Beyond Business as Usual Blog
Breakfast Forum: Beyond Business as Usual
Photos of the Social Enterprise Breakfast Forum: Beyond Business as Usual
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The Beyond Business as Usual Forum brought together over 250 people of all ages and interests from business, academia, and nonprofit sectors. People came to learn more about Social Enterprise and left inspired and excited about the possibilities of this new business model.
The forum featured a panel of three leaders in the Social Enterprise Scene answering questions from the moderator and the audience regarding Social Enterprise.
Ted Carroll, Executive Director of Leadership Greater Hartford, one of the hosts of the event opened the discussion with an introduction to the concept of Social Enterprise and a welcome to the group at large: “You represent law firms, banks, insurers, accountants, manufacturers, academia and small businesses of many types, including non-profit businesses. Many of my colleagues in the non-profit sector have long heard that we should operate more like for-profit businesses. And certainly, when we’re at our best, we have learned the power of market forces and have injected into our various systems the sense of discipline, focus and accountability that mark successful enterprises. At the same time, however, it’s now apparent that for-profits can also learn from the non-profits.”
David Fearon, Ph.D led the moderated discussion, asking questions that ranged from what does a Social Enterprise look like in day to day operations, to how does a CEO balance the need for profits with the demands of being a Social Enterprise, and what does it take to make a city or state attractive to Social Enterprise.
There were many questions from the audience including questions from the press regarding the viability and scalability of this model, as well as a small business owner wanting to know what specific steps she could take to become a Social Enterprise.
The excitement in the room was palpable as people realized that there is another way to do things and that the time is right to go beyond business as usual.
Kate Emery, Founder and CEO of Walker Systems Support, one of the panelists, and CEO of reSET (Social Enterprise Trust) closed the meeting with an invitation for all to come to a follow-up meeting at the Old Judiciary Room in the State Capitol on Wednesday June 16 at 8:00am to discuss how we can begin the work of making Connecticut a hub of Social Enterprise.
Bob Forrester is President and CEO of The Newman’s Own Foundation and Chairman and CEO of Newman’s Own, Inc., both founded by Paul Newman. Newman’s Own, Inc. is the premium quality natural food company started by Paul Newman in 1982. The Foundation is the owner of Newman’s Own, Inc., and all the intellectual property associated with Newman’s Own and Paul Newman and continues Mr. Newman’s commitment of donating all net profits and royalties earned by Newman’s Own, to charity. As of March 2010, the combined giving by Paul Newman and the Newman’s Own Foundation exceeds $290 million.
Prior to joining the Foundation in 2005, he founded and was CEO of Payne, Forrester and Associates, LLC, a consulting group providing services to nonprofits and philanthropic organizations in the areas of planning, management, governance, fundraising, and communications. During his tenure, the firm has served over 550 clients worldwide. Bob’s career spans over 40 years of work with nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Joy Anderson is the founder of Criterion Ventures, which incubates and scales ventures that create a better world. Since 2002, Criterion has provided consulting across disciplines to nonprofits, foundations, and visionary individuals, and launches ventures internally to tackle the greatest social issues of our time. She is also one of the founders of Good Capital, an investment firm increasing the flow of capital to market-based solutions to inequality and poverty. After beginning her career in the New York City public school system, where she managed a million dollars federally funded program. Joy also worked for Growth Design to provide consulting to large nonprofit systems on fundraising and strategic planning. She holds a Ph.D. in American History from New York University and lives in a Connecticut apple orchard, where she enjoys pressing cider and boiling apple syrup.
Kate Emery, is the Founder and CEO of Walker Systems Support, an IT and Web Services firm located in Farmington. The 2nd largest Computer Consulting firm in the Hartford area, Walker has been nominated twice to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing small businesses in America. In 2007, Kate restructured Walker as a Social Enterprise and began talking more publicly about Walker’s new business model in hope of promoting Social Enterprise in Connecticut.
Social Enterprise Trust, or reSet, was founded by Kate to promote, protect and preserve Social Enterprise in Connecticut. Through reSet and the CT Social Enterprise Network it is hoped that Connecticut will become the hub of Social Enterprise.
Kate graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Management from the University of Connecticut’s School of Business and received her Master’s Degree in Computer Science at the Hartford Graduate School from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She also serves on the board of the Boy’s and Girl’s Club and is an award-winning artist. She lives with her husband Steve Silk and their son David in Farmington, Connecticut.
David Fearon, Ph.D., has taught at Central Connecticut State University since 1986. He is current Professor of Management and a Fellow of the Juran Institute. Social enterprise is an abiding concern across the span of David’s forty five year career. Before entering the professorship in 1982, he filled new leadership posts for college-community engagement at what is now Eastern Connecticut State University, Three Rivers Community College, and for the University of Maine. As a Juran Fellow, he is exploring the social dimensions of new century quality. He recently co-authored Inside Knowledge: Rediscovering the Source of Performance Improvement, a business novel imparting to front line workers principles for continually improving the knowledge that create as they work. He offers leadership to the OBTS Teaching Society for Management Educators and Eastern Academy of Management focusing upon innovative teaching and learning. Professor Fearon is a graduate of Colby College, with a Masters degree from Central Michigan University and a Doctorate from the University of Connecticut.
Ted Carroll is president of Leadership Greater Hartford, a nonprofit community leadership training group for people in business, government, academic and nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining LGH in 1986, Mr. Carroll served for five years as the executive director of Southend Community Services, a neighborhood social service agency in Hartford.
His work has been recognized by such groups as the Junior League of Hartford, the Hartford chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, the Community Leadership Association and the Spiritual Life Center. In 2009, he was named a finalist for the Hartford Business Journal’s annual Nonprofit Executive of the Year Award. The Hartford Children’s Theatre recognized Ted as a 2010 honoree at their annual Kid at Heart Gala, in recognition of his commitment to youth and the arts.
Mr. Carroll received his B.A. in Sociology from the University of Connecticut and his M.S.W. from the UConn School of Social Work. He lives in Hartford with his wife Jane, an artist and former school teacher in Hartford and West Hartford.
Thank you to our hosts:
Leadership Greater Hartford and reSET (Social Enterprise Trust)
Thank you to our sponsors:
Newman's Own Foundation,
Walker Systems Support, Schuster Driscoll, Blum Shapiro, LAZ Parking, Tango Alliance,
Farmington Savings Bank, Beacon Wealth Management, Reid and Riege, Whittlesey & Hadley P.C., Juran, and the Hartford Business Journal.
A follow-up meeting was scheduled for June 16th the Old Judiciary Room in the State Capitol in Hartford on Wednesday, June 16th at 8:00am. ›› Read More
›› Click here for information on the next meeting
Meeting Registration:
reSET Members: $5.00
Non Members: $10.00
Join reSET and Register: $35.00
