Social Entrepreneurship (def.):

(This is the first post in a 10-part series on social entrepreneurship. To receive updates on the remaining posts, I encourage you to subscribe via email... once I convince you it will be a good idea in my below message). :P

I like to use visual aids to explain concepts, often using pictures and videos. You can scroll through my past blog posts to see this style exemplified.

I opened my browser to a Youtube home page and typed in "what is a social entrepreneur". There was only one video that answered the question most directly and most succinctly, although there were some excellent references to one of the grandfathers of social entrepreneurship as well as thoughts posted from the leader in the global discussion on social entrepreneurship.  Anyway, here be the winner, created by a social network provider for social entrepreneurs (see if you can guess the country of origin):



Social entrepreneurship is an attractive term.  It sounds good, for no one argues with the "sexiness" of entrepreneurship. And if you are an extrovert, putting the world "social" on the front makes it nearly irresistible! Discussions on social entrepreneurship has a way of making people talk in sweeping generalities with fantastic ideas at wide-sweeping change, embracing the idea of CHANGE with as much fervor as a 5-year-old near an ice cream truck.

I poke fun because I actually do believe in the discussion. I do believe in the zeal. I do believe in the passion. But social change is difficult. But social change requires long commitments. But the pursuit of social change can at times be... well... "unsexy".

Still, as it may be, I think the discussion is necessary... for it is often over dinner, at the local bar, or even during the church coffee hour that these big ideas turn into tangible efforts. These discussions provide the soil from which good fruit can grow. We will stand and praise the fruit and will present its pretty colors at the grocery stores, but the shoppers may never know about the time your tractor broke, or the time the seeds washed away in a torrential downpour, or the time that you got a flat tire while bringing the fruit to market. These discussions often focus on the shiny fruit, but forget to remember the toil that is involved in bringing its shine. But even still, I believe in the discussion, for it is the beauty and dream of bringing shiny and tasty fruit to the marketplace that will see us through the difficulties.

This is my hope, that the one "drop in the sea" that is my blog, has a ripple effect of discussions as I embark on this series. While I welcome the interaction in my comments section, the discussion is more likely to happen internally with yourself and then re-awakened at another time, where a further discussion among friends and acquaintances will bring forth the ideas and the commitments.

I encourage you to subscribe to my next series of posts which will be reactions to ideas that have already been posted through fastcoexist.com by Mark Cheng from Ashoka, an organization that provides venture capital to social entrepreneurs around the world. His ideas were inspired by this past year's event hosted by the Skoll World Forum in April 2013.

By entering your email address in the blog's left-hand menu, you will have the opportunity to listen/join the discussion on the 10 Ideas Driving the Future of Social Entrepreneurship.

Did I spark your interest? I would be honored to have you on-board!