SKILLS
Of course you need more than passion and vision to carry something through: you need skills.
According to 80,000 Hours, founding or working at effective non-profits or tech startups are among the careers raking at the top of their recommended high-impact careers. But to have the chance to excel in these careers, you will need to choose a role where you have a good personal fit.
Here are the usual skills will you need to build or work in a social enterprise.
Entrepreneur / Founder
To be a successful entrepreneurs, you need to have a deep expertise in your area, experience in project management and a bit of a ‘break the rules’ independent attitude.
In some ways, social impact entrepreneurship is even harder than for-profit entrepreneurship, because your business model will be more complex and there is less money available. It is a very challenging career.
Marketing
It includes writing content for social media, managing online ad campaigns, writing newsletters, optimising website conversion rates, speaking to the press, giving talks at events.
Web development & design
Building and maintaining websites; creating images and graphics such as logos, icons, illustrations and charts; creating videos.
Technology / IT
Technology has been a major source of transformative innovations in the last couple of decades. Many of the social enterprises are using technology to solve major problems such as financial inclusion.
One study estimates that for every $1 of profit earned by an innovator, $50 of benefits are generated for society at large.
Admin & Assistants
Getting visas for staff, ensuring all legal compliance is done, deciding which healthcare plan to get, managing schedules of senior staff, accepting visitors, organising office social events, purchasing office food supplies…
Business development
Setting strategy, finding clients, developing partnerships, expanding into new geographic regions.
Product Management
Design Thinking / Project Management
Working out which products there is demand for by talking to users and analysing data (for example, using the design thinking methodology), co-ordinating the work of teams involved in building products, and planning long-term product development.
Management / HR
Ensuring quality of delivery, managing and coordinating teams, setting organisational strategy, and hiring new people.
Finance & Accounting
Setting up accounting software, managing a bookkeeper, filing annual accounts.