Social Trendspotter Weekly Blog
The 2013 Social Enterprise Olympics
There is something about the Olympics that inspires people to strive for more and go beyond their preconceived limits. In early October, the Social Enterprise World Forum in Calgary, Canada (home of the 1988 Olympics) descended on the downtown conference...
Social Impact Bonds: From Theory to Action
Earlier this year, we considered whether social impact bonds (SIBs), also known as pay-for-success contracts (PFSs), are a viable form of financing for your nonprofit organization. SIBs are a form of financing where the government pays only if a social intervention...
Lean In for the Social Sector: 3 Ways We Hold Ourselves Back
Now that the dust has settled from the initial release of Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, analysis of the book has moved from political and social commentary to individual conversations and reflection, all of which contribute to moving us forward as a society....
Tag…You’re It!
Remember how much you loved recess when you were in school? How you looked forward to it? How about show and tell? August 2nd ushered in the Summer Recess for Congress – they go home, go on vacation, and spend time with their constituents. This is perfect timing for...
Celebrating Fan Favorites and TrendSpotters
In today’s fluid social sector environment, we cannot afford to sit still. Keeping your skills honed and current can make the difference between evolution or obsolescence. When we started Social TrendSpotter in January 2013, we endeavored to merge current...
Social Impact Exchange LIVE
The Social Impact Exchange launched its Annual Conference on Scaling Impact in New York City this week, with all due fanfare. The Conference opened with the business plan competition on Monday and ended Thursday. It is a unique cross-disciplinary event...
Impact Investing Series 2 of 2: 3 Greatest Opportunities to Bring the Movement Mainstream
In order to start and grow social enterprise, capital is a critical part of the equation. In part one of this series, we discussed the basics of impact investing and greatest challenges to bringing the movement mainstream. While there are challenges, there are also...
Impact Investing Series 1 of 2: 3 Greatest Challenges to Bring the Movement Mainstream
There has been an enormous amount of content created in the last six months related to the many components of the burgeoning field of impact investing. While the coverage serves as a poignant signal of the traction the newly defined asset class has achieved, the...
Social Enterprise Alliance Summit LIVE
“Purpose will supplant information as the core of our economy.” – Aaron Hurst When we reflect on the 2013 Social Enterprise Alliance (SEA) Summit in Minneapolis, two concepts will endure. First, the Summit coined the term "purpose economy" as the defining element of...
Duke – The Fuqua School of Business Alumni Q&A with Suzanne Smith
Reprinted from Fuqua Alumni Newsletter Alumni Q&A: Suzanne Smith, 04.15.13 April 15, 2013 Daytime MBA 2008 Founder and Managing Director, Social Impact Architects What do you do professionally? I'm a serial social entrepreneur who is driven to help the social...
