you build it sustainably?
Radical Idea #10. Real organisational growth requires consciously relinquishing control, creating room for distributed leadership, trust, and collective ownership of impact. Let Go of Control
- What’s really stopping me from letting go of some control?
Radical Idea #11. Connection is a strategic priority, not a side benefit. Prioritising how teams feel and relate is core to sustainable impact and organisational resilience. Stay Connected with Your Team
- How do you truly connect with your team? What opportunities do colleagues have to build meaningful connections with each other?
Radical Idea #12. Bearing witness, deeply seeing and holding human experience, is an act of impact work itself. Withholding judgements and truly acknowledging people’s lived reality transforms practice and amplifies purpose. Why Bearing Witness Matters
- What have you learned about yourself through witnessing others’ pain or resilience?
Holding this final radical idea alongside the others, the question becomes… what you are ready to try in the New Year? Let me know in the comments below.
Thank you for reading, for your messages of support, your comments, your likes and most of all, for being part of my tribe over the past year.
In the New Year, I look forward to diving even deeper into my lived experience as a changemaker, and to sharing more learnings and insights from this impact journey… often messy but always meaningful.
Wishing you all a healthy and hopeful start to 2026,
Sebastian
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, explore the Build a Social Enterprise Blog for more insights and stories, and join my free newsletter on LinkedIn.
@sebastianrocca @buildasocialenterprise
