Barefoot Business News from Robert Ashton
| October/November 2010
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Recipes for Success
As we all wrestle to convert 'Big Society' ideology into opportunities for our careers and organisations, it's easy to overlook the obvious in our search for the obscure. Last week I was speaking at a social enterprise event in London and met Temi Odesanya. Temi is a marketing assistant at Social Firms who was raffling a hamper of Christmas goodies, all produced by social firms.
The hamper was very appealing and ticket sales were brisk. I commented that it was nice to see so many people handing over money. Her reply was a reassuring reminder of the obvious; 'social enterprise is all about trading,' she explained; 'and then using it to change lives.' It's all too easy as we focus on values and social purpose to overlook the obvious: without profit the rest becomes impossible! Thank you to Temi for demonstrating that so ably the other day.
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Pickles
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It was actually at the Department of Communities and Local Government that I met Temi last week. This department is headed up be Eric Pickles MP, who came along and said a few words. Some had their photographs taken with him, but as you can see, I've chosen a more creative approach.
We make pickles to preserve food to last us through the winter. 'Big Society', with which this department is concerned, is also about making life's nice things last through a funding winter.
I ran a session for senior civil servants on the barriers I see in my work to Big Society being delivered. What was very reassuring was the discovery that they were aware of many of the legislative barriers. Indeed just as I and many social entrepreneurs are chipping away at one side, these folk are attacking the barriers from the other side. Big Society will become far easier when we meet in the middle!
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Dough
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Continuing the theme of financial sustainability, I thought I'd share a couple of opportunities you might welcome. Both are intended to help me make some dough, and perhaps your organisation too.
I was recently invited to Chair a one day conference for the Association of Universities in the East of England. Speakers explained the wide range of sometimes heavily subsidised services Universities can provide organisations of all kind, including interns. I've had an intern working here with me so know the tremendous and often unexpected return on investment this can bring.
It was a good day and a delight to discover afterwards that 75% of delegates marked my chairmanship 'excellent' on their evaluation sheets. So if you're organising any event and want it to run on time, on subject and blend learning with laughter, give me a call; it might make all the difference!
I've also been approached by a young Portuguese entrepreneur, wanting to know when I would next be speaking in his country? My suggestion, that he's running with, is that if he can find 100 people willing to pay €30 each, then we can put on a really action packed entrepreneurial boot camp. Perhaps you'd like to do this too? |
Cauliflowers
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You can't always see the provenance of the suppliers you patronise as clearly as here. As someone who cares, you want to know that you're doing business with people whose ethics and morals are beyond reproach.
I've been really impressed by the SEE What You Are Buying Into labelling scheme. In fact it has the potential to become a social movement and revolutionise the ways in which businesses establish and communicate their Social, Environmental and Ethical (SEE) credentials.
The SEE Logo is a transparency mark. It is not attempting to identify a certain type of organisation like the Social Enterprise Mark, although most social enterprises probably qualify to use it.
Here at Turnpike Farm, we've put ourselves through the process. You can see why we qualify to carry the SEE What You Are Buying Into label here. Why not find out how your organisation measures up to the label criteria?
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Recipe Books
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Every successful cook has a favourite recipe book. Many entrepreneurs find my books help them combine the right ingredients for their enterprise success. But sometimes, people need to see a recommendation or two before buying a book for themselves.
If you've read one of my books recently and feel moved to post a nice review on Amazon, I'll send you a free signed copy of one of my books that you haven't read as a thank you. All you have to do is post the review then email me your address and the name under which you've posted the review. We'll do the rest.
Here are the three most recent books, with links to Amazon to help you find where to post your review.
How to Start Your Own Business
How to be a Social Entrepreneur
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Quote of the Month
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The Sunday Observer mentioned my latest book, 'How to be a Social Entrepreneur' this weekend. They quoted my definition of a social entrepreneur which is: "someone who works in an entrepreneurial manner, but for public or social benefit rather than simply to make money".
At a time when there are so many slightly differing definitions out there, it's nice to have penned the one the newspaper chose to use.
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