Cofounders Kristi Felts and Jeff Shaw By Sarah Hidey, JVA Consulting Meaningful jobs, environmental sustainability, community empowerment—a powerful combination. Working in the social enterprise field, I have the opportunity to hear a lot of ideas for amazing social enterprises that provide opportunities to train and employ community members. Sometimes you hear an idea [...]
Just as "kids" of all ages (from toddler to adult) aspire to be like Superman, we can also aspire to be a "social superman" who is determined to change the world! By Sarah Hidey, JVA Consulting How can you not love Superman? I found myself applauding at the end of Man of Steel [...]
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, [...]
By Sarah Hidey, JVA Consulting Schoolchildren in Eburru, Kenya enjoy their daily school meal. “I am so hungry!” I imagine these are the words that I’ll be saying next week…and the next…and the next. You see, for 25 days I’m planning to only eat a cup of rice and beans for each meal. [...]
Work Options for Women is a local social enterprise. “Entrepreneurs—you’re more important than your business plan.” At least this is what a recent blog in the Harvard Business Review suggests. At first glance at the title, I thought, “What?! A business plan is key!” But as I finished the blog [...]
By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting For social entrepreneurs, it is not enough to establish a financially viable business—it is imperative that the business contributes to the welfare and advancement of the community. If your dream job involves integrating your business skills and experience with your inherent passion for changing the world—you are a future social [...]
By Sarah Hidey, JVA Consulting Having worked in the social change sector for my entire life, I have often found myself thinking that all “big ideas” come from within the sector (as many of our past Big Ideas blogs have shown!). But what I’ve also come to desire is for other sectors (such as the [...]
JVA staff member Collin Lessing and former intern Heather Sedbrook supporting social enterprise while Christmas shopping. By Sarah Hidey, JVA Consulting I would certainly like to think that 2013 is THE year when every single nonprofit and business realizes what a powerful force that using business practices to create social change can be. [...]
By Sarah Hidey, [Joining Vision and Action] A colorful sample of handmade scarves by Janine Vanderburg founder of New Purpose and founder and ceo of [Joining Vision and Action]. It’s December! The holidays are quickly approaching and there’s so much to do—shopping, holiday parties, decorating your [...]
By Sarah Hidey, JVA Consulting Guinness—the beer of all beers and staple of any Irish pub. Millions of people around the world love Guinness—demonstrated by the 1.8 billion glasses consumed each year (that’s 10 million a DAY!). What most of us beer-lovers do not know is the incredible philanthropic legacy of its founder, Arthur Guinness, [...]