Shera R. Sever: Igniting the Spark™

Last night, I had the opportunity to hear one of my earlier mentors, CJ Hayden ,speak as part of the monthly meeting at Spirit and Work Resource Center in Berkeley, CA. CJ, a principle at Wings Business Coaching, was a wonderful role model for me when I started Resumes That Work™ back in 1995.

Now the author of two books, CJ has found her true calling as a coach for social entrepreneurs- a calling that resonates with the core of my being as well.

In her presentation, she highlighted a very important distinction between a socially responsible business and a social entrepreneur. Social entrepreneurs are first and foremost Change Agents. Their reason for being is to lead SOCIAL CHANGE with an entrepreneurial approach. They are not merely socially conscious business owners with a desire to reduce their environmental footprint.

One of my long term clients, CEO Women in Oakland, CA is a perfect example of social entrepreneurship. Executive Director, Farhana Huq has received multiple awards and micro loans with the “Start Your Own Business” training for immigrant and refugee women.

So how do Social Entrepreneurs fund their ventures and earn a living?

• Micro-enterprise loans (Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank)
• Non-profit organizations with earned income- (Delancy Street in San Francisco)
• Teaching, writing, speaking engagements that fund their ventures
• Grants, fellowships, or awards
• Through another business that runs the social venture (examples: Paul Newman’s Own Foundation or Steven Van Yoder and the GIVE Foundation )
• Selling products and services from the social venture itself: (example: Lila Igram and Palestine Children’s Welfare Fund)
• Through a working spouse or parent (wow!- any extra spouses or parents out there to support my vision and venture?)

“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.” ~ Joel Barker

Conscious Capitalism is what we’re talking about, and I am committed to leading social entrpreneurs’ visions to action.

In my work with solo-preneurs and consultants,  the mantra I most frequently hear from the , “I don’t know how to market myself”.

The most important element in any marketing message is authenticity. Commitment to your intention and authenticity in your message builds trust and retains clients.

About Us- The Bio:
Interestingly enough, I have often times discovered that the most difficult task for new business owners is to write about oneself .Depending on the context, a compelling bio can be anywhere between (150 -450 words , i.e. two paragraphs -one full page.)

The bio of a business leader/owner needs to answer the following questions:

• Who you are?-A speaker, a venture capitalist, internet marketing strategist, media buyer, a branding specialist, a seminar facilitator.
• What you do? Create businesses, teach courses, design branding and marketing solutions, write software, design PDA’s.
• How do you do it? This is where the senses come in. Create a picture for your audience so that they can see and feel you in action. Think texture, color, motion, sounds, even scents. Audio (mp3) and video files are a great asset here.

Accomplishments: Highlight two or three accomplishments that you are really proud of, and that made a significant difference to those you served.

Recent clients: Mention a few recent clients (or industries specialities).

Education: One or two lines is sufficient; mention prestigious awards.

Need more? Send your current bio to coachshera (at ) gmail (dot) com for a complimentary critique.