Social Impact | From Idea to Enterprise with Suzanne Smith

Social Impact | From Idea to Enterprise with Suzanne Smith

Social Impact | From Idea to Enterprise with Suzanne Smith

Organizations committed to sustainable change bake it into their business model.  There are a host of labels and designations for those that “do good”: conscious capitalism, social impact, social entrepreneurship, BCorp, etc. In this episode, we explore the differences and how they function. Suzanne Smith, founder & CEO of Social Impact Architects and adjunct professor at Pepperdine University and the University of Texas at Arlington unpacks it for us.

Show Notes

“[As a social entrepreneur] You don’t always do things (directly) connected to your bottom line, you don’t always have to get an immediate benefit out of something, because it’s part of who you are and your ethos – baked into your DNA.”

– Suzanne Smith

The nuances of doing good

We hear a lot of labels today around “doing good” in business: conscious capitalism, social impact, social entrepreneurship and more. But what are the differences and how do they function in the business world?

Today Suzanne Smith – an expert in social impact who works with nonprofits, foundations, socially responsible businesses and individuals – unpacks it all. She founded Social Impact Architects back in 2009 with a goal to reshape the business of social change, and she teaches on these topics as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University and University of Texas at Arlington.

Looking differently at social change

We discuss how social change exists in a middle space between the business world and government where neither has entirely tackled it head-on. Historically, the business sector hasn’t created enough of a market for social change, but in recent years brands look differently at how they engage. Creating change has become much deeper than charity donations and volunteering. With such a surge, it’s important for brands and individuals to rely on research-backed methods and best practices without reinventing the wheel. But it’s also important to not lose sight of what you can uniquely bring to the table.

Social entrepreneurship, charity, conscious capitalism

[8:40] “So the traditional notion of charity is the whole idea of ‘I’ll give a man a fish,’ if we want to use that analogy. Social entrepreneurship changes that narrative and says, ‘You know what, let’s teach a man to fish. Let’s figure out how to do that to scale.’

“We leverage the toolkit that businesses established to create market-based solutions.”

[12:22] “Social innovation is about the idea, social entrepreneurship is about the mindset, and social enterprise is about the business model.”

[21:55] “That’s where I would put the conscious capitalists, those are the people who are hardwired around the idea of, we want to, we want to do a better job of creating social change. But typically, they’re looking at it more from a business practice perspective, it’s part of their ethos.”

The difficulty of effecting social change on a grand scale

[10:58] The danger of starting from scratch: “Leapfrog innovation, which is yes, we want to create change, but we want to give ourselves the best chance at creating impact. So we want to build it on a solid foundation of best practice research, problem, ideation, etc. So that way, we get as much impact as we possibly can from that innovation.”

People are drawn to social change

[30:15] “I consistently look at what I purchase, and I vote with my dollar…if you look at some of the research that’s been done, those companies who perform better time after time, are the ones that are socially conscious. People running those organizations are making more thoughtful decisions, they’re making less decisions that are in the short run, the better decision versus the long run being the better decision.

“Companies have to start thinking about these issues. It’s not just about them creating the product or service anymore… Do their employees have appropriate daycare? Are they moving their employees up in a career pathway?”

Her recommendation to students

[37:40] “Find that thing that they’re uniquely passionate about, marry that with the thing that they are uniquely God-given from a talent point of view,”

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://socialimpactarchitects.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/social-impact-architects/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannesmithtx/

https://twitter.com/socialtrendspot

https://www.instagram.com/socialtrendspot/

https://www.facebook.com/SocialImpactArchitects

Sign up for Social TrendSpotter blog:

https://socialimpactarchitects.com/newsletter-signup/

Sign up for Rise Leaders newsletter:

https://mailchi.mp/426e78bc9538/subscribe

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Social Impact | From Idea to Enterprise with Suzanne Smith

Owning Your Value | Key Elements for Authenticity and Personal Power

Owning Your Value | Key Elements for Authenticity and Personal Power

There are times in our professional lives where we need to advocate for ourselves. – to take a stand. Recognizing our worth and being able to communicate it isn’t rude, nor is it bragging.  But it can be uncomfortable.  Owning our value supports our authenticity, which liberates our spirit and launches excellent performance.  

Show Notes

When we’re able to own our value, we’re more likely to bring positive contributions to work,

to life, to our communities-  to whatever we care about.

The Power of Authenticity

There are times in our professional lives where we need to advocate for ourselves. – to take a stand. Recognizing our worth and being able to communicate it isn’t rude, nor is it bragging.  But it can be uncomfortable.  Owning our value supports our authenticity, which liberates our spirit and launches excellent performance. Communicating our value is necessary to get a seat at the table. We make the value we bring apparent when we confidently acknowledge and demonstrate it each day – and it also helps us bring our unique advantage to the workplace.

Explore the Eight Elements of Knowing Your Value

This week’s episode is an efficient 13 minutes as I outline 8 elements to help you own and speak your value. These are actions you can take to increase your feelings of power and authenticity in all aspects of life. I’ve created an in-depth, integrated guide for your reflection and to help you develop new habits.   Whether you’re mentoring someone or need strategies for realizing your own impact, you will achieve greater awareness of what you offer and how to communicate it.

Highlights from this episode

[2:30] “Know what you stand for…what you care about and what you’re committed to. These values guide your decisions, your actions and your priorities. Have clarity around your vision.”
[3:30] “Knowing what we stand for keeps us in our lane, focused on what we care about rather than pursuing what others are striving for.”
[6:53] “Track your contributions. These are quote receipts of your good work. I do this daily in my journal to remind myself that I spent my time well, and so I can articulate the deliverables that I’m working on with clients.”
[8:51] “To go along with speaking your value is to practice embodying your value. Embodying your value means that you feel it at your core, and others also feel it and see it in your presence.”
A Guide to Owning your Value:
Clifton Strengths Assessment:
Tilt 365:
Episode 19: Trudy Bourgeois about workforce excellence: https://rise-leaders.com/achieving-workforce-excellence-trudy-bourgeois/
To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit:

I specialize in helping leaders and organizations thrive.  Reach out if there’s a way I can support you.

 

 

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Social Impact | From Idea to Enterprise with Suzanne Smith

Silicon Mountain: Finding Multi-Stakeholder Wins in the eWaste industry

Silicon Mountain | Finding Multi-Stakeholder Wins in the eWaste industry

Hillary and Joel Patterson transformed a business opportunity into a passion project.  After designing ERP solutions for clients in the electronic waste recycling industry, they jumped into the fascinating world of recycling, repair and redistribution of the electronics we regularly toss in our trash.   They became SO passionate that they privately funded and produced a documentary, Silicon Mountain. 

Episode 20   | September 15, 2020

Show Notes

 

 

It’s the ultimate win-win-win situation where we help the environment, we help businesses, we help people – the products that are sent off to other countries can help with education. There’s just such a big benefit. I wanted to show what all the opportunities are, and how individuals and companies can make a difference.

– Hillary Patterson, The Vested Group

 

The Unintended Impact of Constant Innovation

Today we use more electronics and gadgets than at any point in history. Electronics are used in everyday life, with people upgrading their phones to the latest model, buying new technology for their companies, homes and more. This raises the question: What happens to the waste? How can we recycle and safely dispose of it? And who might this benefit?

What is Electronic Recycling?

[17:05] “Only 20% of any of the waste in the world gets recycled. So that shows you the potential of growth and the amount that can be gained by just recycling our own devices… “Such a small percentage of what’s out there that can be recycled is actually being recycled… Approximately 400,000 smartphones are thrown away every day in the United States.”

[18:14] There’s $343 million worth of gold in those phones, $46 million worth of silver. If we don’t recycle that, then we have to dig that out of the earth again. The environmental ramifications are obviously ongoing and large – something that we can easily take a big chunk out of.”

[33:31] “They have almost unlimited demand for their products when they recycle and repair these items that come in. Their struggle as [an eWaste company] is getting this stuff.”

What About Data Security?

[20:58] “As long as you’re going to a certified recycler, they have the process in place…as long as you’re using somebody reputable, they’re going to take care of it … because their reputation is on the line as well; they’re going to make sure that that that it’s secure before it’s actually sent to anyone.”

A Circular Economy

[22:47]“It’s taking something that one person has stopped using. And a lot of times people will buy the new iPhone because they want a new iPhone, not because there’s anything wrong with the last one that they have. Instead of leaving it in a drawer, they’re giving it to somebody that can either sell it, refurbish it, and putting it back into the economy.”

Silicon Mountain Documentary

Premier Information:
Date: Thursday, September 17th , 2020
Time: 7pm CST
Streamed through: http://www.siliconmountainmovie.com/

Thank you for listening and reading!  I’ve included links to various resources covered in this episode.  

And remember…Elevate Your Part of the World!

To learn more about Joel and Hillary Patterson and The Vested Group please visit:
Joel Patterson http://www.thevested.com/meet-your-team
The Vested Group http://www.thevested.com/netsuite-provider-the-vested-group
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-vested-group/?trk=top_nav_home
https://twitter.com/TheVestedGroup
https://www.instagram.com/thevestedgroup/
https://www.facebook.com/VestedGroup/

 

I specialize in helping leaders and organizations thrive.  Reach out if there’s a way I can support you.

 

 

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Social Impact | From Idea to Enterprise with Suzanne Smith

Achieving Workforce Excellence | Trudy Bourgeois: Equality, Inclusion + Diversity Expert

Achieving Workforce Excellence | Trudy Bourgeois: Equality, Inclusion + Diversity Expert

Trudy Bourgeois came to the work of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) reluctantly.  She wanted ‘nothing to do with’ previous ineffective efforts to improve DEI in organizations.  Yet the work kept calling her.  As a former executive in a Fortune 500 consumer products company she brings pragmatism and passion. And results.

Episode 19   | September 8, 2020

Show Notes

 

 

When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up.

You have to say something;  you have to do something.

John Lewis

Former U.S. Representative

Civil Rights Activist

 

Trudy Bourgeois came to the work of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) reluctantly.  She wanted ‘nothing to do with’ previous ineffective efforts to improve DEI in organizations.  Yet the work kept calling her.  As a former executive in a Fortune 500 consumer products company Trudy brings pragmatism and passion. And results.

Here’s what to pay attention to as you listen to the episode today: first, where she sees hope for the changing landscape in terms of equity in organizations. Second, listen to Trudy’s perspective on how to own the value that you bring to your organization so that you can speak with authenticity and with power. This is particularly for women of color and women in general. Third, listen for Trudy’s perspective on the role of white and black women in moving the equity conversation forward.

Is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion a Business Imperative?  Tell the Truth

[09:31]:  This is not new. What is new is that through the power of a smartphone, people had an emotional connection. Their consciousness was touched. I think that organizations would say many of them, that they were on the journey. I would humbly submit that they might have been on the journey, they hadn’t gone very far.

So many of them would say, it’s a business imperative. I don’t know – as a former line manager, I don’t know what business imperative would go unresolved for 50 years and people would keep their jobs.

Owning Your Value = Power to Choose

[15:45]: If people realize, you spend the largest percentage of your life at work. Why do you want to wake up every day and put a mask on and go pretend to be somebody that you’re not, just so that you can get a paycheck? If your value is that good, then you know what? Your attitude, it should always be, “I am choosing to give my gifts and talents and add my value and impact here. I’m not being held hostage to stay here. I’m making a choice.”

[18:49] …   organizations talk about innovation, yet when you stifle people and you put them in a box and then they get scared and then they don’t know their value, you’re not going to have any innovation and you’re sure not going to have any collaboration. You sure are not going to have all the things that people write up about how they want to function as a company, but this notion of knowing your value is so important. It’s important for everybody, that it’s especially important for women and people of color.

Women Hold the Key

[28:42]  … I am specifically calling on women, us, to stop pointing the finger at men and the lack of progress that we’ve made. This is not to suggest that we don’t need male champions, but I am calling on us to have the courageous conversations. 

Thank you for listening and reading!  I’ve included links to various resources covered in this episode.  

And remember…Elevate Your Part of the World!

Trudy Bourgeois https://workforceexcellence.com/trudy/

Twitter: @trudybourgeois

Center for Workforce Excellence  https://workforceexcellence.com/

Equality:  Courageous Conversations About Women, Men and Race to Spark a Diversity and Inclusion Breakthrough

https://www.amazon.com/Equality-Courageous-Conversations-Diversity-Breakthrough/dp/1976596335/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1X53JAOD87D10&dchild=1&keywords=trudy+bourgeois&qid=1599318403&sprefix=trudy+bour%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1

HBR:  Why Diversity Efforts Fail https://hbr.org/2016/07/why-diversity-programs-fail

Questioneering, Joseph Bradley  https://www.amazon.com/Questioneering-Model-Innovative-Leaders-Digital/dp/1944027440/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=joseph+bradley&qid=1599318601&sr=8-8

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/06/share-the-mic-now-instagram-campaign

 

I specialize in helping leaders and organizations thrive.  Reach out if there’s a way I can support you.

 

 

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Social Impact | From Idea to Enterprise with Suzanne Smith

Using Poetry to Expand Perspective | Start Close In

Using Poetry to Expand Perspective | Start Close In

Poetry can be a powerful developmental tool to help high-achieving personalities transcend the linear and analytical world of business in order to integrate a world of beauty and whole-system thinking.  Rick Voirin has incorporated poetry in his coaching and leadership for years and has seen firsthand the profound impact that it can have in professional growth and self-development. In this special episode, LeeAnn and Rick discuss the work of author and poet David Whyte, and how the poem “Start Close In” directs us to take the first step that leads to change.

Episode 18   | September 1, 2020

Show Notes

 

 

We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.  And the human race is filled with passion.  And medicine, law, engineering, business, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. 

But poetry, beauty, romance, love,

this is what we stay alive for.

John Keating
Dead Poets Society

 

Leadership Beyond ‘Just the Facts’

 

Good literature has the power to help us better understand the human condition. Poetry and other creative writing evokes something deep in us; it widens our perspective and helps us connect with parts of ourselves (and others) that otherwise we wouldn’t have easy access to.

 

Poetry can also be a powerful developmental tool to help leaders and ‘Type A’ personalities transcend the linear and analytical world of business. In this special episode, LeeAnn and Rick discuss the work of author and poet David Whyte, and how the poem “Start Close In” directs us to take the first step that leads to change.

 

Start Close In

 

2020 has been a year of big, complex challenges.  Racial tensions have been high and organizational leaders are expected to meaningfully respond.  This pressure, and the fear of ‘cancel culture’ has caused many to pause; to defer doing anything until they have it all figured out.   David Whyte’s poem, Start Close In admonishes us to, “… don’t take the second step or the third, start with the first thing close in, the step you don’t want to take.

 

Links to the poem, A Guide for Reading Poetry and additional resources can be found at the end of these notes.

 

24:53 – “If we really engage something, whether it’s a poem or a piece of art or a piece of literature or something that’s happening on a screen In front of us in a movie, the first approximation is just the way that the information lands in our senses. And then what starts to show up as we relate with that, that happens, like in a back and forth conversation.”

 

27:25 – “Poetry or good literature is an invitation into a deeper relationship with life, a deeper reflection on the meaning of one’s life. And what one is caring about (…) and what one might intend to do with one’s wild and precious life.”

 

29:24 – “When I try to start big, it’s probably because I’m seeking an excuse to get out of doing anything. The big stuff is beyond my reach, at least at the moment. But if I start close in, I’ll find things I can do right now.”

 

Resources Mentioned on this Podcast:

 

A Guide for Reading Poetry

The Heart Aroused: Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America, by David Whyte
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Aroused-Preservation-Corporate-America/dp/0385484186

Interview with Bonnie Pittman:
https://rise-leaders.com/awe_art_observation_bonnie_pitman/

Connect to Rick Voirin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-voirin-a43413/

David Whyte’s work:
https://www.davidwhyte.com/

David Whyte reading Start Close In:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=030YqrN4SFc

How to Talk about Race at work:
https://rise-leaders.com/how-to-talk-about-race-at-work

Start Close In – The On Being Project
https://onbeing.org/blog/start-close-in/

Dead Poet’s Society – John Keating:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS1esgRV4Rc

Autobiography in 5 Chapters

 

I specialize in helping leaders and organizations thrive.  Reach out if there’s a way I can support you.

 

 

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