You might have a great idea for a social enterprise that solves a pressing problem in your community or beyond. You might have a unique value proposition that sets you apart from your competitors. You might have a loyal customer base that loves your product or service and supports your mission.
AND…Nothing lasts forever. Your competitive advantages will erode over time. The market will change, new competitors will emerge, customer preferences will shift, regulations will evolve, technology will advance. Your new venture will lose its novelty. Your new product or service will slowly become old-fashioned or obsolete.
Does this mean you should give up on your social enterprise idea? Of course not. It means you should be prepared to adapt, innovate, and pivot when necessary. It means you should constantly monitor your impact and your performance and seek feedback from your customers, potential customers, and other stakeholders. It means you should never stop learning and improving.
Social entrepreneurship is not a one-and-done activity. It's a continuous journey of creating value for society and the environment. It's a mindset of being flexible, resilient, and resourceful. It's a passion for making a difference.
COVID-19 forced most of us in the United States (and around the world) to pivot in 2020. Restaurants shifted from dine-in to home delivery almost overnight. Zoom became the most popular way to “phone home”. Here at CauseImpact, we had to shift our popular Innovation Catalyst program from in-person to online (literally) overnight.
Many of those changes stuck, even after the worst of the pandemic passed. Restaurants are still experimenting with new ways to surprise and delight their customers. Videoconferencing software from Zoom, Microsoft, Google, and many others has transformed our work and our social lives. CauseImpact now offers Executive Coaching services for nonprofit leaders entirely online.
“Pivoting is not the end of the disruption process, but the beginning of the next leg of your journey.”
Jay Samit, entrepreneur and business writer
So…Don't be discouraged by the next set of challenges ahead! Embrace them as opportunities to grow and evolve. Remember why you started your social enterprise in the first place, and keep that vision and mission alive. And most importantly: Enjoy the ride!
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