Play the money game! Rules as follows: 1. Each participant is asked to bring a sum of money that it would be an ‘edge’ for them to lose 2. Each participant reflects on what money means to them 3. Sitting in a circle, each person puts their money in front of them on, visible for all to see There are then three rounds (715 minutes each, usually around 10 minutes / round) 4. First round – in silence. Each person takes money as they need. There is no order of play people simply take as … Read more
Social Franchising Social franchising is a method for scaling up social enterprises by replicating existing wellfunctioning good examples.
The European Social Franchising Network (ESFN) has found some 65 social franchises in Europe. The largest of these, the Kringwinkel secondhand shops in Flanders, employs nearly 5,000 people, of whom 80% are disabled. Social franchising comprises three phases: 1. Pilot: identification of a business model which works well in at least one instance, and is transferable to other contexts 2. Development: codification of business processes to create tools such as a franchise agreement, … Read more
Project Management Making things happen on time, on budget and with ease
Planning and managing projects are core to your work as a social entrepreneur. Within any project, you will have to manage your resources people, time, money, materials, tools and combine them to get things done. And you need to do all this in a way that ensure you do not run out of money, lose your team, or become despondent. Ultimately, you are doing what you are doing because you love it! So, if you are not loving it, it is a good sign that something is wrong. Setting up a project … Read more
The Laws of Manifestation How to attract the resources necessary to do what you need to do.
Working with spiritual principles can be very helpful here. David Spangler, one of the pioneers of the Findhorn Foundation community, set out some key principles in publications on “The Laws of Manifestation”. It is not simply a case of invoking and inviting money and resources to achieve whatever you want. It is more a case of ‘tuning in’ to what the universe, or Spirit, is asking for. If your project is really in the service of something greater, and if you are really fully aligned in … Read more
Finances Money & Resources The Blood of your Business
Money and how we use it is currently an essential element within the social fabric of our world.. So, the first step to accessing it is to think about money and research some theories about what it is. The second step is to know how much money you need to set up your business and then to make it flow. The third step is to know where to get money from...where are the various sources? The fourth step is to know how to attract it and keep it flowing. Core idea : One core idea that is at the … Read more
Crowdfunding The practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people.
The crowdfunding model is fueled by three types of actors: the project initiator who proposes the idea and/or project to be funded; individuals or groups who support the idea; and a moderating organization (the "platform") that brings the parties together to launch the idea. These sites allow businesses to pool small investments from a number of investors instead of forcing companies to look for a single investment. It's a good way to involve your network in your project. It goes beyond … Read more
Coworking Space Creating fertile Working space together
To “start doing” what you want it is much easier when it is done together. Get a room, some chairs and a diverse group of people and you can create a coworking space. This means creating settings where there is no “new input” or “stuff to be done”, but a creative space where people can do what they need or want to do for their own project. This is what we call “Coworking Space. It can be a fixed space with table, chairs, meeting rooms and all that is required in an office structure. You … Read more
The Art of Pitching Presenting in an essential way to make people curious for more
Practice the “art of pitching” craft a short pitch and try it out. Learn through the feedback of peers or members of your audience. Film it and look at the videos together. Learn from the pitches of others, learn from online ressources. When crafting your elevator pitch, you first need to think about who is the audience you're trying to reach. Lead with the information that the recipient / the audience will care most about. It is always good to start with a “hook” a statement or … Read more
TERRITORIAL APPROACH Rooting a project to strengthen its power
The territorial approach is part of a local development strategy, usually designed by a group of stakeholders. The territorial approach is used worldwide in a diversity of situations and sectors, such as Rural development, Food security and nutrition, Climate change, etc. The main elements of the method can be useful for entrepreneurs to design meaningful activities and work in the long run: - Assess material and immaterial resources available on the territory; - Identify needs, which are … Read more
Virtuous Circles for Sustainable Consumption, Production and Lifestyles How to create environments or contexts where the easiest option is to be sustainable
We can build peer groups with shared affinities that build connections and networks to make it easier to find ways of satisfying needs like food, shelter, nursing, finances, energy, etc. there are many examples of such peer groups and they include ood cooperatives, time banks, nursing groups, energy cooperatives, etc. In these groups it’s possible not only to satisfy a specific need (i.e. food via a community supported agriculture system) but also to satisfy other needs like creativity, … Read more
