More than a living

After following a series of links, I just stumbled upon Intuit’s Future of Small Business report.

And as I was reading it, I was already composing my post. Thinking of describing it as a “good refresher on the world today.” Not a great deal of “Ah ha!” moments, but I did encounter a number of “Well, duh!” moments. I can always use “Well, duh!” moments. It heightens my sense of superiority.

I thought the report was appropriately timed, given this passage:

Workers realize the traditional social contract is broken and there are few “jobs for life” left. Work increasingly consists of a series of employers and opportunities rather than a lifelong relationship with one company. With less security, lower benefits, and often long and inflexible work schedules, working for a large company simply isn’t as attractive as it used to be. This has resulted in people increasingly looking to small business and entrepreneurship for employment.

And both Penelope Trunk’s and my own post of the same ilk.

That was my plan. Call it a good piece. Promote it. Share and share alike.

But then, I encountered this little ditty:

Just as a business entrepreneur identifies an unfilled market niche, a social entrepreneur focuses their business on addressing socioeconomic problems. A social entrepreneur often starts as a concerned citizen, disturbed by some societal or economic dislocation, who wants to effect change. Just like business entrepreneurs, the social entrepreneur identifies opportunities others have missed to improve ways that systems work. But rather than just generating profits, social entrepreneurs primarily seek to generate social value.

And it dawned on me that More than a living now has its own buzzword.

I mean, we’re not doing this to get rich. If we were, we’d already be well on the road to failure. We’re doing it, because it seems like the right thing to do. It seems like it needs to be done. And we don’t see anyone else doing it exactly the way we wanted.

So I guess we’re “social entrepreneurs.” Whoopee.
All kidding aside. It’s interesting to see this in print. This concept that people are taking on this type of charge. For the greater good. Good to see it classified and “made real.”

I’m not so sure it’s good that it’s called “social entrepreneur” (partly because I devolve into a fifth-grade spelling-bee contestant every time I type it). So it’s a mixed blessing. Sort of aggravating and sort of invigorating.

Kind of like reading this blog.

And one of the keys there, I think (I’m no expert; I just discovered I was a social entrepreneur), is that it’s “social.” Meaning, your participation is key.

You’re important. You’re part of this. And, we’re glad you here.

Join us in reveling in buzzword-dom, won’t you? That’s being social. And entrepreneurial.

Oh, and take a chance to read the report. It’s a quick read.