By Myra Hagan and Sarah Hidey, JVA Consulting

JVA hosted the premiere Social Enterprise Academy last week—bringing together 10 social entrepreneurs from diverse sectors and backgrounds. Academy participants were focused on local, national and international issues. They came from sectors as diverse as environmental sustainability and food access, fair trade, health care, child abuse prevention, community development, and architecture, among others. Millennials, boomers, male, female, rural, urban—this incredible, diverse group of innovators proved that social enterprise and social innovation is for all ages, sectors and interests. And while they brought unique backgrounds and perspectives, all had the same goal: to transform their community or world through the creation of an innovative social venture.

One of the highlights of the week was when JVA hosted three local social entrepreneurs who came to discuss their experiences starting a social enterprise on a Lessons Learned Panel. The Academy participants, along with JVA’s staff, valued the wisdom shared by Libby Birky of the SAME Cafe, Kathleen Cronan of EarthLinks and Tamra Ryan of Women’s Bean Project.

Key Lessons Learned

1. Scale is an issue that applies to any business. Whether you operate a for-profit business or a nonprofit organization, considering how to scale and grow your organization is critical. Consistent with JVA’s advice to make “little bets,” Cronan recommended that social entrepreneurs first try things on a small scale to see if they will be successful before widely introducing the product or service to a larger audience. EarthLinks, which employs homeless and low-income individuals to produce and create earth-friendly products, does this with all of its new products. Similarly, Birky said that the SAME Café started by seating patrons at a table in its kitchen. Once the model became successful, the SAME Café was able to expand its space and create a separate dining area for patrons.

2. Continually look for ways to improve. Ryan recommended having a mentality of continuous improvement—which requires focusing on ways to make things better and not on your limitations. Her advice was to set a goal and then figure out the path you need to take to meet it. There will always be limitations to what you can do, but striving toward improvements will increase your reach.

3. Stick to your strengths. Saying “no” to various business opportunities that present themselves to you is never easy, but as our panelists advised, sticking to your strengths is the best business practice. Women’s Bean Project learned from its experience of starting a catering business many years ago that just because something is a good idea, doesn’t mean it is the best venture for YOUR organization.

4. Align your venture with your mission. Financial sustainability is not the only priority; any products or services offered must also support your mission. EarthLinks, for example, is careful to ensure that it does not create products that only serve to increase consumer consumption (even if they would be “best sellers”) as they have a strong focus on caring for the earth.

5. Pick a location that benefits clients, customers and the neighborhood. As social enterprises seek to make community changes through their business practices, they often find that the biggest changes are manifested at the neighborhood level. Birky shared that the SAME Café moved into the Colfax neighborhood around the same time as some other great local businesses, and they have worked to address the problems of the neighborhood, not push them away. This has helped them create a community while simultaneously pursuing their mission. Women’s Bean Project has been in the Curtis Park neighborhood for over 20 years, and the stability it offers the area has made it a pillar in the neighborhood, Ryan added. The panelists also recommended thinking about who your target clients and customers are, and making sure the location is accessible to them.

6. Surround yourself with experts. Panelists contributed to their success by surrounding themselves with experts and connected advisors. Cronan recommended not hesitating to recruit knowledgeable individuals to be on your advisory committee or soliciting advice from those around you. Beginning a social enterprise takes expertise in many fields and by reaching out to those around you, you can find all the expertise you need.

7. Balance planning with “doing.” There are a lot of processes and planning you can complete before starting, but all our panelists advise to just get rolling at some point. “Embrace the moment and fully commit,” Birky shared. You cannot know the full vision until you put things into action. Sarah Hidey, JVA’s Managing Associate of Social Enterprise, added that while big ideas may have to start with small steps, each step is ultimately working towards your final goal. So get started!