How to get started with Twitter to get your message out

Posted on June 3, 2010 by Raj Melville

With the all the buzz about Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools, organizations feel pressured into incorporating these tools into their marketing arsenal. Non-profits specially are interested in leveraging social networks as cost effective sources of volunteers and supporters and are seeking ways to convert followers to funders and donors. All of them are looking for guidance in getting started. Based on my experience, I have compiled a quick list of do’s and don’ts that I hope will help get you started. Complete article at
http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: Information Technology, Social Business, Social Ecosystem, non-profit | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

On CK Prahalad and his impact on social entrepreneurship

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Raj Melville

I, like many others, was saddened to hear of the untimely passing away of Prof. C. K. Prahalad. His career spanned over three decades during which time he introduced several innovative business ideas that quickly became mainstream. Perhaps his most widely influential work was his last book on “The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid” where he outlined his take on how corporations could profitably service the very large market that consists of the bottommost economic strata. You can read more at
http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: BOP, India, Poverty, Social Ecosystem, Social Entrepreneur, bottom of the pyramid, creative capitalism, social Innovation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Assured Labor – creating a mobile marketplace for jobs in emerging markets

Posted on April 10, 2010 by Raj Melville

In the fall of 2007, a group of young potential entrepreneurs struggled with a problem facing over half the developing world. As developing economies grew and provided new jobs, the infrastructure to communicate and broadcast the potential opportunities for employment was unable to keep up. The influx of migrant workers into urbanized centers provided a rich pool of available talent but the mechanisms for disseminating job needs were still rooted in the 19th century. The team seized on this opportunity to leverage the almost ubiquitous presence of cell phones in the developing world to provide a communications and matchmaking platform for employment. By providing an easy to use mobile platform connecting jobseekers with job opportunities, Assured Labor is providing a frictionless job placement approach that benefits employers and employees alike. Assured Labor is a prime example of the new wave of social entrepreneur bringing a for-profit business model to address some of the challenges facing the poor in developing countries. Read the complete post at
http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: Information Technology, Latin America, Social Business, Social Ecosystem, Social Entrepreneur, bottom of the pyramid, mobile technology, social Innovation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Help select a winning teen social entrepreneur

Posted on March 21, 2010 by Raj Melville

Ashoka Youth Venture and Best Buy Children’s Foundation have teamed up to create the @15 Community Impact Challenge. Read about each of the winners on the Youth Ventures blog. Help select one of the winning teams and it costs you nothing, just register and vote. Read more at
http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: Education, Schools, Social Entrepreneur, social Innovation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Some reflections on Martin Luther King and non-profit leadership

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Raj Melville

After spending some time on the production line at the Greater Boston Food Bank, and given the past weekend celebrating Martin Luther King, one reflects on what Martin Luther King might have done in light of what we had seen and experienced, at the Greater Boston Food Bank as well as the larger set of social issues that we are exposed to in our daily lives.

Filed under: Leadership, Philanthropy, Politics, Poverty, Service, Social Ecosystem, Social Entrepreneur, non-profit, social Innovation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Social Media for Social Entrepreneurs

Posted on October 21, 2009 by Raj Melville

With Twitter and Facebook revolutionizing the business of marketing, can social activists lag behind? How does one turn followers into funders? Motivate movements with your messages? And leverage social networks to create social change? The experts on this panel have shown others how to maximize their impact with the latest online tools and techniques and they will help you figure out the right approach to integrating social media within your strategies. Find out more about the panel at
http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: Conference, Information Technology, Social Ecosystem, Social Entrepreneur, non-profit | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Sustainable Business Models for Social Ventures

Posted on October 17, 2009 by Raj Melville

A new breed of ventures has begun innovating revenue models to build greater capacity and sustain operations. These approaches leverage the power of markets and have discovered the sustainable power of partnering with their customers to meet their social needs. More details at
http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: Conference, Rural Development, Social Business, Social Ecosystem, Social Entrepreneur, non-profit, social Innovation, sustainable development | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Valuing Social Enterprises

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Raj Melville

As a number of young entrepreneurs launch their social enterprises, one of the areas they all struggle with is attracting socially conscious investors. A challenge for all is how to evaluate a social focused business on metrics other than strict return on investment. More details at http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: Conference, Investment, Philanthropy, Social Business, Social Ecosystem, Social Entrepreneur, creative capitalism, non-profit, social Innovation, sustainable development, venture philanthropy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Using cell phones to change the world

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Raj Melville

Jhonatan Rotberg, was sent to MIT by Telmex, one of Latin America’s largest telcos, and teaches NextLab where he tries to bring cellular technology to the other 90 percent of the world. One of the labs startups, CelEdu, offers cellphone-based games and quizzes to teach basic literacy skills in India. Ranjani Saigal from the TIE Social Entrepreneurs Group helped connect CelEdu students to Tara Aakshar. Read the entire article at http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: BOP, Information Technology, Poverty, Rural Development, Social Business, Social Ecosystem, Social Entrepreneur, bottom of the pyramid, international development, mobile technology, social Innovation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

An Investors perspective of Microfinance

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Raj Melville

An Investors perspective of Microfinance – Over the past years, microfinance has grown increasingly prominent and found its way into the common vernacular. As microfinance has become increasingly mainstream, major investors have started to take positions in microfinance companies. What are the potential returns and social impacts that investors see in this segment? More details at http://blog.ambientengines.com

Filed under: Conference, Social Ecosystem, Social Entrepreneur, micro-finance, microfinance, social Innovation | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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