Written by Robert Neff
If you’re tempted to start your own business, you’re not alone.
Estimates from Entrepreneur Magazine say that in the United States, more than 600,000 businesses are started each year.
People decide to become entrepreneurs for various reasons including the freedom of more independence, an inner motivation, the potential for financial gain and perhaps to fill existing needs.
Fortunately, there are several ways to meet those goals while also helping others. Keep reading to learn about five methods that others have used to make the world a better place.
Help Users Cultivate a Local Food Hub
Turn your green thumb into a way to make people more informed about the food they consume by getting it from their own gardens. In Chattanooga Tennessee, a resident named Jimmy Hibbs began a business called Earth House Gardens. He offers the option of either helping area residents set up their own gardens and learn how to tend to them, or periodically stopping by himself to take care of things.
Target Specific Needs
While some people benefit from plentiful resources to get a business started, others have to go it alone. If you’ve got a knack for teaching people, think about appealing to the latter group and sharing your entrepreneurial knowledge with others.
In Louisiana, Maitland “Spuddy” Faucheaux has been running a restaurant business for the past two decades.
In an article with the L’Observatuer newspaper, he notes that although the dream of being an entrepreneur was with him from an early age, he had no one to help him get off the ground. Eventually, he gave a helping hand to similarly hopeful people by starting a business called Franchise-Specialist. It teaches aspiring entrepreneurs about the basics of running a franchise.
Use Financial Wealth for Good
Paresh Bhatt, a hotel owner in Iowa, has launched a contest called the Open for Business Challenge, where the prize is $10,000 for an aspiring fellow entrepreneur. This is a good option to pursue if you want to help others and have financial resources, but lack time in your schedule to assume a direct leadership role.
Make the Most of Available Resources
A Florida woman named Jennifer Scott proved that it’s possible to reach out to others, even in tight situations.
During an interview with the Viera Voice newspaper, she discussed her belief that everyone can always give of themselves, despite limited financial means. Soon after being laid off from a job, she partnered with local vendors to create an outdoor sale, where proceeds went to organizations like a nearby food bank during the holiday season.
She demonstrated by example and showed that even if you’re strapped for cash, it’s still possible to make a difference.
Be a Living Inspiration
If you believe you’ve had a life experience that sets you apart, there’s no reason not to use it to your advantage.
Over time, your efforts to be an entrepreneur could change your own life as well as the lives of everyone you meet.
A Philadelphia homeless man named Jason Mercado is a prime example. An organization called Flying Kite Media wrote a profile about him and detailed his bumpy past, and determination not to fall back into old vices.
By depending on community resources, Mercado seized an opportunity and now owns and operates a baking business called Just Cookies, which has captured significant attention in the national media and local area alike.
As these five examples show, if you’re determined to be an entrepreneur, things like a lack of money or a troubled past don’t have to hold you back, especially if you have a giving heart and want to positively influence others.
Robert Neff is an avid blogger. If you want to help the underserved and you have a knack for entrepreneurial endeavors, consider a degree in social work such as those offered at Case Western.
