You would think that would be the dream, to spend your days relaxing. I thought so too until one day I got this clear sign from the universe in bright neon flashing lights that said “Make A Difference!” Ignoring it initially, I didn’t think much of it so I let it go. But it kept coming back this time stronger than ever. I just didn’t know what on earth it meant. I didn’t even know what a social enterprise was at the time. I remember asking the universe “please give me a sign what I should be doing” and there it was one day walking a long the beach. I saw people in flip flops everywhere. I had always longed to work with and make a difference to children’s lives so I put the two together and the seed was planted.
Moeloco literally means “Dream Crazy”. That is essentially what I am doing. And it is amazing just in a matter of months already how many lives have changed as a result of this crazy idea. This is how my social enterprise was born.
Although running a social enterprise has its challenges, I feel grateful to be in a position where I can make a difference and feel so aligned with a purpose greater than myself.
Lets discuss the topic of social enterprise further.
Social enterprise is a fairly new business model in Australia and is growing in popularity as consumers become more aware of how it is changing the economic landscape and making a more positive impact to the world
Social enterprise organisations (SEOs) functions just like any other business but, unlike the traditional business model, a SEOs prime motivation is to fund or support a social cause. Organisations like these can make a real difference in a sustainable and more ethical way.
It’s emergence is creating huge social changes and shifting the way we do business with a focus on nurturing human capital and encouraging the conscious collaboration between entrepreneurs and other socially aware businesses with one main goal; to make the world a better place.
Some Social Enterprise Organisations (SEOs) do make a profit, but this generally isn’t the main reason for starting a SEO. Profits often go back into the business or to a charitable cause. Causes might include reducing poverty, providing employment for various societal groups or tackling environmental problems.
Social enterprises are unlike charities because they derive their income from business activities, not donations. And because social enterprises sell goods or services, customers not only feel good about supporting a cause, they receive something special as well.
Starting a social enterprise is not easy. There are plenty of challenges, sleepless nights and many times when you feel like giving up. I have run a very successful business in the past but nothing compares to the feeling you get when you know you have made a meaningful difference to someone’s life. And it is for this reason, I haven able to keep going. This type of business model is very rewarding and I love that I am able to collaborate with other conscious entrepreneurs who share the same goal of making a positive impact in this world.
If you are thinking of setting up an enterprise, here are my 5 tips
1 Choose a social cause or problem you would like to help eliminate or raise awareness for.
2 Choose a charity that is aligned with your values and is working toward same goal. This can be very tough and can take a long time to find the right charity partner.
3 Choose a service or product in which you can sell and work out how you will give back to the cause you chose above
4 Connect with other conscious entrepreneurs and businesses and seek ways to collaborate and build your community. And build a strong team around you who are aligned with your vision and values.
5 Continue to measure the impact you are making and communicate this to the public to show them how you are creating real results and really making an effort to solve the problem.
Kathy Wong is the creator and chief energy officer of new social enterprise called Moeloco. For every Moeloco flip flop sold, a pair of much needed shoes are donated to children living in poverty, many of who are orphans or street children with their charity partner, The Hope Foundation.
