If you measure progress, you can improve it. But how exactly do you measure the growth of something as elusive as impact? That’s what AngelPoints, Andy Mercy’s company, does well, which is why I invited him to do a Cause Capitalism interview. Andy founded AngelPoints after stumbling into a volunteer experience at work and being underwhelmed […]
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Jobs That Let You Give a Damn
My goal is to see more people growing more social businesses. Most of you are entrepreneurs, business owners and intrapreneurs working hard to create change. But some of you are looking for your (next) opportunity to do just that. This collection of job lists is for you. This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s quality. Staffing […]
Good-Business Topics I Care About
Here are some of the areas that compel me (in some cases because my understanding is terribly weak–I’m talking to you, Measurement) that I will focus on this year: Measurement Impact (the object of measurement) is the reason I write this blog. Although I grasp the framework of measurement and evaluation, I want to better understand […]
Want To Open a Nonprofit Store? 10 Guidelines You–and Nordstrom’s–Should Follow
Scandal in-the-making, customer-pleaser, tax write-off, nonprofit cash cow or game-changer? Which hyphenated phrase will best describe Nordstrom’s new concept store, which will donate all net profits to charity? I was interviewed recently by American Public Media’s Marketplace on the Nordstrom concept store, set to open in Soho next fall, and on the growing appeal of […]
Mobile Giving Meets Mobile Marketing, But Are Americans Ready?
Sure, Americans love their mobile phones and use them handily, but there’s still stunted confidence for mobile financial transactions, whether it’s a payment or a donation. Part of the reticence comes from the clumsiness of many mobile commerce and mobile giving sites and part of it’s a lack of incentives. Benevity Social Ventures and Obopay […]
6 Tools and 4 Words To Measure Your Company’s Social ROI
What gets measured gets valued (as well as improved upon). Tracking and evaluating the social return on investment (SROI) is today’s Plastics. It’s the future of sustainability–nay–the future of business. Period. While stakeholder demand for sustainability and the impact of companies’ actions grows, evaluation methodologies and criteria still resemble the Wild West. There’s no standard metric and […]
Stay Out Of The Hallway and Other Tips From a Serial Conference-goer
We’ve heard from entrepreneurs before on this blog about the importance of building a network that can support and guide your social enterprise. While he was developing Energy Inside, Veer Gidwaney “networked pretty aggressively over a couple of years,” and Teju Ravilochan who co-founded the Unreasonable Institute “went to where the action was.” Conferences can […]
How Nike, Walmart and Cisco Are Being More HIP and Growing Profits With Purpose–With R. Paul Herman
In between profiteering and starry-eyed do-gooding is a place where values can incur value. This is the place of Human Impact + Profit (HIP), a methodology created by R. Paul Herman that aims to help investors and businesses make money while solving key human needs. Companies that deliver human impact and profit can gain a magic […]
Can You Hear Me Now? Listening To Your Employees is Good Business
Part of building a successful business is being able to let other people tell you how to do it better. Companies that set up mechanisms to learn from their employees, particularly those at the base of the company who do automated work and aren’t brought into weekly meetings to voice their say, see economic gain […]
Do Gooding Isn’t a Substitute for Marketing: 3 Low-buck Tactics to Get You On Your Way
This point is often overlooked. Your do-gooding and good deeding aren’t a substitute for marketing. Customers can’t love you for what you do if they don’t know you. At this point you might be thinking: But Wait! One of the benefits of a social mission is the visibility it brings to my company. I’ve even […]
I'm Olivia Khalili. I created Cause Capitalism to show you how to grow your business by incorporating a social mission. I've worked extensively with both nonprofits and for-profits. I found that when you combine the two, you grow your profits, impassion all your stakeholders and do good in the world. Read more.
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