Passion, Purpose, and Practicalities

Australia’s first ever Social Innovation Camp is happening in Sydney right now. Organised by the Australian Social Innovation eXchange; ASIX, the Social Innovation Camp has selected eight change-makers each with an idea for a new enterprise that addresses a particular social issue. Over the course of the weekend these change-makers have the opportunity to pitch their idea to a wider group of assorted IT specialists, user experience & customer experience consultants, web designers, academics, experienced business owners, and successful social entrepreneurs who will, in the space of a very intense weekend, work to bring these ideas to life. It’s been a fun and exciting process so far. We started late Friday afternoon with some groups working well into the night. Right now we’re nearing the end of day one, where it looks like many groups are inspired by the opportunity to create something that will effect real change… And that means another late night tonight I’m sure. While an outcome of the weekend will be the selection of one “winner”, there’s a hope that eight viable and sustainable ventures could emerge from the process. As with any venture the key to long term success is passion. Enterprise isn’t for everyone, and the pressures on these change-makers will be immense. Many started the process months ago with just an idea. But it is the passionate advocates for their ideas who work tirelessly over time (and not just this weekend) to build a support base, and convince others of the merits of their idea who may very well prevail. You need passion to create, inform, drive, and articulate a vision for your enterprise. You don’t have a viable enterprise without it. It’s your passion for the idea that will get you through these long nights. And help you persuade critics, prospects and investors that your idea is a winner long into the future. But experience teaches us that this passion must be balanced with practicality. The vision you have for your enterprise; how you define it and ensure it survives over time, is critical. But how you balance that against the practical challenges of the real world will be the real measure of a sustainable, viable enterprise. So what specifically do we mean by practical challenges? It’s in how you sustain your enterprise. How will you access all the resources you need to maintain your vision? How do you handle the expansion of your enterprise? What are the stages of development? How do you attract the right people? Who are the right people? What about cash flow- where will the money come from? The answers to these questions will define your enterprise - and it’s success. Above all else, hold onto your passion, and the vision you have for your ideas. It’s what will sustain you in the times ahead, and it’s what will ensure that your idea turns into the enduring and thriving venture that you know it can become.