I Found My Place in the Middle

Social Entrepreneur!

“A person who pursues novel applications, …willing to take risk to create positive change…making change while eking out a living”

KindRaiser has been in my head for a few years, and it wasn’t until early this year I kicked-up momentum. A fundamental challenge I faced was, am I a Not-for-Profit or For-Profit entity? I knew if I opted for For-Profit, by set standards I would not be viewed as successful. Alternatively, as a Not-for Profit my start-up process would be more challenging and would require a governing board. For the sake of simplicity and staying true to KindRaiser’s mission statement – I decided to file as Limited Liability Corporation. Low-and-behold, there’s something (sort of) in the middle!

I recently learned of a business structure that falls in between these traditional models. It is called - Social entrepreneurship/enterprise. The first time someone referred to me as a Social Entrepreneur, I felt a newfound sense of identity and community. With my heart smiling I said “that’s me, I’m a Social Entrepreneur”. Wow it felt amazing to learn others also believe business sales can be a primary vehicle for making incredible change for our world.  

According to US Chamber of Commerce - “Social entrepreneurship is a for-profit business model that strives to make a positive impact on social issues or the environment. (Peek, 2020)” This movement has been picking up momentum since 1980s. It’s exciting to learn of fundings specifically designed for entities like KindRaiser.

The characteristics of Social Entrepreneurship rings true to every line of KindRaiser’s mission statement and elevates the idea, together we can make incredible things happen and drive positive change.

KindRaiser aims to amplify the impact individuals can make and inspire a wave of change that benefits humanity by supporting community, one fundraiser at a Time. - Kari Ruconich, Founder and Not-for Profit Advocate