Be a Social Entrepreneur

The vision of one entrepreneur

Be a Social Entrepreneur

“You just have to see some things for your self.”  I said to myself as I was receiving a day tour of North West Arkansas communities.

You see, it was nothing like what I had imagined it to be!  The airport was very functional, well designed and modern.  The town square was filled with people who were enjoying each other, restaurants and an amazing farmer’s market.  Its gracious offerings and quaint feel caused me to wonder, “Why doesn’t my own community have this same gregarious, vibrant and secure feeling?”

I don’t know all of the answers, but I believe I know one of the answers and it has to do with the vision of one entrepreneur.

I’m not an expert in the history or the people of Arkansas and I don’t pretend to know them very well at all.  But while there, in the heart of Bentonville, I could come to only one conclusion.  One entrepreneur opened the door for all of this to happen.

It was the vision of one man and his ability to create a business and perhaps just as importantly pass his vision on to an army of hundreds of thousands of business partners that transformed an existing community, the one he clearly loved, and extended its reach to large parts of the world.  His purpose has changed the lives of thousands as well as generations.

So, now that I’ve seen a little larger part of what Sam Walton accomplished by focusing on his purpose I have to ask myself, can there be any doubt that when a person really understands their own personal passion and works with others to bring it into reality something magical happens?  Here are the just some of the benefits I observed:

First, many small towns have boarded up main street establishments.  But that is not the case in Bentonville and its surrounding communities.  Hundreds of small businesses have sprung up to give products and services to the many well paid residents.

Second, I noticed that the people were comfortable.  What I mean by that is that they are happy and productive.  There is no cloud of economic gloom weighing down these communities.  There is a healthy, bright view of the present and the future.

Third, the town is filled with public enhancing amenities such as the privately held Crystal Bridges Art Museum, which houses the largest privately owned art collection in the world.  There is a children’s discovery center that is filled to the brim with exploring kids.  And, there are huge privately held wellness centers where individuals and families can go for exercise, classes and companionship.

The companionship that strikes me, as most desirable, is the clear combination between purpose based entrepreneurship and strong, vibrant communities.  It is something I have seen for myself.   I believe that entrepreneurship based communities can be built. 

As you and I transform ourselves by examining and following our passions, we will be transforming our communities and the others who live in them as well.  It is the only combination that truly defines the term social entrepreneurship.  Social entrepreneurship means doing what you love, in your very best way and working with others to transform industry, services and the communities we live in.