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The Innovation Mindset in Action: Shantha Ragunathan

Harvard Business Review

Although she was poor in resources, she possessed the innovation mindset shared by many game changers: they see and act on opportunities , use "and" thinking to resolve tough dilemmas and break through compromises, and employ their resourcefulness to power through obstacles. Hopeless as her situation was, Shantha engaged in "and" thinking.

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How Social Entrepreneurs Can Have the Most Impact

Harvard Business Review

All to say, the sector is hot, which brings me to the second question: Are social entrepreneurs stoking the right kind of growth? With so many small start-ups, are social entrepreneurs at risk of creating well-intentioned, but fragmented efforts that won’t ultimately change much? million young people out of school and out of work.

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It's Not All About Growth for Social Enterprises

Harvard Business Review

If you ask venture capitalists in Silicon Valley how they measure the success of business entrepreneurs, they would no doubt list off metrics having to do with fast growth: funding raised, people hired, customers acquired, revenue produced. This innovation has impact. The assumption is that company growth is good. But, so what?

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Entrepreneurship Needs to Be a Bigger Part of U.S. Foreign Aid

Harvard Business Review

My research into entrepreneurship’s role in job creation, my professional life as an entrepreneur and investor, and my experience as a one-time government official have led me to one conclusion: Entrepreneurship can solve big problems, but our government has not adequately leveraged this American-as-apple-pie tool in its foreign policy.

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How to Make Room in Your Work Life for the Rest of Your Self

Harvard Business Review

Embracing your multiple identities can improve your ability to take others’ perspectives and engage in creative and innovative behavior. For example, one microfinance organization that is dually devoted to advancing a social mission and being commercial viable says employees are both “social workers” and “bankers.”

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Entrepreneurs: You're More Important Than Your Business Plan

Harvard Business Review

Instead, we look at eight broad rules for success, half of which are about the entrepreneur herself (not her business plan). These are lessons we've learned from investing $30 million over the last 25 years in 500+ social start-ups about what make a promising social entrepreneur, but they are equally applicable to any entrepreneur.