Empowering Social Entrepreneurs to Drive System Change: My Purpose for 2025

In the heart of every transformative idea lies a calling—a compelling purpose that demands action. This calling emerged early in my career, first shaped by the realities of working as a clinician in underserved communities. There, amidst the challenges of health inequities and systemic barriers, I first encountered the undeniable truth: impactful change requires more than dedication; it demands rethinking the systems themselves.

I have spent over thirty years navigating the intersection of public health, organizational leadership, graduate teaching, and social innovation. Each role has reinforced a simple but profound belief: lasting social change emerges when passionate individuals are empowered with the right tools and perspectives to challenge the status quo. This belief fuels my commitment to empowering social entrepreneurs who dare to drive systemic change.

As I reflect on my innovation plan for 2025, it seems appropriate to revisit my sense of purpose. In a follow-up article, I will detail how I envision a pathway to advancing purpose via my Plan 2025: Create and Learn, a strategic framework to foster innovation and impact through three interconnected channels: researching, teaching, and advising.

?Building a Framework for Action

Systems thinking is fundamental to my approach. This discipline helps us recognize interconnectedness where others might see isolation. I apply this perspective in every project, classroom, and coaching session. Systems thinking is not just theoretical; it’s practical. It empowers leaders to analyze complexity, understand relationships, and create sustainable interventions.

The Accelerate Impact Model (AIM), which I began outlining in 2020, embodies this philosophy. It is a framework derived from my education in public policy at NYU Wagner and my extensive experience in social enterprise leadership. I designed AIM to guide social enterprise leaders to discover opportunities, build sustainable operations, scale their impact, and foster resilience. It is not merely a theoretical concept but a practical playbook that addresses the challenges and possibilities I have observed across various social impact sectors.

Why This Work Matters

Social entrepreneurship is not just a profession but a calling to design solutions that benefit humanity. I have the privilege of teaching and mentoring the next generation of social enterprise leaders, and this work fills me with hope. Every student who enters this field has the potential to create ripples of change. My role is to guide them, helping them think critically, lead inclusively, and act boldly.

What motivates me most is witnessing these individuals succeed. Whether teaching the fundamentals of purpose-driven innovation, sharing lessons from my entrepreneurial journey, or developing resources like the Accelerate Impact Playbook and supportive AI learning tools, I am continually inspired by the determination of those who strive to make a difference.

A Vision for 2025 and Beyond

As I refine the 2025 Work Plan Map for release later this January, I recognize that this journey is not mine alone. It is a collective effort to equip organizations and individuals with strategies for thriving amidst uncertainty while remaining true to their social impact missions. My vision for the future is clear: to create a thriving ecosystem of social enterprises that prioritizes equity, sustainability, and impact.

We live in challenging times, but challenges are disguised opportunities. I can create lasting solutions alongside my students and clients by embracing complexity with humility and a steadfast commitment to a shared purpose. My promise to every social entrepreneur I work with is to stay true to my mission: to empower, challenge, and celebrate with you as you transform systems for the better.

Watch for full article on Plan25 later this month.