How do you scale up your social impact without compromising your mission and values?

Defining the core impact of your social enterprise requires a deliberate focus on a specific aspect of societal change. The key to success lies in honing in on one core impact area rather than trying to solve every problem in society which is a common trap for the 'social entrepreneur'. By choosing a singular focus, you can direct your resources, efforts, and expertise more effectively, ultimately maximizing your social impact. Remember that focus is the key to success in the social entrepreneurship landscape and for a scalable model, allowing you to make a meaningful and lasting difference in the world.

Scaling up with limited resources can certainly be a bit of a tightrope walk, but it's not impossible. One effective approach is to really lean into partnerships. By collaborating with other organisations, you can share resources and expertise, making the journey less daunting. These organisations also often have community support and volunteers, especially for those with ties to the local community, such as through schools and health centres. They can be an incredible asset, offering both time and skills that might otherwise be out of reach financially, while gaining the buy-in from local leaders who can act as champions for your initiative.

I think another overlooked consideration is whether scaling is the right strategic decision for you at all. Not all things are meant to scale, and I think deepening is an interesting alternative or simply striving for constant improvements.

Absolutely agree, it is essential to foster a culture of learning. This starts from the very first one-on-one human connections you and your leadership make with any staff member and continues on in how you make space for and specifically draw out diverse opinions and insights from your team. The more you care and take into consideration the feedback of those most affected by a potential decision or policy the more open your staff will be to reach out to you when new opportunities to improve or innovate present themselves. These should come from all over your team, the best opportunities are often first seen by front line staff as leadership can be too far removed to see the granular details.

If you plan to scale through a direct impact model where you set up new teams in other countries/regions, one key challenge is to ensure that the organisations DNA - its culture, values, etc - is transferred across cultures. In my experience, the most effective way to do that is to have a very senior staff to take the helm of the new branch at least for a few years till the unique DNA is suffienctly established.

Leveraging your network is crucial for the success and growth of a social enterprise, especially in the early stages. Your direct network, which often includes early adopters and supporters, can provide invaluable resources, feedback, and opportunities that are essential for building momentum. Leveraging your network allows you to reach these individuals more effectively, gaining traction and credibility in the market. In the startup phase, resources are often limited, and traditional marketing and sales strategies can be costly. Leveraging your network allows you to utilize word-of-mouth marketing, referrals, and personal connections to reach potential customers at a lower cost, setting the stage for broader expansion in the long run.

Stay true to who you are and the core values of your organisation. It can be tempting to compromise at times, but very rarely is this a good thing. Integrity is key and something that should be followed always.

Take the time to build, inaccessible experience, across-the-board digitally, and environmentally. Make sure that you’re using language that speaks to diverse communities and it’s welcoming to people from all cultures. Take time to highlight the diverse voices and make sure you’re engaging in a way that add value to who these individuals are.

The biggest problem you can face in scaling up is losing your depth. Successful social entrepreneurs and innovators often have a deep, personal bond with their initial beneficiaries. As social innovations grow and their impact expands, scaling operations can introduce bureaucratic hurdles that may weaken this connection. To preserve the original spirit and effectiveness of your mission, it’s crucial to have key intrapreneurs in each community who can uphold and nurture the right culture.