Many social entrepreneurs start small and on a very local level. Often there is no other choice. And maybe it is even the best way to find out if the concept works. Once your business works and you get first results, it’s time to enlarge your business horizons. But how?

How to get connected with more people and areas which are not part of your immediate circle of persons you normally deal with, and how to cross the borders?

Why become an interpersonal and interorganizational social entrepreneur might be challenging

When I met one of them the other day and I proposed him why not taking part in one of these competitions which look for social entrepreneurships and their ideas he told me that he had already thought of, but he was was not sure if his concept would fit and he said that maybe he was not fully prepared to collaborate with industries. And he was not sure if this would work.
Well, I told him, that if he not tries he can not find out. And many huge companies in different business areas are looking for innovative, social driven business models for creating a win- win situation for both parties: the social entrepreneurs and their work as well as for their businesses.

What you can get out?
– business knowhow, often they help you to adapt your business plan to scale it up,
– incubation: tailored mentorship and training
– funding/capital: innovative funding mechanisms
– advocacy: initiatives to raise awareness
and what counts most:
– network: opportunities to collaborate and scale + connections to important influencers and stakeholders which – maybe in some months or years -can be essential for your business.

And what about media relations?
Another option is building good connections with journalists and bloggers who help you to spread your ideas. Imagine they publish an article on what you do, which is shared with others and others again. Do you know who are the journalists and bloggers in your town, region or country, those who publish articles from the field you are working in? Do you know the relevant discussion, forum and business groups in the digital world? There might be opportunities coming up you never ever have dreamed of.
So, why not investing some time into building up your network?

Enlarging your circle is essential
Also enlarging your own relationships to offices, NGOs, local business owners and people working in similar fields can be very fruitful. Probably they will never contact you first. But this does not mean that they are not interested in you. They just do not think of it. It ‘s up to you to take the initiative.

One thing is for sure, if you do not try, you will never know, what, if…

Related material:
Content Marketing Strategy: How to Engage Influencers in Your Industry
http://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/content-marketing-strategy-how-to-engage-influencers-in-your-industry-0444056

Working in the health environment – ongoing competition
http://www.changemakers.com/healthbiz