Social entrepreneurship has been around for as long as business has been in existence – it just wasn’t always called that, and it’s never been as mainstream as it is today. In recent years, especially in the last year or so, “social entrepreneur” has been a buzz term that is showing no signs of going away. That of course is a great thing. After all, what it means is that more and more people in business are figuring out that profits and caring aren’t mutually exclusive. Indeed, many have realized that helping the planet, animals, and fellow human beings while building an enterprise is good business, while focusing on the bottom line at the expense of these things ultimately hurts everyone.
As the recognition of this new mindset has increased, several organizations have been formed to foster social enterprise throughout the world. With an aim to raise awareness and foster a culture of social enterprise in England, one such organization, the Social Enterprise Ambassadors program, was created in 2006 through the English government’s Social Enterprise Action Plan. Now, if you’re a social entrepreneur in the UK, you have an opportunity to win a very exciting prize, in a competition sponsored by the Social Enterprise Ambassadors program.
28 entrants from the competition will be chosen as winners, and will get the chance of a lifetime – to spend two hours with one of the 30 Social Enterprise Ambassadors enlisted in the program. If you’re chosen as a winner, you’ll have the opportunity to find out about the lessons the Ambassador has learned as a successful social entrepreneur, and how these could support you and your business. As stated on the site, “This is an amazing opportunity to learn from the best and receive expert advice and guidance, tailored to you and your goals.”
Ambassadors include entrepreneurs like Sam Conniff, co-founder of Livity, a youth marketing agency focused on involving young people at the front end of the creative process. Sam’s company helps clients like Sony Playstation, Nike, Universal Music Group, and BBC reach their target market by first connecting and listening to the needs, wants, and concerns of their young audience. Also among the ambassadors is Tim Smit, co-founder of Eden Project, an educational charity, world class visitor attraction, and botanical garden that the New York Times called “A miracle.” Or you could choose to spend your two-hour brainstorming session with Sophi Tranchell. Sophi is the managing director of fair-trade chocolate supplier, Divine Chocolate, which has helped 45,000 farmers in 1300 villages in Ghana to realize better economic stability, while supplying top-grade chocolate products to millions around the world.
The competition, open to UK entrepreneurs, ends March 31, 2010 and takes just a few minutes to enter. So don’t delay. You just might be on your way to becoming the next big thing in the world of social entrepreneurship.
