Social Entrepreneurs: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
This whole idea of social entrepreneurship has been floating around in my head for a while. Specifically, what does it mean? And should I consider myself such, or promote this label?
Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
My first encounter with the term “Social Entrepreneurs” was probably at my work, a local public health non-profit. Over the past three years, the concepts of social justice, equality, health disparities and sensitivity to these and other cultural issues, have become a ingrained in my ethos. I am gratefully transformed since my migration to New Orleans and incorporation of its culture.
Social Justice is a Market Driver for Entrepreneurs:
However, as we all know, ignorance is bliss. With greater access to information and communication- I (and my generation) am becoming increasingly aware of current global issues and disparities, and how some are using those disparities to make a couple of dollars on the side. This reminds me of my biggest takeaway from attending SXSW Interactive08′ (A web developer/designer, etc convention). In case you are considering it next year- let me break down SXSW for you: SXSW is the sum of inspiring conversations, good information, late nights, relative connections, the well intentioned and…….(excuse my rant for a moment)……
A group of people who want to be either A. Internet Famous or B. Rich.
This isn’t a knock against SXSW- but I feel that this a core example at one of the problems with the concept “Social Entrepreneur”. Let me explain.
The Trough of Disillusionment
I remember sitting in a panel, entitled The Art of Speed: Conversations With Monster Makers - and this particularly well known Internet entrepreneur is listing various businesses he has sold for hundreds of millions of dollars. Part of my soul was desperately green with envy, and appreciative of this highly valued innovator and contributor to our society. The other half of me wanted to throw up. I was sitting in my chair, wanting to stand up and shout- are we chasing meaning or money? I mean, why can’t we make money to live on, while helping other people make a little too? Whether it be in our family, community, etc. Even in your local community. You don’t need to go all the way to China (even though, you can). I mean put our iPhone, gadget-consumed web design community and contrast it with the educational and capacity needs of others within your own community- I promise, you will find disparities.
So what is a Social Entrepreneur?
Definition: Someone who identifies a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to affect social change. (Try Wikipedia for a longer version).
That’s a lofty goal. Is this just a ploy to play on people’s conscience, or can someone hope to make essential change in society using business “tactics”? Okay, you can get people to buy Coke- can you get them to stop buying it using the same methods? Or do we need to employ a new set of tactics? Sure, the old tactics work. I’ve seen marketers sell the same sleazy methods to non profits that they sell to tobacco companies. In my mind, this approach doesn’t work. I’ve seen the the same approach in anti tobacco. If we are monitoring the “industry”, maybe its just a big distraction from the methods and tactics we should really be employing.
Let me offer you three scenarios-
The Ugly:
I just found out today, a local New Orleans firm who provides regional advertising and marketing for a huge fast food chain (think McDonalds big)- but at the same time, developing anti-obesity and healthy living social marketing strategies. Now, is this just me, or this a huge, quarter pound conflict of interest? I mean, will they be using the same burger selling expertise to make people stop eating them? Come on now.
The Bad:
So what IF we are using industry tactics? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Check this out: Vinny Chase and Branding
The point is- just because you flash a couple of logos on your power point presentation, and employ the same tactics, tools, and methods as the big boys- doesn’t mean youwill get the same results as the big boys. Any idea why? You don’t have the same amount of $$$$$$$ as the big boys. Also, maybe we are going after a different kind of change…..
The Good
Let’s re-think the way we approach social change. Let’s be humble. Maybe its a totally new approach to get someone to drink Kool-Aid than to quit drinking it. Maybe it’s not copying or monitoring methods or not relying on what “marketing” professionals are selling. Thats an easy way out. But, shouldn’t we develop our own internal non-biased capacities?
Should we just give up all together? Should we just revert back to our capitalistic and self centered ways? The survival of the fittest? Not so fast- there are people who are really trying to innovate- they are passionate, dedicated, and self-sacrificing. I work with people like this, I know people like this- reach out, and if the label of social entrepreneur helps your find these people- then keep on trucking. And I know: there is no perfect system. But don’t be easily fooled by the salesman who will tell you that, for X amount of dollars, you can effect Y change.
So what are your thoughts on “Social Entrepreneurs”? Are they a double agent for good- or a double screw over?
Open Source eCommerce:
Finally, a Decent Option
This post is a little different because it is spotlighting a specific open source project: Magento - an open source eCommerce platform.
Why is this Magento important? In the past, there have been few plausible options for PHP/open source developers in regards to eCommerce implementation. You had xCart, a decent, but closed commercial product. OsCommerce (and other various spin-offs), an open source product with slow progress and non existent web standards support. The life of an open source developer was frustrating, leaving the client a typically ugly, non standards, unusable eCommerce website. (Disclaimer, I have no affiliation with this project, beyond just being generally excited to see its inception.)
Enter Magento. It features a very functional/flexible design, utilizing CSS standards, and it also happens to be very attractive. Its a quantum leap in open source eCommerce options. This product looks nothing short of amazing- you should check it out.
Has anyone heard of Magento? Anyone familiar with their GPL license?
Get Ready, Set, Go
= More Deltree.
I’ve been doing some thinking and listening. I want to broaden the focus of this blog in an effort to cast a “wider net”. Thus, giving users insight into what the Deltree is all about. Not a change in direction. Just a broadening of focus.
And it’s not just about harnessing the web for social change. That’s the primary focus. It’s also about design, film, photography, user experiences, GIS, health care and other topics. It’s about providing fresh insight, unique resources, and a place of discussion. The Deltree is my “brand” on the web (and IRL).
Summary:
So look for some more “on the ground” topics, covering a broader scopes of areas of interest. With that, I am going to leave you with this awesome video:
COMPUTADORA “Hello World” from Bleepstreet Records on Vimeo.
Re-Thinking Consumption and Creation in a 2.0 World
Social Media is supposedly bringing with it an onset of generational content creators and participators. Are we sure about that?
It seems the mass, “old” media is recently concerned with the changes in how youth consume and create media. The stats are down on both sides. Teens read books less, and write poorly. But maybe part of the problem is the mass conception of what “creating” and “consuming” means. Organizations, businesses, and schools are not facilitating, guiding, or measuring Social Media consumption or creation. This is a problem. The advent of Web 2.0 and Social Media, has made it critical to incorporate the web and social media into organizational ethos.
Considering Social Media
Pew Internet and American Life recently released a report stating, “Teens write a lot, but they do not think of their emails, instant and text messages as writing. This disconnect matters because teens believe good writing is an essential skill for success…
So teens are creating, but is the significance of their creations decreasing? Another critical point Pew addresses is the difference between instructive and non-instructive creation. Instructive creation is when a teacher tells you to write an essay, or your boss tells you to create a two page brochure. Non instructive creation comes from your own initiative and vision. It is internally motivated. However, they found 92% of Teens write instructively vs 32% who write non-instructively. I would argue this is because of a lack of understanding on the part of schools on how to better facilitate and guiding Social Media creation and participation.
I would define create as “producing something through imaginative, or artistic effort. So, even a video remix on youtube, or putting a caption on a photo- can be considered creating. Leaders and policy makers need to get with the program and figure out how to guide these efforts.
Creating Vs Consuming in Social Media
So what is consuming? You know what I am talking about. YouTube, Blogs, Pictures, RSS Feeds, Wikipedia, Flickr, even Email. For some reason, humans are easily compelled to consume information than they are to create it. Why do we always want to revert back to mindlessly checking email or RSS readers? And creating? Blogging, commenting, sending a message on Facebook, posting a photo on Flickr, Tweeting, etc anything that produces something unique and of substance.
Finally- What is your Consumption to Creation Ratio?
One of the things I try to keep in context is my consuming vs creating ratio. I definitely consume information much more than I create it. So, how do we increase creative output? Take a look at your daily routine, how much of it is spent creating vs consuming? Are your creations a priority? Do they bring you enjoyment, or do they just move toward a goal that you have not re-evaluated in a long time?
You shouldn’t feel guilty for commenting a blog post. Go ahead. You are creating….
What is Web Strategy?
10 Tips for Developing a
Organizational Plan.
So your CEO wants your organization to re-vamp or build a website? Six months later, ten thousand dollars and hundreds of man hours later= A traditional web presence. But why do you have a website? What is it doing? It may be beautiful and trendy, but is it effective and contributing to your organizational goals?
Creating a web strategy can be an nebulous challenge. Organizations do not typically understand the rationale and purpose of a web strategy. Furthermore, because of the “enterprise” nature of this topic, it has been largely left untouched by the web community. This post attempts to define web strategy, its importance, while offering critical lessons learned.
What is a Web Strategy?
Simply put, a web strategy is an actionable plan devised to achieve measurable results and success on the web. Typically, a web strategy would communicate how the organization will utilize the web to further its mission. Contributing Source: Viget Blogs
Why create a Web Strategy?
Typically, the need for a web strategy comes from the direct request for (or existing) the end product, a website, online application, etc. You if you have any type of web presence- a website, a myspace, a blog- you have a web strategy. But web strategy can also help clarify stakeholders, visions, principles, and goals for organizational web initiatives and provide the rationale behind future development, and more importantly….. funding.
So on that note, I wanted to offer some “tips” for creating effective web strategy.
10 Tips for Developing an Organizational Web Strategy:
- Think big. A web strategy isn’t just a process for developing a website. A web strategy is basically a business plan- a way to achieve what your organization defines as success. The process, rational, time frame, etc are products of the strategy. This is also NOT a project management tool. Many web strategies get too far into the details of how, a web strategy is high level view of the time lines, potential costs, process, resources, etc. A web strategy should not define specific activities?
- Be flexible and responsive. Web strategy should always evolve- the web is iterative quickly evolving. Your process should be as well. Use- but beware of committee meetings, huge documents, process charts, and other traditional methods.
- Proceed with caution. Agile and iterative development are important concepts, but developing partnership, stakeholder buy-in, and organizational integration can often take some time. Don’t rush the planning process! I have seen some web strategies that have taken multiple years to develop. However….
- Don’t get held up in bureaucracy. Ofter websites are created, launched, and revised garnering business success WITHOUT a web strategy. Your web strategy does not have to be solid or finalized to begin production.
- Start small. Be Concise. You may not be Amazon.com. You may not need to create a 200 page document. Boil it down to the essence. Two pages perhaps.
- Involve Leadership. This is extremely important- inherently, a web strategy will affect the organization at many levels. An organization’s website is a critical part of it success. Find a high level champion. This person can help gain senior level buy-in.
- Integrate and consolidate. Look for overlap and coordinate with other organizational strategies and processes (Communication/IT strategies often overlap). A successful web strategy takes into account, the entire organization- its mission, its vision, short & long term plans, staff, strengths, weaknesses, etc.
- Consider your audience. So you’ve developed a 200 page web strategy. Who is going to read it? Who needs to read this? Think about who you need to communicate your web strategy to and how to best do that. One document doesn’t fit all. For a group of senior staff, maybe a presentation works best. For the CEO, maybe a one page brief. For a web conference, maybe different presentation.
- Prioritize your goals. Due to an inevitable lack of time and resources, choose the core core objectives, principles, requirements, etc that support your most important goals.
- Don’t over think it. I can’t over emphasis this point. At some point you have to just boil it down: Where are we going, and how are we getting there.
Next week, we will take a look at the typical web strategy elements. Remember, there is not a formula for creating the perfect “Web Strategy” - we are discussing different methods, and then bringing it back down the the essentials.
Feedback
Does your organization have a web strategy? Do you feel like you need one? Do you think by nature of a “web strategy” - organizations tend to over think the process? Do you have any tips or lessons learned dealing with web strategy?
Beautiful Websites =
Successful Websites?
For the last 2 or 3 years, I have frequently visited the web design galleries Web Creme and CSS Remix. Great resource. The majority of these featured sites are portfolios for designers and developers, or small web shops. Enter Happy Cog an industry “big dog” and….. beautiful web shop?
Can we get more dramatic? One of the most disturbing trends I have seen in the web development community has been the phrase “beautiful websites”. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen “We create beautiful websites”, “Beautiful and standards based design”, etc. I for one, would LOVE to abolish meaningless marketing or IT speak, but “beautiful” just doesn’t cut the mustard. If we are going to go after the dramatic, no lingo style speak - can we at least think up something a more creative? “Deltree: An Adventure 65 Million Years in the Making” or “Happy Cog: To boldly go where no web design has gone before.” Whatever.
What is the REAL selling point?
Here is the question: Do we want to create “beautiful” websites- or websites that are effective at reaching the target business (organizational) goals? Is beauty really the selling point? Or is beauty and usable design just part of the overall equation?
Facebook is Listening:
Importable Feeds
Recently, I wrote about Facebook (and social networking) interoperablility. I felt there was a core feature missing from facebook- a user’s social networking data/activity/etc needed to be imported into facebook. Well, it looks like they have made a small step towards “data interoperability”. I still wish they would support RSS as an import standard, but you can’t ask for everything!
For now, the feature is severely limited- you are limited to Yelp, Picasa, Digg, delicious, and Flickr. Some may say these types of features cut into the core business of the likes of friendfeed or SocialThing! - but facebook has a long way to go before they are offering data fluidity to that extent.
P.S. What is with the hold-up on facebook chat? When are we supposed to launch this thing?
Selling Impact vs Systems:
Tell the Story
Web 2.0 is sexy. Social media is hot. In the health care industry, Health Information Technology is on fire. New systems, new technologies are sexy. But are they an easy sell?
The big mistake.
Among techies and creatives, the most common fundamental mistake, I see, is to focus your business/communications/pitch/product on the system or technology itself. However, technology and systems change are sold by selling impact, not by selling the system itself.
The system is NOT the story.
Susan Finkelpearl of Free Range Studios delivered an excellent presentation @ NTC 07′ suggesting, one of the best ways to sell a facebook platform idea, social media plan, youtube campaign, is to tell the story. The story will sell itself. The story is the impact, the change that was made. Whether that change was more $$$ or better quality of life, craft a story that narrates: This is how we used X to make Y happen.
See how Bill Clinton “sells” his foundation’s mission and vision to a crowded room at TED- by telling a story of change in the Rwanda pharmaceutical distribution and sales system. The system was just the enabler of this live saving change:
What’s YOUR story?
If we are selling the system itself, we are just building off of an existing story, a news report on social media, a white paper on electronic medical records. And that’s okay for a while, you need that to build momentum. But sooner or later, we are going to have to tell our own story, present our own ROI.
If we, as creatives, as technology gurus and advocates, truly focus on the impact that our products and our tools are producing, we are more likely to cultivate successful initiatives and sustainable businesses.
Are we selling a Social Media and Bubble 2.0, or are we crafting solutions for impact?
The Joys of Community Enabling Technology
So, I have really been into this whole twitter thing lately. I was turned off by the whole hype surrounding SXSW 07 last year. They went as far as setting up screens all around the conference- streaming conference goers “tweets”.
All these web communication and social networking tools can make a mind dizzy with all the options and hype surrounding them, but when the rubber meets the road, they really can offer value to an individual, community, organizations, etc.
Recent Highlights:
- I was able to make a few new relative contacts using twitter (cschultz of voodoo ventures, allen, aka bigeasy)- tapping into a whole new network of new orleanians.
- A few weeks ago, I made a suggestion through facebook regarding a financial management software I use- Mint.com- and today, facebook notified me that Mint had responded to my feedback!
- Shared an insightful presentation (The Art of Self Branding) through Slideshare.net regarding branding.
- Broadcast my Blockbuster rental history via rss, via Facebook
- Check out an interview opensermo did on me re: my un-educated opinion on the state of universal healthcare:
Defining ****** Media
While doing some research on social media, and whether this term is valid and useful, I came across these diverse opinions on the topic: What is (and should we use) Social Media?
So I am going to polarize this discussion into two playing fields…
Against:
- Anti- Social Media (WARNING, wear your headphones, take his opinion with a grain of salt)
- Social Media? Did I miss the memo?
- What I call the, “academic” and cultural viewpoint.
For:
- Long broad summary on the state of “Social Media” and its usefulness
- Follow-up for the naysayers
- Web strategy guru Jeremy Owyang states the need for a new phrase, hosts a discussion of option
- Scoble weighs in
As an optimist, Brian points out, “Social Media has yet to reveal its true impact among those around the world who have yet to embrace it and participate.” and “Social Media is only a buzzword if certain individuals decide to call it such because they don’t understand what or why it is…..Social Media is more of description in order to frame media in a socialized context rather than hype.”
And finally
I like this comment by a reader, “It’s just the kind of animal we are: We love to sort things into bags and put labels on the bags. We can’t help it. Looking for patterns is part of how our brains are wired.”
