It takes a village to raise a business…
Change is happening in our business sector and it has a lot to do with how we view business and the role it plays in society. We are seeing a blending of traditional for profit and non-profit enterprises as more and more businesses adopt social or environmental missions, in addition to a profit-based mission. Buy Local movements are growing, fueled by increased awareness of the benefits that locally- and independently-owned businesses provide, including vital downtowns, a larger portion of profits circulating in the local economy, and increased giving to charitable organizations.
This change is also showing up in how we fund businesses. An approach called “crowdfunding” mobilizes ordinary citizens as investors in initiatives they support, with individual investments ranging from $10 to $10,000 or more. Numerous websites make crowdfunding easy, including the well-known Kickstarter.com. Some crowdfunding websites focus on certain types of projects like startsomegood.com, which specializes in businesses with a social mission. Others, such as Indiegogo.com let you raise money for absolutely anything, such as a friend with an illness or a dream trip around the world.
