Although we may have many varying definitions of social enterprise around the world, they all share a basic purpose: to operate a business that creates a blended-value outcome. They seek both financial success and social impact. It’s a business venture addressing a social, cultural or environmenta...
You probably know him best as the affable, lead deal-making Dragon on CBC’s hit Dragons’ Den (the Canadian version of Shark Tank). But Brett Wilson is a lot more than an aspiring entrepreneur’s best hope. A reputed entrepreneur in his own...
I admit it. I’ve failed…a lot. I’ve made bad decisions. I’ve tried things that didn’t work out as planned. I’ve watched my efforts result in nothing. If you think I’m crazy to publicly relate this information to you, you’re not alone. A quick Google search of the word “success” yields twice the re...
Part 4 of Mike's 5-part leadership series
Collaboration has surely become one of the all-time great buzzwords. Seemingly everyone aspires to be collaborative. Unfortunately, for every successful c...
If you’re a social enterprise operating in Canada, whether as an individual sole proprietor, partnership or an incorporated company, you need to be thinking about HST.
What is HST?
HST is a ...
So many organizations are still challenged to measure outcomes. Despite much interest, activity and outputs-based evaluation remains the norm. Knowing this, does encouraging the next step, i.e. va...
“A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his educa...
Tina Crouse of Women in Leadership and Dale Stevenson of The Leadership Group dropped by CTV Morning Live to discuss Canada's inaugural Women in Social Business Forum, which took place in Ottawa on May 6, 2013.
What does it take to run a caring, productive and positive workplace? Is it possible to establish an organization that embraces creativity, respect and healthy interaction among staff and leadership while still getting the job done? Can socially conscious businesses ensure their external culture—the one they’re promoting—is reflective of their internal one?
On May 29th, those of us in the first cohort of social entrepreneurs at the School for Social Entrepreneurs-Ontario (SSE-O) will graduate. That means a graduation ceremony, which of course gives all of us graduates a chance to invite some friends and family. For me, this presents a really interesting opportunity. Last June, I was in the audience when my twin fourteen-year-olds graduated from middle school. Next month, they get to come cheer on mom.
Searching for angel investors to help you finance your social enterprise? Make sure you know how to tell a compelling story and build a good website. Those are just two findings presented by unrelated research projects released recently in Canada.
“I didn’t know it was to help. I thought it was business,” said a friend about one of Vancouver’s most popular social enterprise storefronts. “It’s both,” I responded, echoing the key to success for those on stage and in the audience at Enterprising Non-Profits’ Social Enterprise Heroes event on March 27.
While Canada’s largest city is inching closer to becoming a Fair Trade Town, the biggest and oldest fair trade retailer in the country recently announced a major restructuring and mass layoff.
