The Post Crisis Consumer

Socially Proactive Business, noun

Socially Proactive Business, noun: A business whose success is directly and inextricably tied to the alleviation of a social ill, and/or the continued improvement of that societal cirumstance.

Sample Usage: As more and more customers buy jewelry from the Socially Proactive Business "Acholi Beads", the company has to buy more beads from war affected women in Uganda at fair trade prices, so more families escape poverty.

Origin: Coined right here on this blog. See here.

The Socially Proactive Stamp

I just read Seth Godin's latest post about "green marketing," and how it stands to be misunderstood or abused. That is, until someone can put a number to it. Once you can see the impact of your choices on a scale from 1 to 100 you'll make better choices, and the companies that offer those choices will prosper.

It's like the "fairtrade" stamp. Before that stamp your average consumer had no way to verify whether workers were being paid enough for their work. Now, at least we know that someone is looking into it, even if we don't know all the criteria that the fairtrade stamp represents.

Same with the "organic" stamp. I don't know exactly what it takes to grow organic apples, nor do I know all the ways in which they are better for me and for the world than regular apples. But I know that someone knows, and that they stamped it.

As the practice of social business takes off, in all its various forms, there is going to be a lot of confusion. The mixed motives of profit and compassion make for murky mission statements. I've seen it myself in building Acholi Beads, my first socially proactive business. The models of non-profit and for-profit are so firmly entrenched in consumer mentalities that they will gladly buy from a company that makes no claims as to how it treats its workers, but will thumb their noses at one that promises great things for the poor. Because there is no stamp to prove it.

As with "green" marketing, there is ample opportunity for companies to neglect or abuse the concept of social business in order to make a buck. So if we are going to make this thing as powerful as it can be, we need to start working towards that stamp. People need that stamp, just like I need the organic stamp.

My friends Aaron, Daniel, Derek, Ben, Kevin and Clayton are all experimenting with socially proactive business models, and I know there are many more out there looking to do the same. Together we're going to learn how to do this right.

It's for everyone

What percentage of people in America can work for a non-profit? If everyone gives 10% to non-profits, and 90% of that should be used for programs, and only 50% of what's left is used for salaries, then at most, one half of 1% of people can work for a non-profit. And that's being generous.

100% of people can work for socially proactive businesses.

Apolis/IC Event this weekend

My friends at Apolis Activism (totally on board the Socially Proactive Business train) are having an event this Saturday at Bloomingdale's in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa. They've been huge supporters of IC and are helping us sell some bracelets at Bloomingdale's. Come by and support them as they support us! http://www.apolisactivism.com/

If you want to caravan from San Diego, drop me a line, or if you'll be there and want to meet up, let me know.

Oh, and bring a hundred bucks or so. You won't be disappointed.

Acholi Beads: How you can help

Here are a couple ways to get involved in Acholi Beads:

[If you want to learn more about Acholi Beads first, see the post below]

ONE, Host an Acholi Bead Bash. Invite your friends and family over, and I'll come and share the story of the Acholi people and stories of people that I met during my 2 years in Uganda. I'll tell the story of our bead makers and give people the chance to buy Acholi Beads. And I'll explain the vision of the Socially Proactive Business and tell people how they can be part of the movement. Oh, and you'll get some free jewelry out of the deal, too.

TWO, Resell Acholi Beads. Start your own Socially Proactive Business by becoming an independent Acholi Beads reseller. Our network of resellers is growing quickly because not only can you make money from Acholi Beads, but you know they are making money.

THREE, Talk It Up. We need your voice! Acholi Beads spread like wildfire when people tell their friends and families about them. Link to us from your blog or website, wear the beads to school and work, always be ready to tell the story of the bead makers.

FOUR, Be A Finder. If you find a good store to put Acholi Beads in, refer it our way. If it's a good match, we'll give you a nice finder's fee.

Let me know how you can be involved! Drop me an email: james [at] acholibeads [dot] com

An Acholi Beads Story

Let me tell you a story with a happy ending:

Kilama George is an intimidating looking Acholi man. He’s muscular, with big, angular features, and his left eye is milky and blind. He fled his home in Pader district, northern Uganda to escape the LRA’s war with the Ugandan government, and when I met him he was working with an organization in Uganda’s capital, making handicrafts, but he was having trouble supporting his family.

Despite appearances, George is terrifically friendly, kind, and gracious. Not long after we met he invited me to his home to meet his family, and I accepted. He met me at the bottom of the hill, and together we walked up the rugged dirt path that leads to the Acholi Quarters slum.

There I met his wife (his second wife; his first wife died) and his three children, I learned about the exodus thousands of Acholis had made from northern Uganda only to end up in this neglected shantytown, and I saw the rock quarry that drew them there, where men and women pound away at the receding stone for about $1 per day.

At one point I was able to offer George a job with Invisible Children. He declined, preferring to continue with his current position because he had invested so much time in it. Only a few weeks later George came to me and said, “I’ve made a huge mistake.” He told me that the organization he was with was failing and asked me for that job, but I had already filled the position and had to turn him down. That day I told him that I would look for opportunities for him.

It took almost a year, but I found one, or rather, George found one for me.

This past summer he introduced me to women in the Acholi Quarters slum – refugees like himself from the war in the north – who make beautiful beaded jewelry by hand from recycled paper. At first I didn’t believe that it came from paper. But George and the beaders showed me the whole process. They also told me about their hopes to use the beads as a tool to pull themselves out of poverty, but that the market in Uganda was very limited.

I had found my way to give George a chance to provide for his family, and not only that, but I could use everything I had learned during my two years with Invisible Children and keep investing in the recovery and prosperity of the Acholi people.

My family and I have started importing and selling these beads. We are currently employing twelve women in Acholi Quarters, who now earn a good fulltime income making beads. We are working to expand the market for the beads here in the States so that we’ll be able to employ more of the hundreds of impoverished women living in Acholi Quarters. As the business grows, we’re defining a new kind of company – we call it a Socially Proactive Business.

Oh, and George: he’s now the fulltime, onsite manager. We call him Foreman George. He just called yesterday to tell me the latest order was ready. He and his family and all the women we’re working with are so excited. When I left Uganda they threw me a huge going away party - not because I deserved it; they just needed an excuse to celebrate.

On the topic of...

...Socially Proactive Businesses, here are a few more that I can think of:

Apolis Activism: A luxury clothing brand designed to inspire liberty and support development.

Invisible Children's Bracelet Campaign: Sure it's nonprofit, but it's a business nonetheless. Providing employment and training to displaced people, proceeds support education in northern Uganda.

Tom's Shoes: For every pair you buy, a pair is given to someone in a poor country.

Edun Clothing: Founded by Ali Hewson (Bono's wife) Edun has made a bold commitment to selling only those garment created completely in Africa, from "grower to sewer."

These companies are pushing forward the idea of the Socially Proactive Business. I'm sure you can think of others. Leave them in the comments.

I'm coining it right now

I just wrote a post on Acholi Beads about what it means to be a "socially proactive business." Wondering if that term had been used much I Googled it. Only two hits, one of which is mine.

Consider it coined.