One of the most popular tweets that spread during the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship last year was this: “To be a social entrepreneur, you have to be misunderstood for at least 10 years.”
In other words, it can be a lonely journey. It’s not a short one either.
The following is a list of five inspirational videos featuring successful social entrepreneurs to give us some encouragement and to remind us that we may be lonely, but we are not alone.
1) Bill Drayton, Founder of Ashoka, is interviewed at the Skoll World Forum in 2008.
Key takeaways: 1) politely ignore the people who say you will fail, 2) pick problems that you really want to solve, and 3) be persistent in looking at the problem to help you better solve it.
2) Grace Sai, Founder of Books for Hope and co-founder of The Hub Singapore, speaks at TEDxSingaporeWomen in 2011.
Key takeaways: 1) find your role in the world and 2) social entrepreneurs are a cross between Richard Branson and Mother Teresa – crazily ambitious in their head but kind and pure in the heart.
3) Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Acumen Fund, speaks to students at Gettysburg College’s 177th Commencement.
Key takeaways: 1) small groups of people can change the world and 2) it is a lonely but gratifying journey.
4) Jordan Kassalow, Founder of VisionSpring, is interviewed at the Skoll World Forum in 2009.
Key takeaway: No matter how much you plan or think about something, what ends up happening will be very different than you think, so just get out there and do it.
5) Puifung Leung, Founder of Fair Taste, talks about her journey to starting a social enterprise.
Key takeaways: 1) to start a business, you have to be brave, 2) you need to be determined because you will face many challenges, but that is normal, and 3) you have to take risks.