Resources

Check out my list of recommended resources for readers interested in social entrepreneurship, purpose-driven careers and conscious consumerism! I continuously update this list with books, websites, articles and videos I come across on these subjects.

Books:

“This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs The Climate”, Naomi Klein (Buy on Amazon)

Naomi Klein’s book outlines the ways in which our economic system is inherently unsustainable, and seeks to spur massive collective action to reform our political, economic, and social systems in the name of avoiding the worse effects of climate change. As she describes in the introduction: “…our economic system and our planetary system are now at war. Or, more accurately, our economy is at war with many forms of life on earth, including human life. What the climate needs to avoid collapse is a contraction in humanity’s use of resources; what our economic model demands to avoid collapse is unfettered expansion. Only one of these sets of rules can be changed, and it’s not the laws of nature.” (21)

“The Purpose Economy“, Aaron Hurst (Buy on Amazon)

The best book I’ve read on the subject of creating a purpose driven society. Today we are experiencing a societal shift as more and more people search for meaning and purpose, in accordance with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This shift is rapidly shifting the US economy towards purpose centered products and services. Hurst describes the origins of the new Purpose economy, the ways individuals can find and pursue purpose in their lives, and how organizations and markets are going to continue to change as more and more people enter the Purpose Economy.

“Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know“, David Bornstein & Susan Davis (Buy on Amazon)

David Bornstein and Susan Davis have written the perfect beginner’s guide for anyone interested in learning more about the world of social entrepreneurship. Over the past 40 years, individuals have gained an unprecedented amount of power to create solutions to social issues, thanks to such things as the diffusion of mobile phone and internet services, the collapse of authoritarian governments and the success of the women’s movement. As a result, social issues that governments and nonprofits have been unable to solve for decades are being solved from the bottom up. Social entrepreneurs are at the head of this global empowerment movement, and the impact they will have on our world will only continue to grow as we move further into the 21st century.

“How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas“, David Bornstein (Buy on Amazon)

Expanding on the introduction to the field offered by “Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know”, David Bornstein digs deeper into the history of the social entrepreneurship movement, offering in-depth stories of successful social entrepreneurs from India, Romania, the US and beyond. The book is grounded in the story of Ashoka, a nonprofit founded by Bill Drayton in 1980 whose mission is to support the development of the field of social entrepreneurship. Learn more about the key traits of successful social entrepreneurs, how Ashoka supports social entrepreneurs through their Ashoka Fellows Program, and what the future of the field may hold!

“Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us”, Daniel Pink (Buy on Amazon)

In his bestselling book, Daniel Pink reveals the reasons we need to revisit our understanding of motivation. Rather than being motivated by external rewards and punishments (carrots and sticks, as Pink refers to them), scientists have found that humans respond much more positively to three internal motivators: Autonomy, the desire to direct our own life, Mastery, the urge to get better at something that matters, and Purpose, the yearning to contribute our time and effort to something larger than ourselves. By applying this new paradigm of motivation, we can create a healthier, more productive society ready to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.

“Confessions of an Economic Hitman”, John Perkins (Buy on Amazon)

Confessions of an Economic Hitman

This might be my favorite book of all time. In this autobiographical account, John Perkins details his former life as an economic forecaster for an international consulting firm. In his own words: “Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and other foreign ‘aid’ organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control the planet’s natural resources. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization. I should know; I was an EHM.” (xi)

Websites:

Echoing Green: Unleashing next generation’s talent to solve the world’s biggest problems

Echoing Green is a nonprofit dedicated to helping support students, social entrepreneurs and investors unleash their potential to create a better world. They run a fellowship for social entrepreneurs in the early startup phase and a “Work On Purpose” program for students and educators to learn more about how to make a social impact and find a career doing so. This website is a one-stop-shop for social impact job listings, internships, fellowships, grad schools, stories of social changemakers, and more!

Idealist.org: Connecting people, organizations, ideas, and resources

Idealist is a little bit like Indeed.com for nonprofits. Over 100,000 organizations post jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities on Idealist, all searchable by location and sortable by interest and sector. You can also search the profiles of organizations in your area. A great place to find opportunities for purpose in your backyard!

Net Impact: A community of 60,000 student and professional leaders creating positive social and environmental change

Net Impact is a community of students and professionals passionate about changing the world. On their website you can learn about social impact career fields such as Health, Energy & Clean Tech, International Development and Education. If you sign up for a free account you can browse their members-only Jobs and Internships board. I can vouch for the quality of this source, it helped me find my internship with Rebuild Globally ! Net Impact also hosts an annual conference where members can partake in over 200 workshops and sessions on how to create social impact.

AshokaU: Catalyzing social innovation in higher education

AshokaU is redefining higher education by helping universities integrate social innovation and social entrepreneurship into their DNA. AshokaU is a subsidiary of Ashoka, and it runs the Changemaker Campus certification program, which recognizes outstanding universities that have made social innovation a core pillar of the student experience. AshokaU also coordinates the Exchange, the largest conference for social innovation in higher education in the World, held annually at one of the Changemaker Campuses. Finally, it recognizes and shares innovations in higher education with participating universities. AshokaU provides resources such as the Campus Starter Kit, a booklet designed to help higher education leaders build hubs of social innovation by tapping into the creativity and ingenuity of the campus community.

Skoll Foundation: Investing in, connecting and celebrating social entrepreneurs who solve the world’s most pressing problems

The Skoll Foundation was founded by Jeff Skoll, the first President of eBay, in 1999 to promote a world of peace and prosperity. Since its inception it has invested over 500 million dollars in advancing social entrepreneurship around the world, partnering with social entrepreneurs themselves and other organizations such as Ashoka, the Acumen Fund, and the PBS NewsHour . The foundation also funded the creation of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University, where it hosts the annual Skoll World Forum, the premiere conference on social entrepreneurship in the world.

Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship: Highlighting and advancing leading models of sustainable social innovation through the World Economic Forum

The Schwab Foundation completes the trifecta of major organizations fostering the field of social entrepreneurship, along with the Skoll Foundation and Ashoka. Located in Switzerland, the Schwab foundation maintains a comprehensive database of their social entrepreneur fellows searchable by region, sector and model of business (non-profit, social business or hybrid nonprofit). It leverages its connections to the World Economic forum to help social entrepreneurs influence public policy at an international level.