Social entrepreneurship has gained widespread acclaim as a tool for addressing social and environmental problems; to achieve this, social entrepreneurs are tasked with navigating the nexus between the oftentimes competing goals of social impact and commercial success. Social psychology identity theories have shown that most people hold multiple identities – e.g., environmentalist, religious person, entrepreneur, devoted family member. At the same time, studies have shown that entrepreneurs with a strong social identity or purpose are more likely than those with purely economic aims to recognize opportunities and create new ventures in service of social impact.
UpStart will host an interactive session using collaborative technology platforms like Figma or Jamboards to support group attendees in answering key questions about their own identities, and work through a design session as to how to apply these identities towards a socially-driven mission. We will highlight case studies of identity-based entrepreneurship within the Jewish Community, underscore common themes that can strengthen identity-based entrepreneurship, and support participants in identifying how to leverage the power of their identity in their own work.
