To Start a Business for Social Good

When entrepreneurs start businesses, the mission of the organization is often central to their motivations. Entrepreneurs like Toms founder Blake Mycoskie find ways to build businesses with social good in mind. Toms donates a pair of shoes to those in need for every pair of shoes a customer buys. The organization is concerned with much more than making a profit – it's looking to make a social impact.
 

Building a business to help people is an admirable goal, but it's far from easy. It's one thing to help solve a problem with a product; it's another to solve a problem and make a social impact or even a dramatic social change. 
 

1. Find the idea.

For an entrepreneur or aspiring entrepreneur, it's easy to fall into the trap of pressing for business ideas. You might set up scheduled brainstorming times or intensely study industries, looking for the next groundbreaking product. While there's nothing wrong with either of those options, sometimes the best business ideas require questioning your everyday experiences.
 

2. Research the concept.

In researching the concept, you can learn a lot about the industry. You can also learn more about using the proper materials and that few products sold within the country.
 

3. Start helping others.

Once you find an idea and research the concept, it's time to put your plan into action and officially launch the business. This is where understanding how to start a business comes into play. You'll want to determine whether you'll be a nonprofit organization or a for-profit entity. 
 

4. Listen to feedback.

Any company attempts to listen to every piece of customer feedback, whether it's on social media platforms, through email or over the phone. The company made a change within the last few weeks to take its customer service operation to the next level in hopes of better serving its customers. This change of pace helps the company get more specific feedback while also making the customers feel their concerns are valued. 
 

5. Put people first.

Any company can be successful financially, but building a business to help other people requires a focus on putting those people and stakeholders first. You need a team that cares more about helping its customers and limiting waste in the environment.

Starting a business to help others requires the willingness to focus on more than profitability. You'll need to make people and your mission the top priority.