A Supersonic

Introduction to Social

Entrepreneurship

Michael D. DeLapa

DeLapa Consulting

www.mdelapa.com

April 2015

Innovative Solutions to

Social Problems

Entrepreneur

• Opportunities• See

• Seize

• Create

• Risks• Whatever (but not really)

Today

• What is a social entrepreneur

• How does entrepreneurship work

• What skills are needed

• LandWatch case study

• What I have learned

• Questions & discussion: opportunities for social change in

Rome

I’m curious …

• Something is screwed up

• Someone should do something about it

• I wonder why no one hasn’t?

“Heroes are not giant statues framed against a

red sky. They are people who say; This is my

community, and it’s my responsibility to make

it better.” – Tom McCall

What is a social entrepreneur?

Social entrepreneurs are individuals with innovative

solutions to society's most pressing social problems. [They

are ambitious and persistent, tackling major social issues

and offering new ideas for wide-scale change.]

Ashoka (innovators for the public)

[https://www.ashoka.org/social_entrepreneur]

Universe of Social Needs

• Animals• Wildlife conservation

organizations

• Pet and Animal Welfare

Organizations

• Hunting & Fishing

Conservation

• Zoos and Aquariums

• Environmental• Environmental Conservation

& Protection

• Parks and Nature Centers

• Health• Disease & Disorder

• Medical Services & Treatment

• Medical Research

• Patient and Family Support

• Education• Primary Schools

• Universities and Colleges

• Scholarship and Financial Aid

• School Reform and Experimental

Education

Universe of Need (more …)

• International• Development

• Disaster Relief &

Humanitarian

• Peace & Human Rights

• Conservation

• Child Sponsorship

• Arts & Culture• Museums & Art Galleries

• Performing Arts

• Libraries & Historical Societies

• Public Broadcasting and Media

• More• Youth

• Seniors

• Law & civil rights

• Sports

http://topnonprofits.com/lists/types-of-charities/

Simple Entrepreneurial Model

or service

Key Questions:

• What’s the problem?

• Who has it?

• How big?

• What’s the (initial) solution?

• Who’s going to pay for it?

problem

Key Skills of an Entrepreneur

• Reading, analysis, & critical thinking

• Communication, writing & public speaking

• Fundraising

• Accounting & financial management

• Project/product management

• Sales, marketing, creativity & persuasion

• Human relations, team-building & motivation

• But …

•Tenacity

One path … mine

• High school - Study & compete

• College - Think critically

• First job - Live independently & lead

• MBA - Management & networking

• Politics – Get things done

• “Sea Studios” - Filmmaking, community organizing &

environmental entrepreneurship

• “Silicon Valley” - Technology entrepreneurship,

consulting & coaching

• Rome – Exploration, learning & consulting

Your path

• Different from mine

• No “right” path

• More is better• Skills

• Languages

• Experiences

• Professional contacts (“friends”)

Environmental Nonprofits

Sea Studios

Foundation

(1996)

California Marine Sanctuary

Foundation (1996)

LandWatch Monterey County (1997)

Case Study – LandWatch 1997

• Problem: Sprawl

• Solution: Citizen involvement

Sprawl ➜loss of farmland & o.s.

Sprawl➜traffic congestion & smog

Sprawl is the problem, but why?

• Bad planning

• Developers who have money

• Unaware voters

• Unaccountable elected officials

• Mis-representative government

• Who has it? How big?

• Everywhere in California (and most of America).

What’s the solution?

• Smart growth policies

• Professional staff to watchdog

• Organized citizens to exert political pressure (counter $)

• Transparency and light

Who’s going to pay

• First money – visionaries

• Second money – foundations

• Persistent money - individuals

Why has it been successful for ~ 20

years?

• Compelling, persistent problem

• Great leadership

• Fundraising

What I learned

• Passion and commitment

start great organizations

• People matter most

• Money matters a lot

• People and ideas matter to

get money

• Think big, start small

• Be organized

• Be grateful

• Don’t quit

Do what you enjoy

Success is a clear

path Not really

Failure is critical to success

Finito

• Questions?

• What needs do you see for social change in Rome?

• What’s your idea for a social enterprise?

• Further reading.

My ideas

• Clean up the Tiber

• Raise awareness about litter

• Develop public sand volleyball courts

• Nonprofit to support public spaces (e.g., parks)

• Create a culture of giving by reforming laws to encourage

tax-deductible gift

Further Reading & Watching

• Washington: A Life (Ron Chernow)

• Desert Solitaire (Edward Abbey)

• A Soldier of the Great War (Mark Helprin)

• The River Why (David James Duncan)

• Timmy and Rocky, The Short and Long of It (DeLapa

Consulting Blog)

• 10 Most Important Books That You Don’t Read in High

School (DeLapa Consulting Blog)

• “Inspiration” Tag (DeLapa Consulting Blog)

Further Reading & Watching

• Man’s Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl)

• The Last Lecture (Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow)

• Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood

Dreams (video on YouTube)

• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry

Into Values (Robert M. Pirsig)

• 3 Things I Learned While My Plane Crashed (Ric Elias

video on Ted.com)