Are you there, Hollyhock community? It’s me, Madeleine.
For those of you who I’m having the pleasure of meeting for the first time, I’m the original creator of Lunapads (rebranded as Aisle in 2020), in addition to a few other for- and non-profit impact-focused ventures including G Day, an event series for tween girls and Nestworks, a family-friendly coworking community, adding up to going on 30 years as a social entrepreneur. The Hollyhock, SVI and SVI Women communities have been central to my development and success.
Having mused off and on about writing a book over the years, when Covid hit, I had one of those “If not now, when?” moments and decided to go for it.
The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World is a call to action for ‘everyday people’ – particularly women, trans and non-binary folk, Indigenous and People of Colour or others who may feel excluded from the traditional entrepreneurial stereotype of white cisgender male, tech-based, scale-driven individuals – to build businesses and initiatives that make a difference.
In the book I dispel the myth that you need a business degree or a blockbuster tech idea to start a successful enterprise, arguing instead that passion, a willingness to step into one’s personal power, and strong relationships are what propel social entrepreneurs forward.
In telling my story and those of other everyday leaders, I sought to paint a compelling portrait of an emerging group of changemakers: mostly female, diverse, and social-impact focused. I believe that this cohort is the future of entrepreneurship: people who are motivated by the desire to fix problems and make the world a better place, not just making a monetary profit.
Most books on entrepreneurship focus on scaling fast and achieving celebrity status. In contrast, The Greater Good takes a more personal look at how people can tap into their sense of purpose to change the world, uncovering the emotional drive within each of us to fulfill our dreams.
The Greater Good is both a source of inspiration and encouragement, and a practical resource for starting and running a successful project, business or nonprofit organization. Written in language that resonates with equity-seeking individuals who may not relate to the growth-at-all-costs tone of traditional business books, the book teaches readers how to:
- Understand how social entrepreneurship can create much-needed change in the world
- Mine lived experience and personal history to discover their own vision for change
- Hone and iterate their idea, whether for a business, a nonprofit organization, or a movement
- Create an actionable plan for moving their project forward
- Build relationships and community to support their venture
- Effectively pitch their idea
- Build a prototype for their product or service
- Find funding for their venture
- Understand the rewards and pitfalls of the social impact space
Many thanks for your interest in creative ways to make the world a better place. If you do pick up the book, please be sure to let me know your thoughts! [email protected]
Join Madeleine for her Greater Good Book Launch this October!
Social media:
Instagram: @greatergoodbook | @ohmadeleine
Twitter: @greatergoodread | @gg_madeleine
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greater-good-book
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohmadeleine/
