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Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started

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  • icon4.7 (78 reviews )
  • icon17 hours
  • iconenglish
  • iconOnline - Self Paced
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  • iconUniversity of Michigan

About Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started

Do you have an idea that could help solve a societal problem? Are you wondering if starting a social enterprise is the best way to go forward? You are thinking about becoming a social entrepreneur!

In this course, you’ll critically examine what makes for a good idea, and whether that idea requires starting a new business. You’ll craft a personal immersion plan while considering different ways to create impact. You’ll explore the personal challenges and connections to your life’s purpose before deciding to commit to becoming a social entrepreneur. Each week, you’ll see and hear from 11 real-life social entrepreneurs, working around the world, and sharing the lessons they’ve learned as well as the mistakes they’ve made and how you can overcome them. Among their experiences are: providing clean water in India and the Dominican Republic, warming premature babies without incubators, improving education in Africa and Detroit, and providing affordable fresh food to low-income residents of Los Angeles. Ultimately, you’ll be able to decide whether your idea is necessary for the world, and if starting a social enterprise is the right path for you. This course is based on the book “Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Starting Out, Scaling Up and Staying True” by Michael Gordon.

What You Will Learn?

  • Learn what a social entrepreneur is and isn't and whey (and only why) you should become one. Hear social entrepreneurs from around the world describe what they wished they'd known when starting out-lessons learned and mistakes made. Learn how to prepare yourself to become a social entrepreneur-skills, experience, emotional demands, commitment..