GGE Ep 9: Masterclass: Creating Sustainable Revenue in a Social Enterprise

Click the link to go to the now famous blog post: "23 Questions to Ask Yourself if You're Not Generating Enough Money with Your Social Enterprise."

Today's guest Solene Pignet wrote a great blog post, "23 Questions to Ask Yourself if You're Not Generating Enough Money with Your Social Enterprise."

I'll be the first to admit the title doesn't roll off the tongue very easily, but it is impactful.

It was so interesting we decided to do an entire show on the concept. Don't worry, we'll also get into Solene's story on how she jumped ship from the corporate grind to start and run her own social enterprise.

GGE Ep. 8: This Lesson Will Change Your Life

What if there was one skill, that if you had it could change your life and your organization. Well there is, and that skill is persuasion.

In this special episode of Greater Good Entrepreneur, we're going to give you something special. It is a brief lesson, only 15 minutes, that literally can change your life.

In this lesson, you will learn the art of persuasion. Whether you are seeking investors, trying to get an email address, or trying to get someone to come over to your point of view, this lesson will teach you a persuasion architecture you can use for the rest of your life.

You can use it in a conversation, when writing web content, as a guide for writing an article, or any other communication medium you choose.

If you need to persuade someone of something (and we all need to do that several times per day) then this brief special episode is for you.

Milk Money

GGE Ep 7: - Milk Money with Janice Shade and Louisa Shibley

Vermonters already know the benefits of Eating Local and Buying Local. Now Vermont is leading the way to Invest Local as a way to build a strong local economy.

Communities thrive when people invest in each other. Entrepreneurs and small businesses gain access to “neighborly” capital to grow their company, while investors work toward their financial goals by investing in companies they believe in. The whole community benefits as local jobs are created and wealth is recirculated through the local economy.

Louisa and Janice have started Milk Money as the platform to enable Vermonters to invest locally. You will hear how they got started and how you can invest, or find investors, for a local business.

To learn more about Milk Money go to www.milkmoneyvt.com

 

Kusikuy Clothing

GGE Ep 6: - Kusikuy Clothing with Tamara Stenn

Dr. Tamara Stenn is quite an entrepreneur. By age 25 she already had her a successful advertising firm. She gave that up to go into the Peace Corps. Then came back home and started a business while getting her masters degree.

While owning the business, she got her Ph.D. and taught economics and entrepreneurship.

Now, she is restarting another socially conscious business, Kusikuy. 

ASRA Foods

GGE: Ep 5 - ASRA Foods with Jill Ouazzani

When they followed their dreams and moved to Vermont life was great. Beautiful surroundings, great quality of life, educational opportunities. It was perfect... well, except for the olive oil.

Vermont is a leader in great local foods, but without great olive oil these foods weren't fully meeting their potential. At least not to the Ouazzani crew.

So they decided to combine their passion of helping small farmers with the need for great olive oil into a business.

ASRA foods was born from that passion. Listen to how Jill and Simo Ouazzani are navigating a brand new family, jobs and a new businesses. And kicking ass at all of it.

These are truly great people. Enjoy!

Global Social Entrepreneurs Lab

GGE: Ep 4 - Global Social Entrepreneurs Lab

Today we get to know Danielle Carruthers.

She is the founder of Global Social Entrepreneurs Lab and TheSedge.org. The great thing about what Danielle does is bring people together. She knows how to tap the wisdom of crowds to find great solutions to world changing problems.

Independent TV & Film Festival Rocks

GGE: Ep 3 - Independent Television and Film Festival

 

Indiewire Magazine has called it "The Sundance of Independent Television."

Although it has only been in Vermont for a few years, the ITVFest is changing the face of Dover and growing the credibility of southern Vermont as a national leader of indpendent art.

The social good mission of the festival is to help those without connections and big budgets get on the radar of big studios like HBO, CBS and STARZ network.

The story behind ITVFest moving to Vermont is a real life example of "The Little Engine That Could."

Grab a beverage and hear how Philip Gilpin transformed this from a "cute idea that nobody thought could work" into an industry powerhouse.

Good Body Products Does It Good

GGE: Ep 2 - Good Body Products does it Good

We put so much attention on what goes into our body and yet so little to what goes on it.

Good Body Products in Guilford Vermont has built an amazing business that uses only locally grown ingredients to create wonderful items that go on your body.

Just as importantly the business provides a great life for the founders, a wonderful couple, and thier family. Listen to Trish Thomas tell how she and her husband Chris balance work, life and family.

How your pee can save the planet

GGE: Ep 1- Who knew your pee could save the planet?

 

Did you know your urine is full of nutrients that can be turned into rich fertilizer.

Kim Nace is the Founding Director of Rich Earth Institute. Her organization turns human urine into fertilizer. This pioneering work supports sustainable agriculture and protects vital water resources.

Her story is about more than just reshaping your loo. Its a jouney of surrounding herself with the right people to not just have a vision, but to create a research organization that is making strides in seeing that vision to reality.

The early phases of new systems is one of the most difficult social entrepreneur struggles there can be. There is little funding and the systems (building code, sanitation, environmental, financial...) are all working against her. And yet she find a way to get this work done and run a financially stable organization.

This is an interesting story of grit and innovation.

Eric Lowitt, Author of "The Future of Value"

Cover for The Future of ValueIn today's podcast we hear a great story from Eric Lowitt about how he is following his dreams and helping move sustainability forward in the business sector. I can't wait to get my hands on his new book "The Future of Value" when it comes out in late September. Eric has a passion for sustainability that is unstoppable. He also has that rare set of business experience and real world school of hard knocks that makes his story great. We'll hear what seperates his book from the others and what his clients are doing to become more sustainable.

Eric has done what so many entrepreneurs would love to do. He has taken his passion, written a book, and is now out there doing the work he loves. It is good for his customers, good for the economy and good for Eric. A true win-win-win. Best of all, he is just a great personable guy.

Please pardon the poor editing and less than perfect sound quality. I was trying some new equipment. Regardless, the content is top notch.