This one-day interactive workshop is for people who are currently involved with a social enterprise or in the process of starting one. You will meet a group of practitioners who will share keys to success as well as the lessons they have learned from their mistakes. There will be representatives from four kinds of business models that we will showcase:
1) Domestic sales/retail/wholesale (Carabello Coffee, Gobena Coffee)
2) Overseas production/domestic sales (GOEX Haiti, Freeset)
3) Overseas businesses (Lifesong Farms, SSE Nigeria)
4) Marketplace ministries connected with a local church in the U.S. (SSE/ORCA Center)
We will start the day together as a community, and then workshop participants will get to choose one that they would like to go deeper with. They will then spend time with the leaders in a small group and visit the local offices where possible so you can see a social enterprise in action.
We will spend the final part of the day conducting targeted consultations to help you in the areas of developing a robust financial/business model, finding the right partners, hiring the right people, and building and training the organization. Join us for an invaluable day of learning with others who have gone before you – it could save you years of time and tons of money from trying to do it on your own. You will become part of a community of practitioners who are learning together and supporting one another.
Date: Wednesday, September 15, 8:30am – 2:30pm
(Facilitated by: Vivienne Bechtold, CAFO Sustainable Social Enterprise Director Joined by: Joe Knittig, GOEX; Andy Lehman, Lifesong & Gobena Coffee; Justin & Emily Carabello, Carabello Coffee; Jeff Greer, Self Sustaining Enterprises (SSE) & ORCA Center; Pete West, Self Sustaining Enterprises; and Kevin Schwieger, Grace Chapel)