Stepping Forward with Our 5-Year Vision

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

As I walk into the room, I am greeted by Nevada Jean Lane, our graphic facilitator for our one-day visioning retreat in San Francisco. I am the first to arrive. I locate my name tag and proceed to find a seat. I take one quick glance at the agenda and think to myself, "This is going to be one jam-packed day!" 

Just as I am starting to anticipate the day's schedule, Michelle Lapinski from the San Francisco Chapter walks in. Given that this would be the first time I am meeting the women from the different YWSE chapters, I get ready for a handshake. Except, Michelle flashes a huge smile, hugs me tightly and excitedly says, "It's so great to finally meet you!" Minutes later, the other women quickly trickle into the room. Before I know it, we are all greeting each other with hugs. I quickly learn that this is the "YWSE Way".

From that moment on, I knew I was in for a treat.

Eleven creative minds gathered from all parts of the U.S. - Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, New York, and DC - to take on the challenging task of developing a 5-year vision plan for YWSE. To start, we are reminded of the "YWSE Values" and how our core values are the key principles that guide our conduct and our relationships. They connect us to each other and make our successes possible.

The empty canvas is eventually populated with our brainstorming and mind mapping. Nevada was able to beautifully capture our thoughts and ideas through this visual representation:

Our vision inspires us to dream bigger, reach higher and expect more for the future.

While the visioning retreat accomplished the immediate goal of bringing Chapter leaders together to develop a shared vision for YWSE, it is important to understand that the retreat itself was merely the first step in a process. The key to its impact is in the follow-up.  The work that remains is that of empowering and supporting Chapter leaders to implement program ideas and of monitoring progress through regular check-ins and follow-up meetings. 

An important outcome of the YWSE Visioning retreat is the visual reminder of the stepping stones that will allow us to reach our 5-year vision.

As we continue to serve our local members with excellence, we will need your help in building national community and external visibility through increased and improved means of our funding model and technology.

If there is specific "stepping stone" that you are interested in learning more about and/or would like to serve on a committee, please email us newyorkcity@ywse.org.

You're Invited! "How She Does It" Dinner Series - Featuring The Adventure Project: Becky Straw

Register online: http://nywsedinnerbeckystrawtap.eventbrite.com/

EVENT DETAILS
Date: Monday, February 13, 2012
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Location: Crepes du Nord, 17 South William Street

New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) invites you to the NYWSE "How she does it" Dinner Series featuring guest speaker Becky Straw, Co-Founder of The Adventure Project.  

Join us for this evening of dining and conversation as Becky shares with us The Adventure Project and "How to set up shop: Practical steps to take a leap of faith and start your own enterprise."

About Becky Straw / The Adventure Project

Becky Straw is the Co-Founder and Chief Adventurist for The Adventure Project, a new nonprofit "adding venture" to support entrepreneurs in developing countries. In its first year, The Adventure Project helped create 190 jobs for people in India, Kenya, Uganda and Haiti.

Prior to The Adventure Project, Becky spent three years helping to launch charity:water, an organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. Becky has consulted for UNICEF's Division of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, and graduated from Columbia University with a Master's in Social Welfare.

You can follow Becky Straw on twitter at  @beckystraw @ad_venturepro and at www.facebook.com/theadventureproject.

 

From Dumps to Charities

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

As the saying goes, one woman's trash is another woman's treasure. And so it is with Film Biz Recycling, the not-for-profit organization, that diverted over 180 tons of materials from landfills and redistributed over 60% of materials to eight local charities. 

Film Biz Recycling, founded by Eva Radke, accepts donated props and materials from film, TV, theater, commercial and other media productions. Radke, a former art department coordinator, saw a void and decided to fill it. After years of seeing so much material waste in the media industry, Radke channeled her frustration into action. In 2008, a home, also known as the Prop Shop, was built for these abandoned items. 40% of those salvaged items become inventory for sale or rent at the Prop Shop and everything else goes to charities and local organizations.

"I want people to understand that we are not a store. We are a community center. Rather than be recognized as a great store, we want it to be very clear that we have a social and an environmental mission and hope to inspire people to take this business model and replicate it in their local neighborhood."

Film Biz Recycling's mission is to not only create socially responsible and sustainable solutions by using repurposed materials but also provide environmentally focused educational platforms. FBR often hosts seminars in their 10,000-foot warehouse space focusing on reuse and the media production and creative arts industries. "I want to be a conduit for the film industry and see it become a factory for art and learning." says Radke.

In addition to providing meeting and studio spaces to local community groups, businesses and individuals, FBR also runs an art gallery that features work from local artists (as shown below). "The workshops are free because I just want people to come in here and listen. Be encouraged. Be inspired."

 

     

 

To view the different charities Film Biz Recycling partners with visit: http://www.filmbizrecycling.org/about/partners-and-charities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As One Chapter Closes Another Opens

by Cynthia Hellen, Co-Founder of GIRLS WHO ROCK

On behalf of the New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) team, we would like to welcome you back to what we know will be a year of impact! As some may know, NYWSE hosts various events, panels, discussions and our "How she does it" Dinner Series throughout the year. Last month, we had the honor of featuring guest speaker Adelaide Lancaster, co-author of The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you and co-founder of In Good Company in NYC.

Looking forward, we have an exciting lineup of events for 2012. Our very first event will be our “How She Does It” dinner on February 13^th. We will announce our first featured guest in the next coming weeks so stayed tuned!

         

We will also continue to highlight and celebrate the stories of extraordinary women in social enterprise on this blog. But, what does "social enterprise" mean to you? What comes to mind when you hear the words "woman social entrepreneur"? Who would you like to spend an evening with and share your thought-provoking ideas and/or discuss about sustainability or entrepreneurship?                                                                                                                                 

We want to know your thoughts and are taking submissions! Email us at: newyorkcity@ywse.org.

                                                                                                                                                             

We look forward to seeing all of you at our upcoming events!

NYWSE Appoints Kari Litzmann Chapter Leader

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, New York, January 9, 2012 – New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE), a professional network of women social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, has appointed Kari Litzmann as its second Chapter Leader. The new leadership appointment is effective immediately and will be accompanied by NYWSE Founder and inaugural Chapter Leader Natalia Oberti Noguera transitioning into an advisory role.

Natalia Oberti Noguera founded NYWSE in 2008, grew the community from six to over 1,200 members within two years, and learned about the lack of funding for-profit social ventures face firsthand from NYWSE members. In 2011, she launched the Pipeline Fellowship, which trains women philanthropists to become angel investors through education, mentoring, and practice. Fellows commit to invest in a woman-led for-profit social venture in exchange for equity and a board seat.

Natalia Oberti Noguera said, “I look forward to remaining an active NYWSE member and supporting Kari Litzmann during this transition. Kari’s background as both a social intrapreneur and social entrepreneur creates an ideal combination of experiences that will resonate with the NYWSE community. Also, Kari’s dedication to supporting women innovators and commitment to sustainability characterize the values that NYWSE has come to be known for and I’m confident that she will lead NYWSE through new milestones as the network celebrates its four-year anniversary this month.”

Kari Litzmann is a graduate of Pratt Institute’s Design Management Masters Program and has spent the past seven years working as a branding and graphic design consultant, mostly for organizations that focus on the development of women like Women’s World Banking and Barnard College. In 2011, Litzmann founded her design social enterprise, Rubina, that will soon be launching a platform to sell unique, limited-edition products created by designer and artisan collaborations around the world that provide a sustainable income for marginalized women and preserve their traditional crafts.

Under Kari Litzmann’s leadership, the NYWSE community will continue to expand as a dynamic professional network for women social entrepreneurs and social intrapreneurs through panel discussions, “How She Does It” dinner series, and professional development events.

“There is something quite magical within the NYWSE community,” said Kari Litzmann. “Never before have I been a part of a group of women that want to help you as much as, if not more than, they want to help themselves. My goal is to lead this organization in becoming even more of a place where women who are passionate about creating environmental, social, and financial impact in the world can be inspired, connect with others, and gain the resources and tools they need to make their goals happen. I want NYWSE to be known as a place you can make ideas happen.”

Kari Litzmann has been a member of NYWSE since the summer of 2010 and has served on the Events Committee from the beginning. As a social entrepreneur herself, she hopes to use her experiences to inspire and encourage the NYWSE community. According to Kari, “We can make so much more impact when we work together.”


About New York Women Social Entrepreneurs

New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) is the NY-metro chapter of Young Women Social Entrepreneurs (YWSE). NYWSE’s mission is to provide a community, tools, trainings, and resources that women need to succeed as business leaders while becoming sustainability experts. Our vision is to empower women to effect change in society at all levels, as an individual, community member, professional, student, and entrepreneur.


CONTACT INFORMATION

Hannah Jang
NYWSE Chief Blogger
http://www.ywse.org/nywse/
newyorkcity@ywse.org

Jumpstarting 2012 with Inspiration

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

As 2011 draws to a close and we reflect on the past year, a panoramic montage of bittersweet memories unfolds within our minds. We begin to vacillate between excited anticipation of a new year and feeling angst for the pile of unfinished projects. Both ends of the emotional spectrum are natural and to be expected.  

But, how can we appease such an unsettled mind?  Read inspiring quotes. They are powerful nuggets of wisdom. Here are 12 inspiring quotes that will hopefully uplift and motivate you to greater heights:

 

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions." - Albert Einstein

 

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."                      - Margaret Young

 

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

 

"The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them."                         - George Bernard Shaw

 

"Every great dream begins with a dream. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." - Harriet Tubman

 

"I failed my way to success." - Thomas Edison

 

"He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying." - Nietzsche

 

"Inspiration and genius - one and the same." - Victor Hugo  

 

"To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first." - William Shakespeare  

 

"My mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general, if you become a monk you'll end up as the pope.' Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso." - Pablo Picasso

 

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller

 

"When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Girltank: the "she" lab for social change

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

Are you a global changemaker or an organization looking for partnership? Meet girltank, a hybrid non-profit and for-profit social enterprise designed to empower young women changemakers. Spanning across six continents and over 30 countries, girltank is set out to change the world. Tara Roberts, Founder of girltank, shares why she started the organization and how you can get involved.

How did you get the idea to start girltank?

My job at CosmoGirl magazine came to a screeching halt in late 2008 because of the downward spiraling U.S. economy. But instead of looking for another 9-to-5 gig, I decided to pack my bags and use a friend’s buddy pass to travel the world and work on a book project I had been nursing for quite awhile.

My idea was to interview young women under the age of 30 who were making a difference for their communities, standing up for causes they believed in, and using their creativity and determination to bring forth something powerful in the world. So for a little under a year, I traveled to 15 different countries throughout Africa, Asia and Europe and captured the stories of 51 amazing young women.

Somewhere along the way, I began to wonder what would happen if these extraordinary young women from such diverse regions could pool their resources together and access a common collective of information and inspiration. Would their capabilities as leaders grow? Would their projects become stronger and more effective? Would they begin to work jointly and create even more powerful initiatives together?

At the same time, Sejal Hathi, who founded Girls Helping Girls (GHG) four years earlier when she was 15 years old, had just launched a program called the "Sisters 4 Peace Network" to create a global community for uniting, mobilizing, and advancing young women changemakers. She, too, was wrestling with this idea of how to form a successful single space that could serve as the hub and resource center for young women to create global projects for social change and to achieve their full potential.

So we decided to band our efforts together. We took the idea of a traditional think tank – a body that researches, solves problems and influences public policy - and turned it upside down into something active, creative, youthful and feminine – a “think” and “do” tank for young women.

And thus, girltank was born.

What makes girltank unique from other social entrepreneurship organizations?

We are unique because our mission focuses exclusively on empowering young women changemakers globally and helping bring their projects to scale.

We source young women from every region of the world, crossing cultures, religions, borders, languages and socio-economic statuses to prove that young women everywhere are capable of leading social change.

How does girltank plan to pursue sustainability?

We are a hybrid business with a non-profit and for-profit business model. Our for-profit business focuses on building educational multimedia (ebooks, workshops and events) in order to be a catalyst for a new generation of young women leaders and to generate a fresh understanding of young women's capabilities.

Can you tell us about some of the projects that members of girltank are doing around the world?

Sure!        

Noreen, Anne and Patricia, who run Jacinto & Lirio, make high-end, fashionable and sustainable bags from the water hyacinth with the help of rural Filipinos living in Pampanga. By using the water hyacinth, a pesky weed that causes over $3 billion a year in damage, J&L contributes to the sustainability of the planet and helps eco-friendly customers look stylish.

Grace helped launch the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, which is a network of African youth organizations and individuals working on climate change and sustainable development. Grace, who lives in Kenya, helped AYICC establish chapters in 20 African countries.

Isabel hails from Germany, but she founded FonduPeru, which pays the tuition and expenses for youth from the Andean village of Chiuchin to attend college in Lima, Peru.

What are some ways people can get involved?

For young women under age 30 who have already created social change projects - nominate yourself to be a part of the fellows community (fellows@girltank.org)

For those who want to help young women in their communities learn about social change - contact us about doing a workshop at your school or organization (info@girltank.org)

For those who want to support young women changemakers - contact us about how to donate or volunteer for any of our fellows' projects (info@girltank.org)

For those who want to help us build and grow girltank hubs around the world - contact us about volunteer and employment opportunities (jobs@girltank.org)

What is your best advice to young people who are thinking of starting their own social enterprise?

Be bold and begin! Then utilize girltank's resources to support your efforts. We believe you are powerful and that you can be, do and have anything you desire!

 

Tara Roberts breathes passion and vision into her work as a writer, editor and publisher. Most recently, she launched girltank, a social enterprise designed to empower young women changemakers from around the world. Prior to this, Tara was the Senior Editor at CosmoGirl magazine and has served as the Lifestyle Editor at Ebony, Essence and Heart & Soul magazines. She has also published her own internationally distributed magazine, Fierce, a bold, pro-female and socially conscious magazine that encouraged women ages 21-40+ to excavate for their authentic, wild and powerful selves. Fierce was nominated by Utne magazine as one of the best new independent magazines in 2003.

Tara graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College and holds a Master’s Degree in Publishing Studies from New York University’s Gallatin School.

Prosperity Candle: Give a gift, change a life.

Looking for a meaningful gift this holiday season? Now you can give a gift that gives back many times over. We have teamed up with Prosperity Candle this year so you can purchase holiday gifts that support our work while also helping women rebuild their lives. Every Prosperity Candle gift is handmade by women from some of the world’s toughest places. Each gift arrives with the name of the woman who made it, enabling you to connect with her directly through the Prosperity Candle website.

To learn more and shop to support Prosperity Candle visit www.prosperitycandle.com. Be sure to choose NYWSE in the “How did you hear about us?” section during checkout to send a donation to us!

 

 

 

Prosperity Candle helps women who have survived conflict and natural disaster rebuild their lives through candle-making. Every candle made and sold helps a woman from places like Burma, Haiti, Rwanda, Iraq and Afghanistan earn more than a living wage – enough to put food on the table, buy medicine, and send her children to school. Every Prosperity Candle gift changes a life. Make a difference today by sharing the light and changing lives!

 

 

 

A Little Goes a Long Way

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

"Helping people improve their health is what I love to do," said Betty Kyazike, the Branch Manager for Living Goods. This is a simple statement coming from an extraordinary woman. Kyazike manages over 60 female entrepreneurs who go door-to-door selling products that are improving the health of the urban poor in Kampala, Uganda. As one of Living Goods' first agents, Kyazike was invited by President Clinton to speak at this year's Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and share about the Avon-like model that provides affordable health and personal care items to hundreds of people in Uganda.

Given her midwifery background, Kyazike chose a profession that would be a natural fit for her. In 2009, Kyazike joined Living Goods, a San Francisco based social enterprise, as a Community Health Promoter and quickly became a top-performer and was promoted to branch manager a year later. However, this is only one of many success stories tied to the tireless efforts of The Adventure Project, a non-profit organization investing in entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Recently celebrating its one year anniversary, The Adventure Project rallies behind high-impact social enterprises to raise awareness and add "venture" to organizations that provide a solution to alleviating extreme poverty. After meeting through a charity: water fundraising event, Co-founders Becky Straw and Jody Landers decided to leverage their entrepreneurial skills and launch The Adventure Project by focusing on four key areas - water, environment, health and hunger. Their goal is to not only hire more "Betty's" in Uganda but also "mobilize ordinary Americans to get involved and create effective solutions to escape poverty forever."

People can get involved by creating their own fundraising page, donating directly to the organization or even sponsoring a health care worker. Since launching field operations in early 2009, Living Goods now serves over 35,000 families across Uganda but is not yet entirely self sustaining. Significant progress has been made, but much more needs to be done!

Join the tribe. Fundraise. Give. Sponsor.  

To view the year-end investment portfolio results, please visit:

http://theadventureproject.org/results

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Esther Havens (www.estherhavens.com)

 

 

(Left: Becky Straw; Right: Jody Landers)

 

 

 

 

 

The Story Exchange - Where Women Mean Business

by Karin Kamp, Guest Blogger

The Story Exchange is a new non-profit that inspires women to gain economic independence by starting and growing a business. Through the power of video, The Story Exchange profiles accomplished women entrepreneurs who speak candidly about why they began their businesses and the obstacles they overcame to achieve success. 

Deborah Olivo: A Simply Unstoppable Woman Entrepreneur

When Deborah Olivo lost her job she wasn't sure how she was going to pay her rent. This aspiring entrepreneur took the leap and started VidaAire, a line of environmentally-friendly sanitizers she created by mixing essential oils in her kitchen. Her products are now in Whole Foods as well as 50 other stores and she has just launched a new product.

Deborah struggled throughout her life but now she is a woman entrepreneur who will not be stopped. "I look in the mirror and I see the potential that I possess," Deborah told The Story Exchange.

 

Melissa Mowbray-D'Arbela: Business Woman and Terminator

Growing up below the poverty line, this woman entrepreneur learned to be resourceful early on. Today she runs a cutting-edge biotech firm based on ethical principles and disruptive ideas. The bio-mask she developed was used in the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Japan. Since September it is now available in Walgreens just in time for to flu season.

"Being a woman in business ... sure you're treated differently. So I decided 'embrace that', use it to your advantage," Melissa Mowbray-D'Arbela told The Story Exchange.

 

Puifung Leung: Social Entrepreneur Pays A Fair Price

Puifung Leung is on a mission to make trade more equitable and help improve living standards in developing countries. She is a social entrepreneur who pays farmers a fair price for their crops, which she uses to make drinks and snacks.

"The most important thing is to take risk. Where there are risks, there are opportunities" Puifung told The Story Exchange.

 

WHY? Video

See hard facts on the potential of women entrepreneurs.

 

About

The women behind The Story Exchange are inspired by the fact that women around the world are starting businesses at ever higher rates in an astonishing range of fields – from biotech and wine-making, to construction and cakes. Women highly value women role models and that’s what The Story Exchange is all about. It’s women inspiring women to live their dreams and uncover their full potential.

The Principals

The Story Exchange was founded by Victoria Wang, a former bank executive. After working three decades in the financial world, Victoria knew that women lack role models. Throughout her career, she had often wished there were more senior women for her to share experiences with, and to talk to about issues both business and work/life related.

Two years ago, she travelled to Singapore to interview successful businesswomen in Singapore for a research project. After each interview she went away thinking “Wow, what a great story to share with other women in business. What a wonderful role model she would be for someone who wants to start a business.”

She felt the only way to do this was to have these women tell their stories on video and that the filmmaking would have to be first class. She was lucky enough to find Sue Williams, a director and producer who has produced award-winning documentaries for shows such as American Experience and Frontline and was a Senior Producer on the series Faces of America.

The goal of The Story Exchange is to give women the confidence and strength to take risks, to take things one step at a time, to reach out to other women for help, and then to give back. 

As Victoria puts it: “I want The Story Exchange to get women thinking about what they love to do, how they can make a business out of it, and how they can impact others. I think a lot of viewers will identify with the individual women we profile here and they’ll say, “If she can do it, I can do it too.”

Links:

We are also actively looking for more stories for upcoming blogs and films. We are taking submissions through our website, where all the women's stories will appear. See the link:  http://thestoryexchange.org/category/yse/

Have a question about starting or growing your business. Ask an expert here and see other question and answers: http://thestoryexchange.org/ask-an-expert/

Find helpful advice, business trends and more stories on our blog: http://thestoryexchange.org/category/tse-blog/

How to Generate Revenue: Funding Your Social Enterprise or Nonprofit

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

It takes more than just a great business idea to make a new company successful. Whether you're running a nonprofit organization or building your own start-up company, you will need to develop a solid financing strategy with the near future in mind. Finding seed and early stage funding may be a difficult task. Luckily, we had the opportunity to speak with Shana Dressler, Co-Founder of the Social Innovators Collective, before she wraps up for their 5-part workshop series. She shares with us the importance and challenges of finding funding sources.

With numerous funding opportunities available, how do you choose the best funding option?

Shana: It’s true that there are many channels to explore funding opportunities. The best options depend on several factors. First of all, where you’re going to look for funding for a nonprofit is different than where you’ll research opportunities for a social enterprise. [I’m defining a social enterprise as an entity with one of the following corporate structures – LLC, LC3, Benefit Corporation, not a 501(c)(3).] Then the second consideration is what stage of your business development are you– this goes for both nonprofits and social enterprises. Depending upon whether you’re a startup or at the emerging or mezzanine phase of your business development will determine where to look. The worst piece of advice that I’ve heard and continue to hear for startup/emerging nonprofits is, “Oh, you’re a nonprofit…you should apply for a grant.” Given the research we’ve done, getting money from individuals is many times more effective. Most foundations have little to no money earmarked for startup nonprofits. They are looking for proof of concept and a track record to know that you’ll be around for the long haul. They are also not interested in supporting work that replicates that which is already being done well in the space. Before you get too deep into what you are doing, research who’s getting the funding in the area you are seeking to make an impact. So why crowdfunding? Besides the fact that grants are so hard to come by these days, here’s the research: Of the $290 billion that was contributed in 2010 to ALL nonprofits nationwide, 73% came from individuals and only 14% came from grants.

For people who have founded a social enterprise, the word on the street is to go after VC funding. I often hear people say, “Hold out! Bootstrap in the beginning before you give your company away to early seed funders.” In other words, keep your day job until you can really figure out your long term financial plan.

What are some ways of increasing your chances in obtaining financing?

Shana: The short answer is: Be clear about what your mission is and know how to communicate it passionately and effectively. If you are inarticulate - whether that is in your written or spoken communications - you’ll have a very hard time getting funding. Next, your branding and visual communications need to really sing. Alastair Ong, Co-Founder and COO of GreenSoul Shoes and a member of the Social Innovators Collective, said the following in the 3^rd workshop we held “Pitch Your Idea: Persuasive Communication”: “A bad idea with a great pitch will get much further than a great idea with a bad pitch. The name of the game is presentation. I can't do anything about your idea, but I can do something about your presentation.” There’s so much competition for funding (and people’s attention) that if you’re not able to interest people and, more importantly, grab their attention, forget it. Finally what has always surprised me is that people don’t fund ideas as often as they do the people who are presenting them.

How can you avoid underestimating funding requests?

Shana: Do your research! Ask questions. For nonprofits go to Guidestar.org and find out what your competitors are getting by downloading their 990 tax returns – it’s one of the best kept secrets. Another fantastic resource is The Foundation Center. Either go to their office or visit their website and research the foundation you’re looking to apply to for funding. There’s a list of the grants they’ve made, to whom and how much they gave away. For social enterprises this is a bit trickier, but again, this is public information. We’ll be sharing this at our workshop on November 15^th.

However, the reality is that even with all the research you do, it can still be hard to get funding. Milena Arciszewski, the founder of Pando Project and a member of the Social Innovators Collective, is a perfect example.

Milena recently decided to put her venture on hold because she didn't have enough funding to keep her doors open. I was so moved by her story. She is truly a woman of great courage, integrity, heart and soul. Admitting failure is so important, because failure can only lead to further innovation. But unfortunately, many nonprofits have avoided letting their funders and donors know what hasn't worked, for fear of not receiving further support. I hope more Milenas come forward and share their stories when we begin our 2012 series on Lessons Learned. It will be a continuation of the blog that Danielle Lanyard, the founder of Green Breakfast Club, and I put together for General Assembly to support our classes.

I think we're all in agreement that we want to alleviate suffering in various ways, shapes and forms whether that be locally, nationally or globally. The people I know in this space are motivated and passionate about using their talents, resources and professional skills to create a world where we can all live peacefully with dignity, love and a sense of fulfillment. But, if we don't have the funding in place to support the long-term efforts ahead of us, we eliminate the chance of succeeding in any significant way. There are so many projects that belly up because of the lack of foresight as far as funding goes. When one fails to actualize a personal project, it can be very disappointing, but it is not dire. Mistakes are great learning tools. At the Social Innovators Collective, we want to encourage you to share mistakes so we can all learn from each other. High impact work isn't easy and so the more we know what doesn't work, the more we can focus our energies on innovating until we find solutions that do. For that reason, we will be producing a conference in late 2012 on failure. If anyone wants to sign up for our brainstorming session on Wednesday, November 30th at "We Create NYC," we'd love to have you: http://bit.ly/t7wmq8.

Can you provide us with a sneak preview of what to expect for the last workshop?

Shana: First of alI, I don’t know of any other organization in New York that’s talking about financial literacy for nonprofits and social enterprises the way we are. We’ve started to find other resources out there, but it’s taken a lot of digging. For nonprofits we see that founders are in denial that they are running businesses and this is why so many fail. We’ve spoken to people who have NO idea what a trademark is or does and why they need one. I’ve had people look at me, as if I were talking in a foreign language, when I asked if they have a business plan in place. Here’s the only thing to say about this. A business plan is ESSENTIAL. It’s a roadmap to secure an organization’s long-term success. There’s no way you are going to secure any type of major funding, whether that be from angel investors, venture capitalists, program officers from foundations or philanthropists, if you don’t have a clearly articulated business plan or something that closely mirrors one. Sure you might get lucky once or twice, but then the word gets out when you have little to nothing to show for the work you’ve done because you squandered the money. Investors and funders need to feel confident that you will spend the money you receive wisely. With your plan in hand and a polished pitch, you’ll be ready to approach investors and major donors. The money is out there. The question is, “Are you prepared to receive it?”

Bottom line: Come to our class. We will make sure that everyone leaves equipped with the information to succeed wildly!

For more information: http://bit.ly/uICnFP

To purchase tickets: http://financialsustainability.eventbrite.com

 

About Shana Dressler:

For fifteen years Shana Dressler worked as a multimedia producer and photojournalist on projects spanning several disciplines and continents while consulting for nonprofit arts and media organizations. Inspired by her consultant work with the Peabody award-winning satellite TV station, Link TV, which broadcasts eye-opening documentaries about the problems facing humanity and efforts to address them, Shana sought ways to contribute to featured causes in a meaningful way.

Since February 2009, Shana has concentrated on building unique giving communities focused on raising funds and awareness around such issues as human rights, the global water crisis, youth education, women’s leadership and social entrepreneurship. Through her nonprofit organization, the Global Giving Circle, she created opportunities for people of all income levels to support hybrid grassroots social enterprise and philanthropic initiatives focused on poverty alleviation. In December 2009, Shana launched Global Gifts That Matter, an online gift emporium supporting high-impact nonprofits and social enterprises through the sale of gifts and gift donations. In February 2010, she began work on the Global Cocoa Project. Its mission is to support cocoa farmers around the globe by supplying them with not only tools to improve the quality of their cocoa production, but also basic needs for their daily lives.

Shana is also the Co-Founder of the Social Innovators Collective, a dynamic, energetic network of emerging founders, leaders and individuals who work in the social enterprise and nonprofit spaces.

 

 

 

You're Invited! NYWSE "How she does it" Dinner Series - Featuring Adelaide Lancaster, Co-Author "The Big Enough Company"

Register online: http://nywsedinneradelaidelancaster-eivtefrnd.eventbrite.com/

EVENT DETAILS
Date: Monday, November 7, 2011
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Location: Crepes du Nord, 17 South William Street

New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) invites you to the NYWSE "How she does it" Dinner Series featuring guest speaker Adelaide Lancaster, co-author of The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you and co-founder of In Good Company in NYC.

Join us for this evening of dinner and conversation as Adelaide helps us explore "how to grow your enterprise in a way that sustains your own personal goals and needs, not someone else's standards." We are happy to announce that Adelaide will be giving away signed copies of her new book to all who attend!

About Adelaide Lancaster

Adelaide Lancaster is a small business expert and successful entrepreneur who excels at making business ideas a reality and helping businesses grow to their potential. She has dedicated her professional career to helping women find work that is rewarding and achieve success on their own terms. In 2007, Adelaide, co-founded In Good Company, a first of its kind community and co-working space where women go to learn the business of building their business. In addition to professional work and meeting space, IGC offers up to twenty five classes and workshops each month. Over the years, thousands of women have connected through IGC to become more confident and successful as entrepreneurs.

Prior to In Good Company, Adelaide was co-founder and Principal Partner of Berkman Fives a consulting firm that helped women professionals with career development and advancement and women entrepreneurs with business growth and efficiency. She earned a M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology and a M.A. in Organizational Psychology, both from Teachers College, Columbia University. She also earned her B.A. degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Educational Studies, from Colgate University.

Adelaide has been featured in numerous press outlets including The New York Times, CNN, Fox Business News, Fortune.com, and Inc.com. She was also featured in the book Upstarts!, as one of 60 Gen-Y entrepreneurs who are rocking the world of business. She is also currently a contributor to The Huffington Post and The Daily Muse and writes The Big Enough Company column on Forbes.com.

Adelaide’s first book, The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you, was published by Portfolio/Penguin in September 2011.

You can follow Adelaide on twitter at @ingoodcmpny and @adelaidenyc and at www.facebook.com/ingoodcompanyworkplaces

Building High Impact Organizations: Creating Financial Sustainability for Social Enterprises and Nonprofits

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger 

Are you finally ready to tackle the question of financial sustainability for your nonprofit or social enterprise? If you’ve been putting it off, here’s your golden opportunity to work on one of the key elements in building a successful enterprise with a group of game-changing professionals in the social good space. Join the “Green Breakfast Club” and "Social Innovators Collective" for their 5-part workshop series. We speak with Danielle Lanyard, Founder of Third Rail Ventures and the Green Breakfast Club, to hear about the successful kick-off meeting as she lays the groundwork for the entire series.

Why is it important to address financial sustainability?

Addressing financial sustainability is important for a few good reasons. The first is that most startups of any kind fail, whether they are nonprofits or for profit ventures. The second is that mission driven organizations often focus on the social and ecological bottom line while ignoring the financial bottom line. The last reason is that one needs to be financially sustainable in order to carry out one’s mission.

What are the factors influencing the financial sustainability of social entrepreneurs and nonprofit founders?

I think the factors are many, the approaches varied, but the key components identical for achieving financial sustainability. These include a clear knowledge and usage of available support resources, a strong brand and awareness in how to actively tell the story of this brand, and then an understanding of the best options to support and execute your business model. These can be anything from what corporate structure to use, what design thinking can do for your brand and prototyping, and how to craft the art of the pitch and the funding strategy to generate revenue or raise capital or donations for your venture.

How do you avoid the challenges you may encounter?

I read as much as I can about other people’s mistakes, lessons learned and domain expertise, whether it is Fred Wilson’s AVC.com blog to the tweets coming out of FailFaire and industry conferences that offer knowledge transfer. I’m a klutz, both in life and in business, so I assume I’m going to trip up a bit. So, I read the success stories of others, and pay attention at events and conferences when keynote speakers tell you their stories, for these are the real gems that help you not make the same mistakes.

Which specific resources do you recommend?

I recommend spending as little as you can to make as much as you can, as leanly as you can while you are developing your idea into a clearly developed, financially sustainable, mission driven organization. I recommend taking free entrepreneurial training classes like Fast Trac, or applying to business incubators that provide mentorship and support services for founders. I’d also shamelessly promote the set of resources I outlined in the first part of our workshop series:

            bit.ly/GBCSICGAWorkshop

What kinds of impact do you seek to have with this workshop series?

I’d like to see more ventures succeed, more founders launch well thought out mission driven organizations, and more people applying these principles within their existing organizations. I’d like to see attendees helping each other and supporting each other's initiatives, and I’d to like to hear from these attendees on what gaps they think need filling in this innovation ecosystem. Lastly, I’d like to start thinking of better ways we can measure the impact of mission driven organizations themselves, and how this can improve their financial sustainability.

 

Danielle Lanyard's life and work experience blends environmental study, community action, and business development. Her work began as a child and spans two decades and four continents, including early coursework in Environmental Studies at The Evergreen State College and a B.A. in Psychology from UC, Santa Cruz. Rather than enter the workplace, Danielle chose to travel, living out a lifelong dream to see the rest of the world, where she bartered her way around the globe and got the first inklings for the idea of a barter as a business. Back in the US, she became a serial social entrepreneur, launching startups, Travelcology and Open Venture Society, small businesses still in business today.  She is the founder of Third Rail Ventures, an organization to support and seed startups for social and ecological change, including these events and a documentary film project on electronic waste, E-Wasted. When not running around town getting these ventures going, you can find her tweeting away at @ecoblips.

5 Ways Socially Responsible Living Saves Me Money

by Jessica Marati, Guest Blogger

The one excuse I always hear from friends is that it’s just too damn expensive to live in a way that is kind to people and the environment. After living like this for the past several months in the heart of Manhattan, I have to disagree. Here are five ways living more consciously has actually saved me money, while improving my quality of life.

1. SHOPPING

In a former life, I’d spend weekend afternoons strolling around SoHo, shopping for trendy, cheap seasonal items I’d wear for a few months before they’d go out of style and I’d have to dispose of them. Because I’m conscious of the way fast fashion is transforming the product lifecycle — and the environment — I’ve abandoned shopping sprees. Instead, I invest much less frequently in items I truly love, and I spend my weekends doing much more interesting things, like attending food festivals and reading in the park. My closet and Google Calendar thank me. Estimated cost savings per month: $100

2. DRINK

Because I’m conscious about wasting plastic, I refrain from buying plastic water bottles while on the go. Instead, I tote around an aluminum water bottle, and refill when I find a spout. Helps that New York City tap water is among the best in the world. Estimated cost savings per month: $40 (five $2 bottles of water per week)

3. HOME

This one’s easy. Because I am more conscious of the global energy crisis, I finally adhere to the rules that teachers attempted to drill into our heads in elementary school: Turn off the light when you leave the room. Don’t leave the TV/computer on when it’s not in use. Use air conditioning only when you really need it. You know the rest. Estimated cost savings per month: $10 (but only because I live in a super-tiny apartment)

4. WELLNESS

Because I’m conscious of the massive amounts of energy consumed by fitness centers, I let my local gym membership expire without renewing. Why do you need a treadmill, air conditioning, and a closed circuit television when you have the streets of New York? Estimated cost savings per month: $65

5. TRANSPORT

Because I’m conscious of my carbon footprint, I have significantly cut down on my bad cab habit. Cost savings per month: $200 (five $15 cab rides per week, minus the $100 cost of an unlimited Metrocard) (holy crap, did I really spend that much?)

Total monthly cost savings from these five moves: $415.

That wasn’t too bad, was it?

 

Jessica Marati is a freelance writer, multimedia storyteller, and media consultant specializing in ethical fashion, sustainable design, eco-friendly living, cultural exploration, and travel. As a writer, she has journeyed to nearly fifty countries and reported on subjects ranging from meditation in Thailand to fashion weeks in New York, Paris, and Milan. Jessica also has a keen interest in start-ups and socially responsible business, and most recently headed up content, online community management and social media at Quirky, a New York-based product development company. Currently based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, she stays busy hailing mototaxis, trying odd foods, and exploring ethical fashion projects across Southeast Asia on her blog, Tout Le Monde (http://toutlemon.de). Say hi on Twitter at @jessmarati or by e-mail at jessica.marati@gmail.com.

Social Networking At Its Best: Urban Girl Squad

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

“What should I do with my life?” It’s a question many of us have pondered with frequency. Amanda Hofman, founder and CEO of social networking group Urban Girl Squad, was asking herself that very question three years ago after quitting her job as a data analyst for Columbia Business School.

With an intimate gathering of eleven women at the French-Scandinavian Crepes du Nord, the Barnard grad shares her personal trajectory and those crucible moments in her life that pointed the direction to greater awareness about her passion for networking. However, Hofman emphasizes that this is not the type of networking “where you can get lost in the crowd.” Attendance is capped at 30 to 40 for most events and they immediately sell out, especially for events such as cigar lesson and tasting.   

Urban Girl Squad began as a small knitting group with Hofman and her close friends. Given that she had always loved organizing events and meeting like-minded women who are “go-getters,” it is no surprise that the organization has grown to over 10,000 members. With free membership, women like Clare Ondrey, an Urban Girl Squad member and event leader, have been able to gain access to the city’s hottest spots while building a network of friends. As Ondrey explains, "Urban Girl Squad is a place to meet amazing women in a setting that can be both informal and professional at the same time."

As evident from Hofman’s story, the most powerful catalyst for change involves asking the difficult questions. Luckily, you are not alone and have a whole Squad ready to help you answer them!

 

This is the first of NYWSE's "How She Does It" Dinner Series, featuring guest speaker Amanda Hofman, Founder and CEO of Urban Girl Squad in NYC. Before founding Urban Girl Squad in 2008, Amanda used her degree in economics to land jobs with Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions and Columbia Business School as a data analyst and market researcher. Data mining and event planning are more similar than they appear: instead of minding minutia like decimal points and commas, she now learns the names and faces of all the women she meets -- and organizes pitch perfect events to help them develop a network of new friends in the city.

 

Green is the New Black!

by Hannah Jang, Chief Blogger

Fashion Week in New York may be over, but the momentum is still going strong! As proved by many designers this year, eco-fashion does not have to compromise style. Meet three talented local designers who create innovative eco-fashion clothing and accessories using eco-friendly fabrics. Who said sustainability can't be trendy and fun?

Designer:  Carmen Artigas

Product:  Handbags and home accessories

Exposure:  Studied fashion design in Milan at Istituto Marangoni di Design; Worked with Donna Karan, Romeo Gigli, Tocca, Swatch, Kate Spade; Had own line called Almeria; Certified organic yoga and spa line with certified natural dyes presented at BioFach, Germany 

A-ha Moment:  I took a 4-month sabbatical in India and it changed my life. I learned a lot about myself and decided to work with elements, colors and crafts that made me happy. Visits to my home country (Mexico) was the source of my inspiration and creative line.   

Local artisans from:  I met my local artisans through my supplier who was working with a prison craft program in Mexico City.

Fabric Material:  I use 100% polyethylene and it has 6 life cycles and zero waste production.

Current project:  I am working on a few developments for homeware, using the same material and technique.

Favorite quote or motto:  Do something that scares me everyday.

Giving back to community: I participate in Pop-up stores and design markets and KIVA micro lending. I teach Ethical Fashion at FIT and Sustainable Business Enterprise at Parsons. I feel we are moving into an age of transparency, traceability and responsibility and these courses address the real human and environmental cost of products. I advise young designers and garment industry veterans and teach them how to make informed decisions when sourcing textiles and considering manufacturing alternatives.

Advice to future designers:  Develop a good relationship or even a friendship with your suppliers. They will be more helpful and flexible down the road.

Favorite fashion trend and color for Fall: I don't believe in trends but I believe in style. For the fall, I adore anything made in alpaca and hand-loomed. My favorite fall colors include bright pink, soft turquoise, black and white.

Website:  www.vivalavidany.com

 
Designer:  Auralis Herrero-Lugo 

Product:  We make elegant and beautifully designed Urban Tropical clothing.                                                             Exposure:  I interned with Jill Stuart and worked with designers such as Susana Monaco.

A-ha Moment:  As you start to live a sustainable life- buying organic products and planting a vegetable garden- it sort of filters into all other aspects of your life. It happened very organically for me. One day I just decided to quit my job as a designer for a big corporation and started my eco-venture.

Local artisans from:  New York and Puerto Rico. I use NYC textile designers for our prints, Puerto Rican artisans for our accessories and a Puerto Rican designer for the jewelry.

Fabric Material:  We use organic, natural and recycled fabrics only. Sustainable fabrics that are Organic Exchange certified.

Current project:  We are using our fabric scraps to make an organic cotton underwear collection (we don't waste anything!).  We are also preparing for our Spring/Summer 2012 collection in which we are dyeing all of our fabrics using vegetable dyes. For Fall 2012, we are looking to incorporate some hand woven wool fabrics from Scotland and mix these in with our other eco fabrics. We have an exciting year ahead especially now that we have a new studio in Brooklyn!

Favorite quote or motto: "Take the path your talents make you take." (Henri Matisse) and “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete” (Buckminister Fuller).

Giving back to community:  As a start-up, we try to do as much as we can. We have recently worked with Kiva. I am one of the founding members of El Punto Es, an online magazine dedicated to Puerto Rican issues. We are also in the process of establishing a relationship with a water recycling agency in both Puerto Rico and NYC and will donate a percentage of our proceeds to them. Eventually, we will also be offering sewing classes and other educational programs for youth. 

Advice to future designers:  Make sure you have something new to bring to the table, because everyone's closet is already full.

Favorite fashion trend and color for Fall:  Deep teal with Burnt Orange

Website:  www.auralistudio.com

 

  

Designer:  Tara St. James

Product:  Sustainable ready to wear womenswear

Exposure:  Studied menswear design at LaSalle College in Montreal; Worked in denim design for 6 years before launching Covet and then started Study in 2009

A-ha Moment:  I decided it was time to take a risk and branch out on my own, mainly for creative reasons. I wanted to give myself the opportunity to create exactly what I wanted to make.

Local artisans from:  Madres Y Artesanas: womens hand knitting co-op in Bolivia who use locally sourced alpaca for their production; Grey's Exim: ethically certified factory in India who have an organic garden, school and daycare for their workers

Fabric Material:  I source as much as I can locally.  When not using vintage materials, I source organic, recycled, or sustainable such as hemp, tencel, linen, peace silk and organic wool.

Current project:  I just finished my SS12 collection and am working on a complimentary childrenswear collection for Spring.

Favorite quote or motto:  The future belongs to those of us willing to get our hands dirty.

Giving back to community:  I created Study Hall in 2010 to help teach my interns how to design more sustainably.  In exchange for their work, they design a piece that will be presented with the collection to buyers and stores.

Advice to future designers:  Be nice to the people you meet and work with because you never know who you'll need help from in the future.

Favorite fashion trend and color for Fall:  Oxford shoes and olive green!

Website:  www.study-ny.com  
 

 

5 Reasons NOT to Grow Your Business

by Adelaide Lancaster, Co-Founder of In Good Company Workplaces

I know what you might be saying to yourselves, “What? Are you crazy? Not grow my business? Isn’t that the point? How else will I be successful?” I hear your concern. Before you dismiss the choice not to grow, take a minute to think about your goals and the impact of growth.

As a culture, we have a real addiction to size. We believe that bigger is better. Period. Even in the business world, we impress each other by talking about numbers of employees, sales, market share and locations. From the second that most entrepreneurs start their business, they are encouraged to start thinking about just how big this venture can be - often even before the concept is proven, vetted, or even fleshed out. As soon as entrepreneurs open their doors they immediately start fielding questions about growth. “When will you expand? How many locations will you open? Are you going to hire people to see more clients?” As consumers and small business enthusiasts we, intrigued by fast-growing empires and the myth of the overnight success, egg the process on. “Yes, open a store in my city!” “You should hire more staff so you can see more people”, we chip in. “You should get your brand in Bloomingdales or Whole Foods.”

On the other hand, there are a whole lot of entrepreneurs who believe that success isn’t about size; it’s about satisfaction.  And sometimes that satisfaction isn’t congruent with growth or at least the traditional growth plans of replication or building a super-sized version of your business. Many entrepreneurs have found good reasons to reject a ‘growth for growth’s sake’ strategy. Let’s look at 5 of the most common:

 

1. BECOMING A SQUARE PEG. Growth may take you out of the role that you most enjoy. Let’s say you love the service aspect of your business or want to maximize the time you spend designing/writing/speaking/teaching/selling/creating/ or innovating. Building a bigger machine may require you to sacrifice too much of your desired job in order to focus on the business building tasks.                                                                                                                                                                 
2. INCOME PLATEAU. Many entrepreneurs are surprised that bigger versions of their business don’t necessarily yield bigger incomes. But increased revenues are almost always accompanied by increased expenses. Some entrepreneurs decide that the net gain doesn’t justify the sacrifices required.                                                                                                                                        
3. UNSUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE. More moving pieces inevitably mean more to pay attention to and more responsibility. A business goal for lots of entrepreneurs is longevity. They want to enjoy running their business in 10 years. This kind of long-term sustainability can be undermined by growing too fast or too soon. Burnout is a real risk in entrepreneurship and stamina is a valuable asset.                                                                                                                
4. UNDERMINES BUSINESS PURPOSE. To the surprise of some, having as many customers as possible isn’t the goal for every business. For some businesses a high-touch experience is what it’s all about. Others go for depth rather than breadth. Growth can force businesses to compromise on their core purpose, altering what they are known for and moving away from what the entrepreneur cares about.                                                                                                                                                                                          
5. LIMITS RANGE OF ACTIVITIES. More and more entrepreneurs are building their businesses by creating a portfolio of various activities and diversifying their revenue streams. For example a consultant who loves speaking, creating products, consulting, and writing or a product company that wants to retail, wholesale, license, consult, and speak. Growing or scaling one aspect of their business would preclude them from pursuing other activities and outlets.

 

None of this is to suggest that I am anti-growth or anti-big-“small business.” On the contrary, I want to help entrepreneurs pursue their best end, whatever that may be. I don’t believe in growth for growth’s sake but I do believe in growing for the right reasons. So as you consider your own venture’s future don’t blindly put size before everything else. Instead define success by your own satisfaction, carefully considering your goals, business purpose, role, motivations, and desired outcomes – these elements will help you decide the size that is right for YOU.

 

Adelaide Lancaster is an entrepreneur, speaker and co-author of The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you (Portfolio/Penguin). She is also the co-founder of In Good Company Workplaces, a first-of-its-kind community, learning center and co-working space for women entrepreneurs in New York City. She is a contributor to The Huffington Post, and a columnist for The Daily Muse and The Hired Guns. She lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband and daughter. 

Summer Takes the Fall

by Hannah Jang, NYWSE Chief Blogger

As the season of short shorts and bare bellies draws to a close, we look forward to breathing in that crisp autumn air and watching the wind dance through the blazing foliage. September always conjures up back-to-school memories of new clothes, backpacks bursting with a fresh crop of school supplies (colored pencils!) and trendy haircuts.

Fall is also the season of change and transitions. As I transition into my new role as the NYWSE Chief Blogger, I would like to extend a big thank you to Oi Yen Lam for providing us with thought-provoking and inspiring articles for the past year.

Looking ahead, this space will feature updates on our exciting line-up of fall events and personal stories from the NYWSE network. If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, share your personal journey as a social entrepreneur or even share a new idea, we would love to hear from you! Email us at: nywse.blog@gmail.com.

The Pipeline Fellowship Announces Call for Applications in NYC and Boston

by A. Lauren Abele, COO, Pipeline Fellowship

The Pipeline Fellowship announces a call for applications in New York, NY and—for the first time—Boston, MA.

The Pipeline Fellowship seeks to increase the number of women angel investors (only 13% of U.S. angels are women[1]) through its six-month angel investing bootcamp, which is specifically designed for women who are first-time angel investors. While Fellows come from a variety of backgrounds (law, finance, healthcare, the arts, small business, and more), they all share a common interest in learning to invest for good.

The program trains women philanthropists to become angel investors through education (modules on due diligence, term sheets, valuations, board governance, etc.), mentoring (matching each participant with an experienced angel investor to serve as a role model), and practice (participants commit to invest in a woman-led for-profit social venture at the end of the training).

The cohorts are intentionally small (10 women) and designed to encourage teamwork, co-mentoring, peer-to-peer learning, as well as group decision-making in the investing process. Each participant commits to invest US$5K for a collective US$50K investment in exchange for an equity stake in the woman-led social enterprise of the group’s choosing. The inaugural Pipeline Fellowship class (NYC 2011) will be announcing their investment in late October. Stay tuned!

Applications for the 2011-2012 Boston- and 2012 NYC-based Pipeline Fellowship programs are now being accepted on a rolling basis until Monday, August 29, 2011. To apply, go to: http://pipelinefellowship.producteev.com

The Pipeline Fellowship trains women philanthropists to become angel investors through education, mentoring, and practice. In addition to an all-day conference, the program’s educational components include a series of workshops on topics such as portfolio strategies, due diligence, and valuation. Each Fellow is also paired with an experienced angel investor who serves as a role model and a sounding board, sharing feedback and advice. Lastly, the Fellows put their education to work by selecting and investing in a woman-led, for-profit social venture. 

[1] “The Angel Investor Market in 2010: A Market on the Rebound,” by Jeffrey Sohl, The Center for Venture Research, April 12, 2011

A. Lauren Abele is Pipeline Fellowship's COO. The Pipeline Fellowship aims to diversify the investor pool and connect women social entrepreneurs with investors who get them. Lauren holds a BA in English Literature and Environmental Studies from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA in Economic Development and Comparative and International Affairs from Indiana University’s School for Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). Follow her on Twitter at @laurenabele.

 

Open Volunteer Position: NYWSE Chief Blogger

NYWSE is looking for a new chief blogger!

Role Description

New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) seeks a volunteer Chief Blogger to oversee the organization’s social media efforts, including managing the NYWSE Blog, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.

In addition to writing content on the NYWSE Blog, the Chief Blogger will also coordinate NYWSE’s team of volunteer guest bloggers. The Chief Blogger will serve as the online liaison for the Events Committee by communicating information about the organization’s events and other activities. She will oversee the social media agenda, calendar, topics, themes, and interview prospects. This position will provide invaluable online communication among NYWSE, its members, and the public, as well as help fulfill NYWSE’s mission of empowering and connecting women social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs.

Key responsibilities include:
•   Setting the agenda and calendar for the organization’s social media plan
•   Volunteer blogger outreach and management
•   Writing regular posts on topics of interest to the NYWSE community (including event summaries, news, reviews, etc.)
•   Publishing blog and other relevant content on Twitter and LinkedIn
•   Proposing and contacting interviewees
•   Increasing NYWSE’s online presence

Additional Qualifications:
•    Background in journalism and writing preferred
•    Social media savvy necessary
•    Experience in the nonprofit sector, women’s leadership, and/or social entrepreneurship preferred
•    Strong organizational, communications and leadership skills necessary
•    Ability to work remotely

Hours: Position is 10 +/- hours per week and requires a flexible schedule (some weekend and/or evening hours may be necessary)

Please email a cover letter and resume to NYWSE.blog (at) gmail (dot) com.

About NYWSE

New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) is the New York Chapter of Young Women Social Entrepreneurs (YWSE).  NYWSE’s mission is to provide a community, tools, trainings, and resources that women need to succeed as business leaders while becoming sustainability experts, and our vision is to empower women to effect change in society at all levels, as an individual, community member, professional, student, and entrepreneur.

 

The NYWSE Story

 

On January 2008, Natalia Oberti Noguera launched the New York City chapter of Young Women Social Entrepreneurs and grew the network from six women to over 1,200 members in just two years. The incredible response in membership has been matched by NYWSE member interest in additional resources.

NYWSE addressed the needs of its members through a variety of programs. Formerly known as the NYWSE Incubator (launched by Allison Lynch), NYWSE Mastermind-Mentoring Initiative (MMI) (launched by Janet Wise), and NYWSE Emerging Sustainability Leaders (ESL) (launched by Shari Aaron), these programs were constructed by NYWSE members who wanted to share their knowledge, expertise, and experience with other members. The graduates of the programs developed meaningful relationships, received critical feedback and support, as well as learned from a network of thought leaders. In order to respect NYWSE's volunteer-run nature, in the summer of 2010 the NYWSE programs were transferred to Pipeline--a social venture startup that accelerates women innovators through their career pipelines. Pipeline now houses the above-mentioned programs and has renamed them as the Accelerator Lab, Incubator Lab, and Mastermind Lab.

To better support NYWSE’s growth and momentum, the NYWSE Events Committee was created on April 2009. Thanks to the leadership and initiative of NYWSE Events Committee members, the NYWSE community continues to expand through networking opportunities that include online interactions, panel discussions, the “How she does it” dinner series, and professional development events. As NYWSE continues to expand as a dynamic professional network for women social entrepreneurs and social intrapreneurs, we  take pride in advancing the role that women changemakers play in the world.

 

The 2011 Pipeline Fund Fellowship Conference- A Recap

by Oi Yen Lam, Chief Blogger

On April 30 2011, the Pipeline Fund Fellowship (PFF) hosted the inaugural PFF Conference and launch event in New York City. Sponsored by Goodwin Procter, 85 Broads and In Good Company, the conference was a full-house event attended by over 50 participants. The all-day agenda featured panel discussions, workshops and case studies with a two-pronged goal: to empower women in becoming savvy angel investors while focusing on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profits.

 I was one of the lucky few selected to be an observer at the conference’s valuation exercise. Following a presentation on valuation techniques by Susan Preston, Entrepreneur-in-Residence with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the participants were assigned to one of three groups. Led by a coach, each group was to determine a pre-money valuation for a case study company in the pharmaceutical industry. This should be straightforward, I thought as I flipped through the case study worksheets. All we need to do is to plug in a few numbers and presto!

The exercise turned out to be more complex than I had initially thought. Our group was instructed to divide into two smaller teams—the Investors and the Entrepreneurs. Each team had to establish a negotiating stance and bargain our way to a mutually agreeable pre-money valuation for our startup. My team, the Entrepreneurs, discussed furiously as we debated our stance. What kind of investment timelines were we considering? What are our projected revenues and costs? How should we mitigate the management and geographical risks faced by our company?

At the negotiations table, the Investors subjected our calculations to the acid test. As we responded to their rapid-fire queries, I realized that while careful due diligence was essential in a world of imperfect knowledge, the ability to instill confidence and trust was key to successful negotiations. Finally, we convinced the Investors that our startup could generate returns higher than their initial projections. The session concluded with a question from the Investors:

“So have we agreed on the pre-money valuation?”

Buoyed by our small victory, the room erupted in laughter as the Entrepreneurs’ spokesperson responded “Well, we will call you”

The exercise was capped with a debriefing led by Ms. Preston, where she revealed that our case study was based on a real-life example. As she shared the outcomes of the actual negotiations, we learned that our pre-valuation figure was almost double that of the USD2.12 million established in the real world.

Could we have arrived at a closer estimate, had we more time for analysis and access to better information? Perhaps.  Nevertheless, I was less interested about the accuracy of our estimates than the confidence displayed by my team during the negotiations.  It was truly a pleasure to work in a group of highly talented and diverse women from the financial, government, medical and social media sectors.

The final verdict? It was a Saturday well-spent in the presence of 50+ women passionate about socially responsible investments. We couldn't have asked for a more auspiscious kickoff to PFF's fellowship program!

About Pipeline Fund Fellowship (PFF)

The Pipeline Fund Fellowship (PFF) trains women philanthropists to become angel investors, by focusing on education, mentoring, and practice.  PFF aims to diversify the investor pool and connect women social entrepreneurs with investors who get them. At the end of the six-month program, the ten Pipeline Fund Fellows collectively choose which social enterprise will receive their $50,000 investment.

Founded by NYWSE director Natalia Oberti Noguera in 2010, PFF has attracted media coverage from Bloomberg Businessweek, Dowser, ForbesWoman, New Prosperity, TechCrunch, and The New York Times. Looking ahead, PFF will launch in Colombia later this year with plans to expand to San Francisco and L.A. in the pipeline (no pun intended!)

You're Invited: 2011 Pipeline Fund Fellowship Conference

Join us at the inaugural 2011 Pipeline Fund Fellowship Conference, the launch event of the Pipeline Fund Fellowship! This all-day event will be held on Saturday, April 30 2011, and features an exciting line-up of panel topics including Angel Portfolio Strategy, Structuring the Deal and The Post Investment Relationship. Attendees will also have a chance to meet with notable guest speakers from Astia, ARC Angel Fund, Golden Seeds, TechStars, and TIGER 21.

To register for the conference, please visit this link

About Pipeline Fund Fellowship (PFF)

The Pipeline Fund Fellowship (PFF) trains women philanthropists to become angel investors, by focusing on education, mentoring, and practice.  PFF aims to diversify the investor pool and connect women social entrepreneurs with investors who get them. Mentors include Claire Wadlington, Brad Feld, Mike Yavonditte and Dimple Sahni.

PFF has been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, Dowser, ForbesWoman, New Prosperity, TechCrunch, and The New York Times.

To learn about sponsorship opportunities, email: info@pipelinefund.com

Apply Today! The Founder Institute's Technology Startup Accelerator

The Founder Institute  (http://www.founderinstitute.com) is a technology startup accelerator and entrepreneur training program currently on pace to launch over 500 companies per year in over 13 cities worldwide. The program identifies high-potential entrepreneurs using predictive social science testing, and then guides them through weekly company-building sessions featuring a network of over 300 CEO Mentors including leading luminaries from NYC, Silicon Valley and beyond. All program stakeholders, including the participating founders and CEO Mentors, share in the equity generated by companies formed in the program. In addition, participants get access to free and discounted services, and are not required to quit their day job.

Founded in 2009, The Founder Institute aims to globalize Silicon Valley by launching over 1000 meaningful and enduring technology companies per year in over 30 cities worldwide. The Institute currently operates semesters twice a year in Silicon Valley, Singapore, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Houston, Boston, New York, Washington DC, Paris, Brussels and Berlin.

Key highlights of the program include:

* You don't need to quit your day job
* You share in pool of equity for upside and for risk reduction
* There is no idea or team selection bias in the enrollment process
* The Institute encourages market rate investments in companies
* The Institute protects the upside of Founders through Class F and other efforts

Founder Institute is also running a special program, the Female Founder Fellowship Program, for Women Innovators. For more info, see here: http://ow.ly/40Fl2

Apply today at: http://www.founderinstitute.com/apply/42/wsoc. The deadline is March 13.

Socially Responsible Investing - HIP Investors Aim to Make Bigger Profits by Building a Better World

by Danielle Ravich, Guest Blogger

In his New York City debut this past summer, Mr. R. Paul Herman, founder and CEO of an investment advisory firm, Human Impact + Profit (HIP) demonstrated how doing good for society can actually translate to doing well. By investing more in companies that address human and environmental needs, we can reinforce and reward practices that are in-line with positive societal values while also generating earnings.

"How many times have we heard companies say that people are their most important assets?" asked Mr. Herman. "But on our budget sheets, people are considered to be a liability" he noted. Today, most companies do not account for their impact on people through their current organizational assesments, but they do add value that is not necessarily accounted for by investors.

Mr. R. Paul Herman is bringing awareness of companies' impact on human lives to financial decisionmakers.  Using a unique metric system, Herman evaluates how well profitable companies are actually able to address society's needs.

Mr. Herman outlines his methodology for calculating how "HIP" companies are in recent book, "The HIP Investor: Make Bigger Profits by Building a Better World". Large S&P100 companies are evaluated based on their ability to address a heirarchy of human and environmentally-related needs. The HIP Index ranking is assessed according to companys' ability to address "Health, Wealth, Earth, Equality and Trust."  Once a company meets each of these needs, citizens would be happier and able to lead more fulfilling lives. Consistent with the desire to humanize hard numbers,this type of strategy is inspired by Maslow's Heirarchy of needs and is similar to the approach of the UN's Human Development Index which evaluates countries.

So, how does HIP compare to other stock portfolios? Overall, HIP investors are more likely to outperform their peers. The HIP 100 portfolio has consistently outperformed the S&P 100 Index by at least 400 basis points (4%) annually over the past five years when backtested in a model.

HIP uses public information to assess these companies, but has also conducted additional research through conducting interviews with CEOs of these companies. Through the process, HIP highlights important societal issues that companies can influence into the limelight. In their April issue, FastCompany teamed up with SVT Group and HIP Investor group to guide readers in their socially responsible investment practices.

Often times, our investments are stuck in endowments, pensions, and 401-K retirement funds, but HIP aims for "Social K's".  To address this need for improved socially responsible investing, the book serves as a "how to guide for everyday investors who want to vote with their dollar" said Herman.

This type of integrated disclosure provides companies who are doing well with another way to compete. It allows companies to shift their decisionmaking to a more holistic and inclusive understanding of their practices and allows the general public to make smarter choices in their investments that are not only good for society's well-being, but also for their own pockets.

More information on the HIP Investor here.

You're Invited! NYWSE Presents: Healthy and Sustainable Living

NYWSE invites you to participate in an engaging conversation about emerging lifestyle trends and the growing awareness of healthy and sustainable living. Register here now before January 27th for an early bird discount!

As a society we are becoming more conscious of the cumulative effects of toxins in our personal spaces and our impact on the environment.  Individuals however may find it difficult to know where and how to start making the necessary changes to transform their habits. Come meet five amazing women who are doing everything in their power to help others navigate this process more effectively.  Our speakers will share their inspiring experience and expert knowledge on environmental health, beauty, retail and product design, while also providing best practices for enabling a healthy body, home and planet.

Please join us in the Organic Avenue event space to learn and discuss the many ways we can integrate healthy and sustainable practices into our daily lives.

Tickets are $10 each until January 27th, and $15 thereafter.  Thanks to SIGG, the first 20 ticket purchasers will receive a complimentary SIGG reusable water bottle!

Also, books written by two of our speakers, Alexandra Zissu and Siobhan O'Connor, will be available for purchase, as well as signing by authors.

We look forward to seeing you on January 31st!

OUR SPEAKERS

Kristen Arnett, Founder of the Green Beauty Team

International makeup artist Kristen Arnett has been immersed in the world of beauty for 15 years, with roles ranging from product development to high-profile fashion work. Her passion is to inspire women to learn more about self-care and personal-esteem. She gives her clients the tools to reveal their individual allure, maximize their assets, and face the world with a new confidence. As a beauty educator, she appears on television, writes articles, speaks and trains people around the globe. Sought after on both the West and East coasts for her “Age-Defying Makeup Techniques,” Ms. Arnett has helped hundreds of women look fresh, revitalized, and years younger without surgery or Botox.  Today, she uses her talents and personal ethics to educate people everywhere about “Green Beauty,” and how they can choose products that are not only effective as cosmetics, but also beneficial to the skin.  From the runway to real life, Ms. Arnett is looking to make a positive difference in how people of all ages consider their own self-care. She created GreenBeautyTeam.com to share her knowledge with women, men, children and aspiring Green makeup artists to make safer, healthier choices about choosing the best in Green Beauty.

Siobhan O'Connor, Environmental health journalist, author and blogger at Nomoredirtylooks.com

Siobhan O'Connor is the co-author of No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmeticsand is Senior Editor at Prevention Magazine, the leading health magazine for women with more than 10 million monthly readers. She is passionate about sustainability, food and helping women make safer—and better—beauty choices for themselves. As a magazine editor for the past ten years in New York, she has edited award-winning features for GOOD magazine and others, writes regularly for many national magazines, and was recently named a Folio Award finalist for feature writing. She has appeared on the TODAY Show, The Doctors, Martha Stewart's Whatever With Alexis and Jennifer, and more than 30 radio shows including NPR's Leonoard Lopate Show and The Kathleen Show, and her book has been featured in New York Magazine, TIME Magazine, Whole Living, US News & World Report, and many others. She blogs daily at Nomoredirtylooks.com, and lives in Brooklyn.

Diane Ruengsorn, Founder of Domestic Aesthetic, an eco-friendly design company

Diane Ruengsorn brings a diverse background of experience that informs her current initiative, the socially and environmentally responsible home furnishings company Domestic Aesthetic. After graduating from Smith College, she began her career as a writer covering technology and business trends. Interviewing political leaders and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies gave her great insight into the issues shaping industry and the environment. Switching to design and receiving a master’s degree from Pratt’s Design Management program, the idea for Domestic Aesthetic was born from Diane’s experiences in the furniture industry. “Live well, live right” is the company’s philosophy that you can have products that enhance your life while taking into account people and our planet. Domestic Aesthetic’s mission is to offer consumers affordable products that adhere to environmentally and socially responsible standards. Since launching last year, the company has been in numerous publications such as New York Magazine, Interior Design, and multiple features in the New York Times. The company's line of eco-luxe housewares can be found in stores across the US, Canada, and Australia including the MoMa Design store.

 Benita Singh, Co-founder of Source4Style, a website for sustainability-conscious designers and retailers

Benita is a fair trade entrepreneur who's been connecting artisans around the world to mainstream markets since her first trip to Guatemala in 2003. While there, she co-founded Mercado Global, the non-profit organization currently providing employment to 300+ women artisans in Guatemala through partnerships with retailers like Levi Strauss & Co., Whole Foods Market and ABC Carpet & Home. After serving as the organization's President for three years, Benita went on to work on the ground with crafts cooperatives across India - consulting on product development, scaling local enterprises to increase production capacity, and ultimately connecting groups across the country to outlets including Barnes and Noble and GAIAM. Newsweek named Benita among the "15 People Who Make America Great" in 2006 and was also named among the "World's Best Emerging Social Entrepreneurs" by Echoing Green. Benita serves on the Board of Nest, a non-profit fair trade organization pioneering the concept of micro-bartering among women artisans for whom microcredit is inaccessible. When she's not cataloging the latest fair trade textile, she can be found running around the park or at any of the City's yoga studios. She graduated from Yale University with degrees in Comparative Literature and International Studies.

Alexandra Zissu, Environmental health journalist and author

Alexandra Zissu is an eco lifestyle expert, writer, speaker, and consultant. She’s the author of The Conscious Kitchen (Clarkson Potter, March 2010)—a Books for a Better Life Awards finalist—and co-author of Planet Home (Clarkson Potter, December 2010), The Complete Organic Pregnancy (Collins, September 2006), and The Butcher’s Guide to Well-Raised Meat (Clarkson Potter, May 2011). She has worked for New York Magazine, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Lifetime and Details magazines, The New York Observer and Women’s Wear Daily. Over the past decade, her stories have also appeared in The New York Times, The Green Guide, Plenty, Cookie, TheDailyGreen.com, Bon Appétit, Health, Vogue, Teen Vogue, Self, Child, Time Out New York, Harperʼs Bazaar and The Huffington Post, among other publications. She speaks often about all things eco-friendly at private firms, mothers' groups, schools, non-profits, and industry expos, and consults about green living for individuals and organizations. Though she should probably be on a biodynamic farm in Vermont, or growing dill in Finland, she actually lives in New York City, across the street from where she grew up, with her (organic) family.

 

Connecting People and the Environment: The Human Impacts Institute

Happy 2011! To kick off the start of a new decade, we feature an excellent interview by former chief blogger and guest contributor Danielle Ravich with Tara Deporte, a leader grassroots sustainability leader and founder of The Human Impacts Institute. Here, Tara discusses her efforts to grow a holistic and inclusive movement that will address sustainability from all angles

by Danielle Ravich

Tara Deporte has been of one of NYC’s most active grassroots sustainability leader I’ve had the opportunity to meet. Through her work at the Lower East Side Ecology center, Tara has extended her passion for sustainability through hosting numerous sustainability workshops, inspiring interns to become environmental leaders throughout NYC, advising local businesses how to use more sustainable practices, teaching middle school students to be environmental stewards, and participating in numerous local policy-making discussions. In her spare time, among others, Tara has worked on grassroots initiatives to support sustainable building programs, convincing building managers to allow composting, worked as an adjunct professor at the New School, and is also an artist.

It seems that collaboration and finding ways to integrate ideas to create solutions is at the cornerstone of what seems to make Tara a success. Her interests both locally and abroad, in addition to her hard work and the momentum she has built throughout the environmental community, has enabled her to house her work in one place: The Human Impacts Institute (http://www.humanimpactsinstitute.org/).

The Human Impacts Institute aims to foster sustainability and creativity through education, collaborative research and creative expression. It encompasses Tara’s passions and represents the type of integrated thinking that creates real change.

The organization’s strengths come from its ability to foster partnerships, and build a transparent holistic and inclusive movement to address sustainability from all angles. Tara has always been involved in a multitude of projects, and launching her own organization to see all of her visions through seemed to be a logical next step. She divided the organization’s actions into four components:

• Experiential education--participants practice leadership through hands-on problem solving and community service. There are opportunities to learn and develop through working with organizations around the world, and even locally in New York City. Already, The Human Impacts Institute has partnered with the Rural Women’s Movement in Africa and will be sending volunteers to work with women-based organizations in Africa who need additional staffing in December.
• Collaborative partnerships--organizations unite through resource sharing, joint advocacy, and idea development. Through shared experiences and goals, both US and abroad, we can better understand needs and develop solutions.
• Participatory research--students provide free research services to the Human Impacts Institute community. Through a partnership with Webster University in the Netherlands, students would have the opportunity to engage in cross-cultural experiences while working directly with professors on environmental research projects.
• Creative expression-- individuals foster creative thinking to reach people through cultural means, and highlight the creativity needed to develop policies that address environmental issues at a holistic level. Though these seem to be a diverse range of issues, they are all aimed at one theme: creating solutions to address environmental sustainability.

When I asked Tara about the best piece of advice she’s received, she recalled an undergraduate advisor telling her that one day she’d have to choose one of her passions. “This was a great piece of advice that really made me think. I agree that we have to focus and choose to some degree, but I choose to be focused in the way I see the world; Everything links together in some way” said Tara.

As someone who can see things from a variety of perspectives, Tara explained that a key barrier to sustainability is that people have a hard time seeing how these issues impact their everyday lives. For example, “It doesn't hit home until you experience exasperated asthma. And sometimes, once it gets personal, it's easy for it to be someone else’s fault; it’s easy to point rather than looking inward and seeing how we contribute. At the same time, it is easy to turn a blind eye when we don’t feel the impacts directly” said Tara.

The process of building the Human Impacts Institute has been both challenging but extremely rewarding at the same time. Some of the challenges that Tara has faced, similar to many entrepreneurs, has been to create an organization that is sustainable in the long term, and finding the right balance of developing a targeted yet flexible mission that encompasses the variety of endeavors that she has set out to accomplish. To Tara, the most rewarding component was realizing how much support she actually had. “It’s been so gratifying to see the number of people who came out of the woodworks to support the organization’s development” said Tara. Through Tara’s efforts, its participants, partners, contributors and stakeholders, the Human Impacts Institute will hopefully build greater connections between people and the environment and build much-needed holistic, constructive and creative solutions.

For powerful PSA’s by the Human Impacts Institute see: http://www.youtube.com/user/HumanImpactsInst

 

Expanding Gender Diversity in Microfinance

by Oi Yen Lam, Chief Blogger

As the final piece in our microfinance series, we speak with Elizabeth Lynch, Manager of the Center for Microfinance Leadership at Women’s World Banking (WWB). WWB seeks to alleviate global poverty by expanding the economic assets, participation and power of the poor, especially women, through a global network of 40 microfinance providers and banks serving 24 million microentrepreneurs across 28 countries.

In her current role, Elizabeth is responsible for the delivery of the Center’s executive education programs and organizational development projects. Her focus is on building WWB’s organizational support for gender diversity practice, by collaborating with microfinance institutions to identify and address barriers that prevent employees from having equal opportunities to excel. Prior to WWB, Elizabeth has worked for the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, as a program evaluator for the Government of Benin and as a consultant in Thailand for the Open Society Institute.

How did you enter this specific area of microfinance?

I have always been interested in international development and poverty alleviation. After completing my Masters in International Affairs at Columbia University, I joined WWB.  Microfinance appealed strongly to me because it had both an international scope as well as a focus on development at the community level.

At WWB, a core principle is our commitment to women leadership. As the microfinance industry becomes increasingly competitive and professionalized, some microfinance institutions (MFIs) are experiencing a decrease in the presence of women on their staff and leadership teams. Our goal is to transform the industry’s approach to gender diversity from a ‘nice to have’ to a requirement necessary for sustainable growth. At the Center for Microfinance Leadership, we recruit high-level women leaders at MFIs to participate in our executive education programs jointly designed with the Wharton Business School. We also collaborate with MFIs to establish policies and strengthen their commitment towards ensuring equal opportunity for their staff and leadership.

What can MFIs do to promote equal opportunity and gender diversity?

Basic actions and the creative use of resources can have a strong impact, especially when they are in line with the culture and focus of the organization. The most fundamental step begins with a positive change in organizational culture, which is initiated and sustained by the attitude and behaviors of the leadership and staff. One of the most effective actions an MFI can take is to influence attitudes through programs such as gender awareness training.  A practical example of supporting the needs of women staff in microfinance is the provision of nighttime transportation allowances for female staff of Indian MFIs.  The standard travel allowance for all field staff in most Indian MFIs covers the cost of public transportation.  Women who are required to travel home late face security concerns, particularly on public transport.  The provision of a nighttime travel allowance for women means they are able to afford private taxis, ensuring a higher degree of security. 

More importantly, MFI leaders have to first embody the change they seek in order to ensure the success of their equal opportunity initiatives. At Kashf Foundation, a Pakistan-based MFI, the CEO was determined to create a distinctive organizational culture based on equal opportunity and meritocracy. She pursued this by hiring and supporting managers who believed in the same cause, which proved especially effective in a hierarchical context where people adopt cues from their supervisors and leaders.

What are the most challenging and exciting aspects of your work?

One of my biggest challenges is competing for the attention of MFI leaders. Oftentimes, their time and attention are absorbed by pressing priorities such as tightening financial regulations, growing competition and financial performance issues. I address this by helping them to understand that equal opportunity and gender diversity are catalysts for their organization’s growth from both the business and mission perspectives.  Not only do the outcomes help improve the MFI’s reputation as an attractive employer and a mission-focused organization, these practices also help empower staff and create a stronger bond with microfinance clients.

At the same time, it is a humbling experience to work in an industry with so many visionary leaders. Every day brings a new lesson in good leadership. I love the idea of bringing a new concept to leaders who are champions for doing good in the world, and assist them in expanding their missions and visions.

Can you share resources for our readers who are interested in learning more?

CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) is the World Bank’s microfinance gateway and a great resource for facts and detailed information.

Portfolios of the Poor: How the World's Poor Live on $2 a Day tackles the fundamental question of how the poor in Bangladesh, India and South Africa make ends meet by developing surprisingly complex "financial portfolios" of formal and informal tools.

I have been traveling to India frequently for work, so The Mughal Empire has been wonderful in helping understand the scope of India’s wonderful history and culture.

Event Review: Loans for Growth

October 28, 2010— NYWSE presented Loans for Growth, a panel discussion featuring women leaders from leading domestic and international microfinance institutions. A big thank you to JPMorgan for hosting the event at their headquarters in the Financial District.

Moderated by Mia Feldman of JPMorgan Social Finance Group, our panel featured Gina Harman, President and CEO, ACCION USA; Emily Kerr, Founder and CEO, Liga Masiva; Richa Agarwal, Project Manager, BRAC USA; Jahaira Guerrero, Director of Microenterprise Development, Brooklyn Cooperative; and Katherine Rosenberg, Director of Evaluation and Education, Grameen America.

The panel kicked off as each panelist described their respective missions and approaches to microfinance. While Grameen USA serves US entrepreneurs below the poverty line, domestic counterparts ACCION USA and Brooklyn Cooperative assist established US entrepreneurs via loans of up to $50K. Within the field of international microfinance, the spectrum ranges from specialized organizations, such as Liga Massiva that provides small loans to farmers primarily in the Dominican Republic, to BRAC, a development organization that combines microfinance with economic and social development programs across Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

Each panelist shared her organization’s success stories, whether it was a Bangladeshi woman who grew her home embroidery business into a factory with 12 employees, or the three Mexican brothers who leveraged microloans to establish their own restaurants in New York. They also addressed challenges, such as the impact of the recent financial crisis on nonpayments and loan defaults, as well as corresponding solutions.

In this era of “too-big-to-fail” financial institutions, the key take-away emphasized the power of microfinance to provide entrepreneurs with access to capital, By giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to start and grow their businesses, microfinance opens countless possibilities for sustainable community development.

For a different perspective of our event, check out this review from Mary McBride, Dean of Pratt Institute’s Design Management Program, for  insight on the relationship between microfinance and design management.

As for our visually inclined readers, scroll down to view pictures of the panel and post-event networking. Stay tuned for future event announcements on this blog-- we look forward to seeing you at our next event!

 

 

 

Pipeline Fund: A Bootcamp for Women Angel Investors

Want to invest in socially responsible companies, but don't know where and how to begin?

Meet the Pipeline Fund Fellowship! Launched by Natalia Oberti Noguera, NYWSE Chapter Leader and Pipeline  Fund CEO, the program trains women philanthropists to become angel investors through education, mentoring and practice. This is an excellent opportunity to learn the ins-and-outs of due diligence, receive guidance from an experienced angel investors and apply your newfound skills by investing in women-led for-profit social ventures.

Pipeline will accept ten participants into their first cohort. Each participant commits to invest US$5K for a collective US$50K to be invested in a woman-led for-profit social venture at the end of the training. To complete the Pipeline Fund Fellowship application, go to: http://ow.ly/32A8s

To learn more about the Pipeline Fund Fellowship, check out this this excellent article on Businessweek.com. The last day to apply is December 1, 2010. Questions? Email Pipeline at info@pipelinefund.com 

 

Building Communities through Microfinance

As part of our series on women in microfinance, we speak with Erica Dorn, Manager of Kiva and Volunteer Partnerships at ACCION USA. A leader in US microfinance, ACCION USA is committed to bringing affordable small business loans to microentrepreneurs. The organization has provided over $119 million in over 19,000 microloans since inception in 1991, helping to grow small businesses and strengthen the communities they serve. Here, Erica shares her story on how she became involved in the sector and her experiences in building volunteer partnerships for microfinance institutions 

Growing up, I have always been involved in community projects. My interest in this area took on a deeper meaning after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when I volunteered with a friend’s nonprofit to rebuild communities in New Orleans. The experience of working in the devastated neighborhoods gave me a newfound understanding of poverty in the United States and the determination to solve the challenges ahead of me.

Upon my return to Brooklyn, I established The Local Universe, a community project that fundraised for redevelopment in New Orleans. As my team brought local communities together to contribute to the cause, I grew interested in creating grassroots-level development initiatives that could achieve sustainable results. This led me to pursue an unpaid, volunteer-based fellowship with Kiva, the world's first online lending platform, where I worked to facilitate stronger connections between Kiva lenders and borrowers at ACCION USA.

During my fellowship, I interviewed entrepreneurs who had received loans through ACCION USA and created online content to share their stories with the Kiva lending community. I learned that microfinance was commonly misperceived as a solution to poverty in developing countries. Unaware of poverty’s extent in the US, many of Kiva’s lenders expressed skepticism towards US-based microfinance initiatives and believed that this deviated from the organization’s mission to alleviate global poverty.

In reality, there are ~40 million underbanked US entrepreneurs, often minority and immigrant communities, with no access to loans and capital. At the same time, the multiplier effect of US-based microfinance is not to be ignored— for each ACCION loan, an underserved entrepreneur creates 2.4 jobs in the surrounding community. I believe that microfinance is a highly pragmatic and accessible solution that empowers people to strengthen and develop their communities.

Today, as the Manager of Kiva and Volunteer Partnerships, I work with my team to strengthen our volunteer force to expand the capacity of ACCION to serve more entrepreneurs in the United States. In addition to planning for the Microfinance USA conference in New York City on May 23-24, I am developing programs to engage students and campuses. Right now, we are piloting a program where students can act as “assistant” loan consultants to local entrepreneurs near their campuses. By providing students with tools to spread awareness about US-based microfinance, provide outreach to potential borrowers and help them access credit through ACCION, we hope to tap into their great energy and increase the loan accessibility in underserved communities.

 



Can women microentrepreneurs be social entrepreneurs?

by Erica Dorn, Contributor

Starting this week, this space will focus on microfinance sector and the changing role of women  in the industry. To kick off our microfinance series, we feature a post from Erica Dorn, Manager of Kiva and Volunteer Partnerships at ACCION USA. Don't forget to check out Loans for Growth tomorrow, NYWSE’s microfinance panel featuring industry leaders and innovators!

 

While most female microentrepreneurs do not intentionally incite a wake of social change, my experiences in the microfinance sector have strengthened my belief in their ability to transform communities.

I recently met Maria, a NYC Green Cart vendor who had just given birth to her third child. She had been approved for a microloan to purchase inventory for her fresh produce cart in the South Bronx. In addition to the motherly glow in her eyes, Maria was ecstatic about the success of her new business venture. Her efforts and business acumen have made fruits and vegetables accessible to a low-income community that once lacked options for fresh produce.

Maria would not consider herself a social entrepreneur, but she closely fits the description as her family’s breadwinner, role model to her children and go-to woman for juicy mangoes or crisps carrots!

 

In 2006, Erica began a community project based in Brooklyn that fundraised for redevelopment in New Orleans; it was through this that she found her passion for localized development initiatives. Following her interest in Domestic Microfinance she served as Kiva’s first U.S. based fellow at ACCION USA in New York City before assuming her current position at ACCION USA. Find her on twitter @eldorn.

Celebrating the Everyday with Rubina Design



As we wrap up our series on market solutions for community development, we speak with Kari Litzmann, founder of Rubina Design. A design company focused on “celebrating the everyday” through its lifestyle products, Rubina Design gives back a portion of its time, talent, and profits to help women entrepreneurs around the world. Read on to learn more about Kari’s inspiration and her hopes for Rubina Design!

What inspired you to start Rubina Design?

As a graphic designer, I have always been passionate about tapping into the power of design to create strategic solutions to help others. In 2005, when I was completing my Masters in Design Management at Pratt Institute, I was involved in a group thesis project that focused on how design and business practices could be utilized within microenterprises in impoverished communities to help alleviate poverty. Together, my team interviewed three organizations in three different countries: a microfinance organization in Honduras, an artisan-focused nonprofit in Mozambique, and a church in Pakistan, who were all working to build economic development initiatives within impoverished communities.

During the project’s research phase, my teammate and I traveled to the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan to interview the Church of Pakistan’s participants. As an institution serving a religious minority in a predominantly Muslim country, the church managed various initiatives to help local women build economically viable livelihoods. During my visit to the church’s sewing workshop in Nowshera, I met Rubina, a trainee eager to start her own business using the sewing skills she had recently acquired.

My meeting with Rubina was both poignant and inspiring. While I was struck by her determination, she faced numerous financial, cultural and logistical obstacles in achieving her dream. Over the next few years, I often thought about the lack of options for women like Rubina to overcome those barriers to build better lives for their families, and if there was any way to leverage my experience and resources to turn their lives around.

Last year, I established Rubina Design, a design company that incorporates entrepreneurial artisans like Rubina into my business model and supply chain as producers. To begin laying the groundwork of our mission as we build up resources and partners, we donate our time and design skills to nonprofit champions of women’s causes and a portion of our income directly to women entrepreneurs in developing countries through kiva.org. This first year has been about testing our market and understanding our customers’ needs to help us develop a sustainable model for working with Rubinas around the world.

Looking ahead, what are your plans for Rubina Design?

I am working with Pauline, one of my thesis collaborators and a designer at Macys, to create our first artisan collection for Rubina Design. Our goal is to create an array of urban lifestyle products that reflect the inspiration behind our company. The Rubina look will maintain the vibrancy and urban style of our very first line of goods, while adding the cultural essence and story of the women that crafted them.

Our next phase is to incorporate women artisans from developing countries into our supply chain as artists and producers, and help them develop sustainable businesses. Over the next few months our small team will to travel to several impoverished communities to meet with community leaders, learn their needs, understand their goals, and build partnerships to help them achieve those goals through design.

What lessons can you share from your experiences?

Being a social entrepreneur is a labor of love! It is a humbling experience to be patient, listen, network, seek advice, connect with those who have gone before, and let them help shape my business. Over the past year, I learned that the best-laid plans may not necessarily happen and that I have to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities. 

There has to be balance in the initiative as well. In addition to my full-time job as a graphic designer, I find myself playing the roles of visionary, fundraiser, marketer, designer and idea generator for Rubina Design. Pauline has been a wonderful collaborator, as she constantly reminds me of the Rubina brand and the need to balance passion and pragmatism. 

It is also important to be part of an encouraging network of women, such as NYWSE. I am constantly surprised and delighted by the number of people who are excited about the Rubina mission and are willing to contribute their time, money and effort.

Last but not least, Rubina’s story is the driving force behind my mission and efforts. Whenever I encounter an obstacle, I remind myself of the Rubinas in the world and continue to be inspired by their strength and perserverence.

If you could recommend a good read for aspiring social entrepreneurs such as yourself, which book would it be?

I love Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen, as I have been to Peshawar and can relate to his experiences in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. I am inspired by his humility, his connection to the people and his passion for achieving the extraordinary to improve the lives of others.

To learn more about Kari's product line and support women entrepreneurs in developing countries , visit http://www.rubinadesign.com

You're Invited! NYWSE Presents: Loans for Growth

NYWSE is pleased to present leaders in the microfinance industry who have provided entrepreneurs access to capital, resources to grow their enterprises, and ultimately the opportunity and strength to start a business. Each of these panelists has successfully integrated micro-lending programs within their organizations in different ways and will discuss the impact they've made in supporting women entrepreneurs globally.

Register online: http://loansforgrowth.eventbrite.com

EVENT DETAILS
Date: Thursday, October 28, 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Location: 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza, Conference Center [Please bring your ID.]

MODERATOR

Mia Feldman, JPMorgan Social Finance Group
Mia works in the Social Finance Group in J.P. Morgan's Investment Bank, the commercial initiative focuses on capital markets and principal investment opportunities within the microfinance and broader social enterprise sectors.  Previously, she worked in domestic microfinance at ACCION New York as both a loan consultant and a lending team leader. She is the founder and former chair of the ACCION USA Microfinance Council, an organization dedicated to promoting this not for profit to young professionals, providing strategic advice and assisting with fundraising activities with the support of the Board of Directors at ACCION. She is currently on the ACCION New York Advisory Board. She is fluent in Spanish and holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Scripps College in Claremont, California.

She is enrolled to begin a Masters in Public Affairs in the fall of 2011 at Woodrow Wilson School. In this year prior to going back to school she will continue to work in the Social Finance group in the Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan.

PANELISTS

Gina Harman, President and CEO, ACCION USA
Gina Harman, named president and CEO of ACCION USA in May 2008, brings 35 years of extensive private sector management and public service experience to the microfinance organization.

Formerly President of Harman International’s $600 Million consumer products division, Ms. Harman managed the company’s 12 consumer brands, strategy, engineering, product development, marketing and sales worldwide. Prior to her senior post at Harman International, Mr. Harman served as Executive Director of the Astoria Local Development Corporation, in the Office of the Mayor as Youth Bureau planner for the borough of Queens, founded and served as Executive Director of the Washington Square Day Care Cooperative and as an advocate in various labor and community organizations.

Ms. Harman has been involved with microfinance for years through service on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of ACCION New York, briefly as its Chief Executive Officer and President before leading the merger with ACCION USA to form the largest microfinance portfolio in the country.  Ms. Harman received the Neighborhood Achievement Award from  Mayor Bloomberg in 2009 in recognition of ACCION’s work with women- and minority owned businesses in NYC.  She is a member of the Board of Directors of the CDFI Coalition, the Consumer Advisory Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of NY, NY State Governor Paterson’s Small Business Task Force and Capital One’s New Market Tax Credit’s Community Advisory Board.

Ms. Harman holds a bachelor's degree in Urban Planning and Policy from the State University of New York and is a graduate of the Non-Profit Management Institute at Columbia University and the Tenenbaum Institute at the Milano School – Graduate Center of the New School, both in NYC.   She resides in NYC. 

Emily Kerr, Founder and CEO, Liga Masiva

Emily Kerr is the founder of Liga Masiva. Her vision, consulting experience, and deep experience in Dominican communities in the DR and in the US create a strong foundation for the enterprise. A New York native, Emily graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Hamilton College and also studied in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Part of her study included a year-long fellowship to do advanced field study in Organic Food Initiatives in the Dominican Republic. This research was the beginning of her ongoing relationship with organic farmers in the DR. Subsequently, Emily was hired as a consultant to increase sales and usage of a wireless “food stamp” program in NYC and was able to generate a lift of 400% over the previous year’s sales. Most recently, Emily lent her business acumen and skill at building relationships to support First Manhattan Consulting Group on projects in Latin America, overhauling the collections operations of the biggest low-income mortgage provider in Mexico, among other engagements. 

Richa Agarwal, Project Manager, BRAC USA 

Richa Agarwal, a Project Manager with BRAC USA, recently merged her 12 years of experience in the New York fashion industry with her passion for microfinance.  Richa works with BRAC’s largest social enterprise Aarong in Bangladesh, employing 65,000 rural artisans. Richa currently oversees special projects that will increase Aarong’s capacity to provide employment to more Bangladeshi rural artisans. Richa was educated at Boston University, FIT and Pratt Institute. 

Jahaira Guerrero, Director of Microenterprise Development, Brooklyn Cooperative

Jahaira Guerrero is the credit union’s Director of Microenterprise Development and has been with the credit union for one year. Currently, Jahaira is responsible for the majority of high-volume business lending and all aspects of business underwriting and disbursements. In addition to maintaining a healthy loan portfolio and implementing high-quality loan originations, she is also responsible for the credit union’s participation in the SBA Express loan collateralization program, and acts as our main liaison with the SBA team. Jahaira has performed various outreach initiatives with partner organizations with an interest in business lending, such as Acción, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, and NYC Business Solutions. Prior to the credit union, Jahaira worked at NYC Business Solutions as a finance account executive and as a senior loan officer at Accion USA. She holds a BA from Lehman College at the City University of New York.

Katherine Rosenberg, Director of Evaluation and Education, Grameen America

Ms. Rosenberg joined Grameen America as Director of Evaluation and Education. Most recently, Ms. Rosenberg was a research coordinator at New York Presbyterian Hospital where she was responsible for project management, patient recruitment, and evaluation activities for multiple projects. Prior to this, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal where she designed and implemented numerous health education efforts, disease prevention programs, and community development initiatives that included the establishment of a village-operated cooperative pharmacy. Ms. Rosenberg holds a B.A. degree from Union College in American Studies and an MPH from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

Register online: http://loansforgrowth.eventbrite.com

 

Women do not network—we netweave!

by Oi Yen Lam, Chief Blogger

Oct 4, 2010-- NYWSE successfully launched the first of its “How She Does It” Dinner Series, featuring Amber Chand, co-founder of the Prosperity Candle Company as our guest speaker. A big thank you goes to Smorgas Chef Restaurants for hosting us at the beautiful Crepes du Nord in the heart of Manhattan’s Financial District.

So here we were on a rainy Monday night, a face-off between 18 amazing women changemakers and a tasting menu of sweet and savory crepes.

 

Nothing like sunny-side-up eggs, tucked into warm crepes, to conquer the Monday blues!

 

Amber began the night with an engaging recollection of her journey as a social entrepreneur. Born in East Africa of Indian parentage and expelled from her country during a time of political turmoil in her youth, she developed a profound interest in women’s empowerment, economic security around the world, and the role of business as a transformational agent for social change and peace building.

One of the philosophies behind Amber’s work is her belief in the feminine paradigm of business. Too often, businesses are focused on aggressive, exponential growth with little consideration for long-term sustainability. Amber realized this the hard way at Eziba, a retailer of artisan handicrafts that she co-founded in 1999. At its peak, the company had raised USD40 million in venture financing and earned a solid reputation for rebranding artisan products as sophisticated collectibles.

Things took a wrong turn six years later, when Eziba ran into financial difficulties from its rapid growth and Amber’s business partner passed away unexpectedly. Deeply affected by her professional and personal losses, Amber retreated into a nine-month period of self reflection. At her darkest hour, she dreamt of several impoverished women weavers whom she had met on a work trips to Bolivia.

“In that dream,” Amber shared, “they looked at me and begged me not to forget them”

Spurred by the humbling vision of the women weavers and her determination, Amber started afresh and established the Women’s Peace Collection, a business focused on handmade items created by women in areas of conflict including Jerusalem and Darfur. Over the next five years, Amber built her company by first creating a strong foundation and centering its growth on a balanced business model.

This, emphasized Amber, is the feminine paradigm of business. As opposed to “testosterone-charged” models that emphasized fast growth and high profits, a sustainable business is one that is built upon relationships, humility, compassion as well as love for our dreams, vision and life. Ultimately, Amber notes, women do not merely network—we netweave.

Today, at Prosperity Candle, Amber’s team invests in women entrepreneurs in areas of conflict by providing them with the resources to build successful candle-making businesses. The for profit social venture designs, imports, markets and sells the women's candles in North America and shares profits with the women entrepreneurs. By focusing on the candle as a symbol of the women’s’ dreams and eventual empowerment as they emerge from darkness, Prosperity Candle hopes to eventually expand from its current entrepreneur base in Iraq to Rwanda and Haiti and develop partnerships with like-minded organizations. To learn more about Prosperity Candle, please visit http://prosperitycandle.com, or check out our earlier interview with Siiri Morley, partner at Prosperity Candle.

Many thanks to Amber, for your generosity in sharing your story, and to Smorgas Chef Restaurants, NYWSE-rs and guests for making our event a success. We have an exciting line-up of NYWSE events, so stay tuned for updates on this blog as well as the NYWSE Twitter and Linkedin sites!

Chocolates for Good

by Oi Yen Lam, Chief Blogger

What comes to mind when you encounter that nutty, fragrant bar of goodness? From its humble beginnings as cacao tree pods, chocolates evoke a variety of emotions as one of the world’s best-loved sweets. 

This week, we speak with Shana Dressler, creator of the high impact grassroots giving campaign 21 Villages. Proceeds from the campaign will benefit Project Hope & Fairness (PH&F), a non-profit that seeks to enhance the sustainability of West African cocoa villages

Scheduled to roll out this fall, the campaign will raise funds to transform 21 cocoa farming villages across Côte d’Ivoire by providing the tools necessary to improve the quality of cocoa production and community life. 21 Villages educates consumers about the realities of the cocoa industry and how they can transform cocoa farming into a sustainable occupation. Finally, the project highlights how more than philanthropy, it’s a chocolate lovers decision to support chocolate brands which source their beans directly from farmers and pay them a living wage, that will make the greatest impact in changing the quality of a farmers’ life.

Read on as Shana shares her journey as a social entrepreneur, her inspiration and hopes for the future.

You have worn many hats as a producer, multimedia artist and photojournalist—what inspired your current journey as a social entrepreneur?

As an artist, I have lived in and traveled to over 40 countries where I have met various personalities who work in the social sector. I realized that many large scale “social impact” projects are designed to ensure that the US-based organization spearheading the initiative stays in business. While that’s an important consideration, I couldn’t help but wonder what came first—the business plan or a conversation around how to best serve people based on their needs?

My “a-ha” moment arrived during the two years I worked at Link TV, the nationwide satellite channel  which broadcasts documentaries about global issues and the people working to resolve them. Numerous viewers told us that they were moved by the films and wanted to contribute to these causes despite their limited financial resources. As my contract came to an end, I pitched a position for myself to become the community liaison and develop ways for people to act on issues that inspired them. Sadly, my proposal was turned down and so I moved on.

During this period, I was collecting material for a multimedia exhibition on Ganesh, the Hindu elephant god worshiped in India for bringing success and removing obstacles. The project gave me a window into the world of international development and business for social change. I traveled to India five times over six years as I transitioned out of my role as a multimedia producer and consultant to a life of service through non-profit and social enterprise initiatives.

After Link TV, I spent the next two years learning everything I could about philanthropy, the non-profit world, and social enterprise. In February 2009, I launched the Global Giving Circle, a grassroots fundraising initiative where people could contribute to small-scale philanthropic initiatives that create significant, tangible solutions to poverty. Over the next 18 months, we produced five events that raised money and awareness for 18 non-profits and social enterprises.

What is the inspiration behind the 21 Villages Campaign?

The initiative started out as a Valentine’s Day chocolate tasting fundraiser hosted by the Global Giving Circle in 2009. Our goal was simple—we wanted to capture the meaning of Valentine’s Day as a day to express love, not only romance. By the end of the tasting, we had raised $5,500 from $25 donations for Project Hope & Fairness, a nonprofit that has been working in Côte d’Ivoire for the last 8 years.

After four similar events where we chose a cause and then found a non-profit doing incredible work in that particular area, I learned that when you’re charging $25 a ticket for events which attract around 200 people, event-based fundraising is unsustainable. It is very challenging to raise your fundraising target, pay for hard costs not covered by in-kind donations and pay yourself for the time and energy that goes into organizing and promoting the event. I’ am sure that is why most non-profits do not organize more than one big gala a year where tables are sold for $5,000 - $10,000 to corporate sponsors and wealthy individuals. If I want to achieve tangible results in the area of grassroots philanthropy and pay my rent, I would have to find another model – something that could be replicated over and over again. My response was to create the 21 Villages campaign under the umbrella of Project Hope & Fairness.

The 21 Villages campaign is a high impact grassroots giving campaign that gives individuals the opportunity, resources and knowledge to organize successful fundraisers, such as chocolate tastings, in their local networks.  We use the proceeds to provide equipment to the cocoa farmers after carefully assessing their needs.  When the farmers’ economic situation improves, we will encourage village ownership by having the farmers purchase equipment at prices made affordable by subsidies from the campaign.

Our goal is to improve the farmers’ earnings by improving the quality of their cocoa beans. The project is also designed to have wide-ranging benefits that address health, education and women empowerment. As we did in our pilot, we will be building wells and donating weighing scales to the cocoa farmers, so that they can weigh their cocoa onsite and bypass middlemen who usually skim a portion of the farmers’ earnings.  With the wells, the village women will no longer have to undertake the time-consuming task of fetching water. Instead, they will be able to use their extra time to form cooperatives to grow rice and cassava, and sell their crops at the market with help from the weighing scales. As their earnings grow, they will be able to invest in their family’s healthcare and their children’s education. We have a two short You Tube videos about the well and scale donations from the pilot project: www.globalcocoaproject.org/multimedia.

What are the challenges and opportunities that you have encountered?

No matter where you go, when you’re working outside of your own culture, I think the biggest challenge is taking the time to really understand the culture and traditions of the people who you will be ultimately serving. There’s a lot to know and learn. Moving beyond ones own cultural lens isn’t easy, but it’s imperative. Achieving long-term impact is possible only if you explicitly design your initiative as a partnership of equals.

From the demand side, we need to build a market for the farmers’ cocoa by raising awareness and educating consumers about the incredible impact they can create by purchasing ethically traded products.

What advice do you have for others interested in pursuing similar opportunities in social enterprise?

I recommend that people invest time in understanding their passions. Ask yourself the most difficult questions about your true motives. If you are motivated by doing something to look good or soothe a sense of guilt, then you’re allowing your ego to drive you. When you come from a self-ish as opposed to a self-less space, you will encounter more challenges and make more mistakes.

There is always plenty to learn from others. Try working for people who have experience in the areas that interest you. You can observe and volunteer for social entrepreneurs whom you admire. I believe that there are so many paths to serving others — the goal is to understand what you love, where your talents lie and how this aligns with your vision of a life of service and your deepest purpose.

If your life were a box of chocolates, what would it be inside?  

Definitely a combination of chocolates with chilies, spices and nuts!

You're Invited! NYWSE "How she does it" Dinner Series Launch - Featuring Amber Chand, Co-Founder, Prosperity Candle Company

Register online: http://nywsedinner1.eventbrite.com/

On October 4, 6-8 P.M., New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) invites you to the NYWSE "How she does it" Dinner Series Launch featuring guest speaker Amber Chand, Co-Founder of Prosperity Candle Company.

Join us for a night of insightful conversation and inspiring ideas, as Amber shares her experiences as a social entrepreneur, businesswoman, and humanitarian. Our event host, Smorgas Chef Restaurants, has created a vegetarian tasting menu, highlighting a selection of French-Scandinavian crepe delicacies and wine pairings from Argentina and Italy.

About Amber Chand:
Born in East Africa of Indian parentage and expelled from her country during a time of political turmoil in her youth, Amber Chand developed a profound interest in women’s empowerment, economic security around the world, and the role of business as a transformational agent for social change and peace building. She co-founded Prosperity Candle Company, a social venture that invests in enterprising women living in distressed areas of the world who are excited to start their own businesses producing distinctive candles for local and international markets. Prosperity Candle focuses on places that are torn by conflict and social unrest, devastated by natural disaster, and trapped in never-ending poverty.

For further reading about Prosperity Candle, check out last week's interview with Siiri Morley, Partner at Prosperity Candle.

Lighting up Lives

by Oi Yen Lam, Chief Blogger

As part of our series on market-based solutions for community development, we speak with Siiri Morley, Partner at Prosperity Candle L3C. Prosperity Candle’s mission is to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit in women in places of conflict, by providing them with the resources to build successful candle-making businesses. The for profit social venture designs, imports, markets and sells the women’s candles in North America and shares profits with the women entrepreneurs.

Spurred by her belief in creating change through women’s empowerment, Siiri’s passion has brought her to Afghanistan, Croatia, Ecuador, Kenya and Lesotho where she has worked on poverty reduction and sustainable development projects.  We are delighted to have her share her story and hopes in transforming the lives of women worldwide.

Your experiences have ranged from working with the Peace Corps in Lesotho to sustainable development. How did this journey eventually lead to Prosperity Candle?

My parents were Peace Corps volunteers and value cross-cultural learning, so they always encouraged me to study and travel abroad. I was often happiest when visiting local marketplaces, where I was drawn to the sights, colors and textures of handmade products crafted and sold by women.

As I grew older, I realized that the beautiful handicrafts were more than just a fun shopping experience. They represented the craftswomen’s cultural identity, economic independence and physical survival.

After college, I joined the Peace Corps in Lesotho to learn the ins-and-outs of working with women’s businesses. I spent three years working closely with a women’s weaving business. I participated in all aspects of their business operations including product development, computer skills training and marketing. I was, however, frustrated that our initiatives did not translate into long term change and help our weavers move beyond a subsistence wage.

I eventually joined the international development field to understand how change can be achieved on a larger scale. During this period, I worked on projects in Kenya, Namibia, Croatia, Afghanistan and throughout Latin America, and realized that business development, if implemented correctly, can lead to far-reaching social impact. This led me to pursue an MBA with the Heller School at Brandeis University -- a great program that matched my interest in combining solid business strategies with social justice.

I started out with Prosperity Candle as an MBA intern and joined the team as a partner in January 2010. I love the vision and scale of Prosperity Candle. We train women entrepreneurs in some of the most unstable regions in the world to create independent businesses. As they scale their efforts, we help them earn a “prosperity wage” and employ other women to create a tremendous ripple effect in their communities. All of this work is powered by the global sales of their high quality candles.

How did Prosperity Candle decide to work in distressed areas such as Iraq, Rwanda and Haiti?

We know that women are disproportionately affected by conflicts and natural disasters, and that this is an area where we can have the most impact. Despite the logistical challenges in these areas, commerce happens everywhere and products move across borders, even under difficult conditions.

Our model is designed to function in distressed areas where the private sector is unable to operate. Key to our efforts is our partnership with reliable and well-established local nonprofit partners. For instance, we are partnering with Women for Women International, an NGO that has been operating in Baghdad since 2003. We have recently completed a successful pilot program in Iraq, where our entrepreneurs include widows affected by the lack of a local support system

What defines success for Prosperity Candle?

Success for us is when our entrepreneurs are able to scale their businesses and earn more than a minimum wage. Our pilot program in Iraq has demonstrated that women without prior experience in candle making can create high quality candles in their kitchens using our customized kits and training program. 69% of the women who made and exported candles earned above the minimum wage in Iraq and 17% earned above the average wage. Our consumers have responded well to our mission, found our story compelling and perceive the candles as high quality meaningful gifts. Most importantly, we have proven that our model offers a unique opportunity to earn well above a living wage.

What new initiatives from Prosperity Candle can we look forward to?

We are planning to work with refugees in Springfield, Massachusetts, and will launch our holiday collection featuring glass jar candles, jewel-toned votives and candle accessories made by Haitian artisans. Our candles include the name of the entrepreneur so that customers can personally send her a note online with feedback. It’s is a beautiful way for everyone to give back and connect with the women.

This November, we will be part of a tour across Boston, New York and Washington, DC, to raise awareness about women’s issues in Iraq in conjunction with Women’s Voices Now, Manal Omar –  the original Country Director of Women for Women International’s Iraq program and author of “Barefoot in Baghdad”,  and Christina Asquith, author of “Sisters in War.” Last but not least, we are working to share our story by building a grassroots support base and engaging potential investors through our Prosperity Circles.

What advice do you have for aspiring social entrepreneurs?

I believe that everyone should follow their hearts and do what they do best in the world. Don’t wait until everything is “ready” to take this step because if you do you’ll never begin. While the risks and toll of being a social entrepreneur can be high, the payoff is incomparable. It’s also  important to have a great team behind your efforts. The Prosperity Candle team is fun, and truly inspiring. An entrepreneurial team becomes like family, so make sure you find the right people to work with!

A good book that inspires is…

Some books focused on women’s empowerment in distressed parts of the world that resonate are “Sisters in War” by Christina Asquith and “Half the Sky” by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. I also really enjoyed learning about the evolution of the Acumen Fund in “The Blue Sweater” by Jacqueline Novogratz. “Barefoot in Baghdad” by Manal Omar is next on my list!

To learn more about Prosperity Candle, please visit http://prosperitycandle.com

 

Fall Preview

by Oi Yen Lam, NYWSE Chief Blogger

 

Ah, September. The magical month when the muggy heat is replaced by a cool crispness. When summer whites and flip flops graduate into rich woolens and leather boots. When the inbox starts overflowing...

 

Oops-- pause please!

 

September is also a month of new beginnings. This post marks my entry as the NYWSE Chief Blogger as I take over from Danielle Ravich. A big thank you goes to Dani for providing us with insightful and well-written articles on the world of NYWSE.

 

Looking ahead, this space will feature updates on our exciting line-up of fall events and personal stories from the NYWSE network. We will also introduce a series of monthly blog themes. This September, we will focus on market-based solutions for community development, followed by microfinance in October and sustainable lifestyles in November. If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, share your personal journey as a social entre/intrapreneur or simply have a grand idea to share, send me a shout-out at newyorkcity@ywse.org. This is your space, which I look forward to populating with your thoughts, voices and stories.

 

All aboard, onward and forward!

 

 

Oi Yen Lam currently works at an educational nonprofit, focused on creating a more peaceful world through intercultural exchanges. Originally from Malaysia, she specializes in performance management and market intelligence for nonprofits. Oi Yen was also admitted into a marathon (entirely by accident!) and now spends Saturday mornings impersonating a vacuum cleaner in Central Park.

Combining Unique Skills to Create Positive Social Innovations

by Danielle Ravich, NYWSE Chief Blogger

Being a social entrepreneur, and leader requires innovation and honing in on our individual talents to address complex challenges in our communities. New NYWSE member Deirdre Cerminaro has found her passion for influencing positive change through her unique combination of cognitive psychology and architecture. In her current work, she is able to bring a humanizing approach to people's interactions with physical spaces.

Social Media for Social Change: Virtual Technology, Real Actions

by Danielle Ravich, NYWSE Chief Blogger

April 19, 2010 - Today's Social Media for Social Change event was a testament to how modern technology, and our virtual networks can create real changes in our society. 

Panelists included Cindy Gallop of IfWeRanTheWorld, Esra'a Al Shafei of Mideast Youth, and Jerri Chou of All Day Buffet. The event was moderated by Jalak Jobanputra of New York City Investment Fund.

Stop Trying to Manage Time

by Jennifer Gleeson Blue, NYWSE Member

As a life coach, I keep hearing the following refrain from clients:

"I am terrible with time management, so there is no way I will get the things that are most important in my life."

These items that you say are important to you, are indeed important. Though often neglected, they too can be factored into your schedule. But some of these items cannot always be accounted for. Examples may include creative or business endeavors, financial matters, relationships or spiritual practices, etc.; they are the "stuff of life" that makes life worth living.

If you feel that you are not getting to what matters most because of poor time management skills, I've got some good news: You can't entirely manage time and the events that happen during the ins and outs of your daily life, just like you can't entirely manage anything that may be finite. You can however, manage yourself through acknowledging the story you tell to yourself about yourself and the events in your life.

Here's a little trick. The next time you find yourself defeated, telling yourself how impossible getting to the good stuff is because you "are terrible" at time management, try a new story:

An Equal Opportunist

by Jennifer Gleeson Blue, NYWSE member

I sit down in the morning and in front of me are three beverages - coffee with soy milk, cranberry juice and water. Drinking large amounts of good ol' H2O throughout the day, I supplement at 11am with a cup of hot, herbal tea. Just after Noon, I enjoy a mug of two-bag plain black tea. I may hit up the herbal stuff again before the work day ends and I move on to a glass of wine or a beer. And my entire day would feel askew if it didn't end with a hot cup of Yogi ginger or Celestial Seasoning's Tension Tamer tea.

As I told a friend the other day: I'm an equal opportunist when it comes to beverages.

Naturally, this hydration obsession got me thinking about business!

Creating Social Change through Media

by Lannia Small, NYWSE member & volunteer

On Thursday January 28, over 45 women and one man attended the NYWSE event “Change through Media” at Green Spaces New York. The event was moderated by Alicia Marin of ALAS and included panelists: Yvette Alberdingk Thijm of WITNESS, Karena Albers, Founder of KONTENTREAL, Katherine Fry of The LAMP, and Alexia Prichard, Founder and Executive Producer of Closed Loop Films.

All of these amazing women are change makers using media in unique ways to expose social issues and create dialogue. The night’s topics ranged from measuring the social impact of media organizations and the importance of allying with policy makers and educators, to the need to empower victims around the world to tell their own stories of social injustice. Participants were also able to brainstorm with the panelists about how to find the right target audience for their media project, as well as how to make the career transition to the social media field or create their own organizations.

Dear Volunteers, Thank you! --NYWSE

As we start 2010, New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) would like to express our gratitude to all of our amazing volunteers.

Dear volunteers, thank you!

NYWSE volunteers have donated over 6,285 hours of professional services which have helped the organization grow. NYWSE would not be able to offer the high-quality, cutting-edge programs and services it does without the help of its dedicated volunteers--whose total in-kind donations amount to US$100,000.*

Since January 2008, NYWSE has grown to a membership of over 1,000 women, hosts monthly events on social innovation, and runs four programs--including the Incubator, Mastermind Mentoring Initiative (MMI), Book Club, and Emerging Sustainability Leaders (ESL) Program.

We look forward to continuing to grow with you, the NYWSE community.  Thank you for your continued interest and support.

Please join us in celebrating the successes of 2009 by recognizing our outstanding volunteers!

NYWSE Emerging Sustainability Leaders (ESL) Program:

• Ashby Andrews, Business Development Manager, Fast Forward Fund
• Danielle Coutinho, Equity Sales, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
• Stephanie Niloff, Strategic Business Services, Deutsche Bank

NYWSE Incubator Program:

• Maryam Rashid, Strategic Management & Analysis, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
  
• Karima Lahrach, Master of International Affairs, Columbia University
  
• Melissa Osborne, MPA candidate, Carnegie Mellon University
• Annika Many (via Catchafire), Project Manager, College Board
• Elmira Bayrasli, VP of Partnerships & Outreach, Endeavor

NYWSE Events Committee:

• Alicia Marin, Deputy Director, ALAS
• Danielle Coutinho, Equity Sales, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
• Jennifer Apple, Attorney
• Tara Pyle, Senior Marketing and Events Manager, Center for Architecture
• Marcela Restrepo

NYWSE Fundraising Committee:

• Heather Rees, Founder and Board Chair, NYC Venture Philanthropy Fund
• Devyn Fomer Humphrey, External Relations Associate, Achievement First
• Tara Monroe
• Rebecca Lee, MPH candidate, Columbia University
• Sharmila Gordon, Legal Assistant, Seward & Kissel LLP

Graphic Design:

• Amy Anderson

Steering Committee & Advisory Council:

• Molly Alexander, Business Development Manager, Acumen Fund
• Marisa Guber, Cultural and Organizational Development Strategist, ABC Home
• Allison Lynch, COO, Brooklyn Cooperative Federal Credit Union
• Shari Aaron, Founder, Climb the Green Ladder
• Janet Wise, Founder, The Collaborative Factor
• Elmira Bayrasli, VP of Partnerships & Outreach, Endeavor

NYWSE Leadership/Management:

• Natalia Oberti Noguera, Executive Director
• Shari Aaron, Emerging Sustainability Leaders (ESL) Director
• Allison Lynch, Incubator Director
• Janet Wise, Mastermind Mentoring Initiative (MMI) Director
• A. Lauren Abele, Strategic Initiatives Manager
• Milena Arciszewski, Book Club Manager

Special thanks to our partners: LaTeisha Moore & Calgary Brown (Net Impact NYC Professionals Chapter), Angela Jia Kim (Savor the Success), Taryn Miller-Stevens (StartingBloc), Adelaide Lancaster (in Good Company Workplaces), Diana Ayton-Shenker (Fast Forward Fund), Mekaelia Davis & Dana Skallman (YNPN-NYC), Geri Stengel (Ventureneer), Allison Lennox (Chelsea Green), Rachael Chong (Catchafire), Michelle Lapinski & Sara Ellis Conant (YWSE)

Ways to contribute to the NYWSE community in 2010:

Volunteer: Email NYWSE Strategic Initiatives Manager A. Lauren Abele at lauren@ywse.org

Donate online: http://www.bit.ly/NYWSEdonate

Host an event: Email newyorkcity@ywse.org

Invite a friend to join the NYWSE LinkedIn Group

*Assuming $40.67 mean hourly earnings for "Management, Professionals, and Related," taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' National Compensation Survey for the NYC-metropolitan area (May 2009).

Announcing NYWSE Emerging Sustainability Leaders (ESL) Program

Join New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) for their upcoming Emerging Sustainability Leaders (ESL) Program.

NYWSE ESL will provide you, a female professional, with the support and training you need to ensure your workplace becomes more sustainable.  Wherever you are in your sustainability efforts at your company (starting a recycling program, creating a sustainability committee, reducing packaging, greening your supply-chain, etc.), this program will provide the tools to empower you. 

Sustainability is a critical issue for all industries and affects organizations of all shapes, sizes, and missions, from corporations to government offices, from academic institutions to nonprofits.  It is not enough to know WHY sustainability needs to be integrated into the workplace.  NYWSE ESL will teach you HOW to help your company take practical steps to become more sustainable and profitable.  You will:

• Receive cutting-edge training from a leading sustainability expert
• Learn from the latest case studies 
• Understand the six key principles that you will need to succeed
• Get feedback from thought leaders in the field on your sustainability initiative

The program will provide training based upon the book Climb The Green Ladder: Make Your Company and Career More Sustainable (Wiley).  Climb The Green Ladder interviewed 80+ sustainability leaders and hundreds of employees from around the world who have made sustainability happen at their workplaces.  They shared best practices, lessons learned, and advice on how to implement a sustainability initiative from within. 

You will have the opportunity to speak directly with Bob Willard, a leading expert in sustainability. 

At the last session, you will present your business case to a panel of experts who will provide you with key feedback, on your strategy and implementation tactics, to ensure the success of your sustainability initiative.

NYWSE ESL will provide you with the community, support and thought leadership that you need to succeed.  To learn more about the NYWSE ESL, download the NYWSE ESL application.

Ensure you move your career and your workplace forward. Join us.

Download NYWSE ESL Application

Deadline: January 25, 2010

Contact Information: Shari Aaron, shari.aaron@climbthegreenladder.com      

Announcing the NYWSE Online Silent Auction!

Shop for the holidays and support NYWSE!

New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE), a nonprofit with 700+ members, is proud to announce the launch of our first Online Silent Auction, hosted on eBay. All proceeds from the auction will benefit our innovative programs, which include: the NYWSE Book Club, the NYWSE Mastermind-Mentoring Initiative (MMI), the NYWSE Incubator, and the NYWSE Emerging Sustainability Leaders (ESL) Program.

We would like to thank all of our generous donors who contributed to NYWSE's first online auction! Special thanks to the In Good Company Workplaces community for their continued support of NYWSE and our programs and to NYWSE volunteers Rebecca Lee and Sharmila Gordon for all of their amazing help getting the auction off the ground!

Please help spread the word about our great online auction through Facebook and Twitter (#NYWSEauction)!

Happy bidding!

Thanks to all of our wonderful auction donors:

Sports Club/LA
Care4Hire
Sense Your Style
Lady of the Lake Designs
In Good Company Workplaces
Lost Your Job Now What
Gotham Concierge
Kittichai Restaurant
Marianna Lead, PhD
Best Effect
Resume Revamp
LifeStyled
Raandesk Gallery of Art
Everyone Into the Kitchen
World Pulse
EILEEN FISHER
Your Healthiest You
Andrea Strongwater
Helping Hands for Africa
Michelle Kawka
C. Marchuska
Climb the Green Ladder
Appeal Jewelry
Carey Kirkella
Cloverleaf Energy and Environmental Design
Meghan Gill
Family Records
Engine Room Recordings
Ariella Jasmine Jewelry
Yoga Retreat Adventures

NYWSE Master-Mind Mentoring Initiative (MMI) Wrap-Up

by A. Lauren Abele, NYWSE Mastermind-Mentoring Initiative (MMI) graduate

There are lots of great things to do in New York City in the summer. This summer I, along with several other women, participated in the first ever New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) Mastermind-Mentoring Initiative (MMI). Read on!

I is for Information

As I write this I am sharing a link on Facebook, checking out a client’s portfolio on Flikr, and reading my husband’s review of a survey I created. I am also listening to the radio and sipping a cup of earl grey tea.

I am multi-tasking simply because I have easy access to extensive amounts of information.

I was reflecting on said access to information this weekend, when I was encountering streets and sidewalks around the University of Pennsylvania (near where I live) crowded  with parents and children tenuously navigating the transition from familiar family life to pseudo-independence. As I was cursing the inability of these parents to drive efficiently on city streets (must I really be that uptight?) it struck me how prepared these students must be. Surely they have:

Don’t Give Up, Adapt

by Elizabeth Grace Saunders, Founder of Real Life E

My first nine months in business, I could barely keep up with the work. I had an extensive network in the journalism industry, and in 2005, there was still more than enough magazine freelance work to go around.

But in 2006, everything changed. I went from saying, “No” to work that wouldn’t fit into my packed 

schedule to hearing, “No” when I asked editors if they had any assignments for me. 

Ouch. If I wanted to stay afloat, I needed to adapt.  

Incubator Friendraiser & Silent Auction

by A. Lauren Abele, NYWSE Mastermind-Mentoring Initiative (MMI) graduate

The New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE) held their first ever Incubator Friendraiser last month. The private event was held at the Bowery Wine Company and was a fundraiser and silent auction for NYWSE's Incubator Program for budding women social entrepreneurs. The 2009 Incubator Participants were:

•  Early Earners – Online education destination for youth and families promoting positive financial habits
• Girl Guides USA – Outdoor program that develops girls’ environmentalism, leadership and teamwork
• Illume – Online mentoring and career resource for young women from illiterate families in India
• Out Against Abuse – Online resource to stop domestic violence in the South Asian community
• Public Stuff – Software to connect government and citizens to improve services and community life
• Start Your Engine – Exercise, nutrition, stress and time management program for low-income women 

The event featured a keynote speech by Diana Ayton-Shenker, Founder & CEO of Fast Forward Fund (FFF), a youth-investing-in-youth social venture fund, who spoke of the importance of investing in young social entrepreneurs who will become tomorrow's leaders.

The venue was a-buzz with interesting conversations and was a great opportunity to meet other faces in the world of NYC social entrepreneurship. And, in addition to the great company, the Bowery Wine Company staff was fabulous!

I had the pleasure of helping organize the event and had the opportunity to work with some really fabulous women including Natalia Oberti Noguera (NYWSE Director) and Melissa Osborne (who is off to graduate school this fall! Congrats!).

If you are a woman interested in social entrepreneurship and considering applying for next year's Friendraiser, check the NYWSE Incubator section for the 2010 Program Applications.

 

By day, I am an economic development program assistant at a community development nonprofit in Brooklyn. By night, I volunteer with other nonprofits helping them with fund development, strategic planning, and social media. I am one of the 2009 NYWSE Mastermind Mentorship Initiative (MMI) participants (love it!) and big-time NYWSE advocate. Find me at: www.alaurenabele.com.