Social Entrepreneurs Bemoan UK Financial Woes

Research by the social networking site and foundation for social entrepreneurship, www.UnLtdWorld.com, has found that the credit crunch in the United Kingdom is hitting small business owners and social entrepreneurs hard. Out of 984 individuals who participated in the UK study, 40% reported they are experiencing cash flow problems, 21% reported that their businesses had been badly affected by the financial crisis, 34% reported that they have taken out personal loans and have used personal credit cards to launch their services, and 68% reported that their loan or credit card applications were rejected.

“Locapreneurs”: Starting Small, Thinking Big

If the Green Movement teaches us anything about enacting systemic change, it teaches us that action must begin from the bottom up. Budding social entrepreneurs are taking this lesson to heart, building socially- and environmentally-minded businesses that effect change where they can—in the world’s diverse backyards.

St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota held its sixth annual Entrepreneurship Week in April, and the event highlights some of the exciting local social entrepreneurship—or, what Share Proudly! coins “locapreneurship”— that everyday persons are jumpstarting. The event’s keynote speaker was Jacquie Berglund, who fused together her business prowess, love of suds, and social conscience into Finnegans Brewery, a hopping business that donates 100% of its profits to charities tackling poverty. The week also featured the nutritional innovations of Feed My Starving Children, directed by Mark Crea, who collaborated with General Mills and Cargill to confront global malnutrition by developing nutrient-rich foods that quickly recover the health of malnourished children.

“Give a man a fish, and you have fed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you have fed him for a lifetime.” Students at Colorado State University (CSU) saw more than just a kernel of wisdom in this aphorism; they saw a social enterprise. A group of CSU students in the university’s Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurship course crafted Phones4Loans. Phones4Loans provides a two-fold social service. First, it collects and recycles old cell-phones and cell-phone accessories, thereby eliminating hazardous environmental waste. Second, it directs all profits to Kiva, an internet microfinance service that will provide loans for low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world.

Cork a bottle of Hope Wine, run by 24-year-old Cleveland-based Jake Kloberdanz—and half of the profits go to charity. Buy a bottle of Hope Chardonnay? Half the profits go to breast cancer research. Buy a bottle of Hope Merlot? You’ve helped AIDS research. Buy a bottle of Hope Cabaret Sauvignon? Autism research thanks you.

Web-based platform www.spigit.com chose neighBORROW as the winner of its Entrepreneur Challenge for innovative start-ups. Founded in 2005 in New York City, neighBORROW is a free, web-based network that enables online communities and neighborhoods to lend and borrow a whole host of their resources, from electronic equipment and DVDs to books and baby items. The network, as a result, prevents unnecessary purchases and consumption—thereby allowing users to save time, money, and mother Earth.

Like all “locapreneurs,” French social entrepreneurs Jean-Daniel Muller and Jean-Michel Ricard started small but thought big—and now their social enterprise, S.I.E.L. Bleu, has truly made it big. To improve the quality of life and the longevity of France’s octogenarians, S.I.E.L. Bleu provides affordable specialized exercise and physical activity for seniors both at home and in retirement communities. With a staff of 200, S.I.E.L. Bleu brings in 6 million euros a year, with 200,000 euros in profit channeled back into the company for growth. While 80% of their revenue comes directly from earning, the other 20% comes the French government and from agencies and companies that work in elderly care.

The Share Proudly! Spotlight: Honorable Mentions, Notable Social Entrepreneurs

Rising stars of social enterprise, as well as some veteran activists, received special recognition this past week from leading social and entrepreneurial organizations for their efforts. Share Proudly! wants to extend the spotlight to the following individuals:

The American India Foundation, a non-profit organization facilitating social, educational, and public health initiatives in India, has recognized Raymond Spencer, CEO of Capgemini’s Financial Services Strategic Business Unit, for his lifelong commitment to implementing social and economic change in India. Leading projects with the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) for 20 years, and founding India’s ICA division, Spencer guided rural and community development to confront poverty in India.

The China Entrepreneur magazine, the Daonong Entrepreneur Institute, and Guanghua School of Management of Beijing University crowned Ericsson with the “China Green Company Award” for its dedication to and innovation in environmental protection in China. The award honors Ericsson for its development of strategies to contend with climate change—from green office facilities and telecom equipment to environmentally friendly product standards and alternative energy sources.

The Acumen Fund, a nonprofit venture fund that invests in sustainable strategies to confront poverty in South East Asia and Africa, has named its 2009 Acumen Fund Fellows, who will bring their extensive business expertise to work in the field with Acumen’s investees, helping deliver critical goods and services to the world’s indigent. Look out for these rising social entrepreneurs: Tara Sabre Collier, Primal Desai, Sophie Forbes, Ramakrishnan Hariharan, Joanna Harries, Karthik Janakiraman, Heidi Krauel, Joel Montgomery, Nicole Orillac, Suraj Sudhakar.