Think Bigger, Act Bolder – The Entrepreneurial Mindset for Social Change
- Brainz Magazine
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Written by Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO
Wayne Elsey is the founder and CEO of Elsey Enterprises. Among his independent brands, he is also the founder and CEO of Funds2Orgs.
While traveling for our shoe and sneaker reuse social enterprises, I've watched workers sort through mountains of footwear. It's not easy work, and most people who sort the shoes are women, but for each of them, it's the difference between being able to provide for their children. It’s the entrepreneurial mindset in action. I’ve also noticed there's deep gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to make a living for their young families.
One of the reasons I left the corporate sector was that I didn't want just to make money. I wanted to make a difference. I knew that you don't have to choose between social good and profit, and I write about this often. We live in divisive times, but this is a moment for opportunity. Emerging entrepreneurs can and should look to think bigger and bolder to make money and make a positive difference.
The social entrepreneur’s playbook is different
When I launched Funds2Orgs and Sneakers4Good a couple of years later, I wasn’t simply starting two social enterprises. I was flipping the script with the entrepreneurial mindset. In the shoe business, I realized from my travels worldwide that there was a way to do something that matters. My team and I know that we're facing environmental challenges and that sustainability means more than just the planet. It also means well-paid work opportunities.
I've written about traditional philanthropy with the idea of raising money to help others. There's a place for soup kitchens, domestic violence shelters, and other organizations that do the work that, in many cases, others won't. However, there's also a space for social enterprises. Within them, there's economic power and innovation. The first question is, if you were to make a social difference, what would you look to change and how?
Why you need to think bigger as an entrepreneur
Our challenges today are enormous, but these are the challenges of our time, and still, social good can exist. Throughout history, the planet has faced challenges without sufficient resources to address them, and my guess is that people in those times felt anxiety and exhaustion. Think of large-scale historical events such as the Black Plague, World War I, and World War II. Enormous suffering and worry existed during those times.
When it comes to new businesses, there's a difference between entrepreneurs who do big things and those who don't. It all boils down to mindset. The mindset means not creating a social enterprise with half measures. It also means seeing possibilities where others see dead ends. Aside from figuring out the 'what' and 'how' of social impact, the social entrepreneur mentality is about building solutions to scale and even to turn them into movements.
Acting bolder with the entrepreneurial mindset means doing what scares you
If you're ready, and you see that profit and purpose can, in fact, come from establishing a social enterprise. It's not enough to dream big, you have to act. And you also have to realize that the chances are the idea will scare you. You may get people who tell you that it won't work. If you've done your homework, don't listen. Again, there are solid business plans for social enterprises. Set a date and move even if you're not ready. Put it out there.
Calculated risks fuel vision, meaning your social enterprise should be the first to stand up before everyone else. Creating any successful social enterprise means trusting the data, but it also means trusting your gut. After the Indian Ocean tsunami, I knew I wanted to make money and do social good. I wanted to change lives, help save the planet, and create sustainable jobs. The success of our brands wasn’t guaranteed, but I trusted the planning and my team.
Surround yourself with doers, not dreamers
Unfortunately, too many would-be entrepreneurs wait for perfection. But that's the enemy of progress, and perfection doesn't ever exist. Social good doesn't wait for a perfect pitch deck. In my experience, I've walked into meetings with nothing more than stories of the lives we've changed and a shoe or sneaker to drive home the point that shoe and sneaker reuse is part of the thriving circular economy.
But there's more to our team's success in our social enterprises. While every member of our team is a dreamer who sees an opportunity to make a social impact, 100% of the team are doers. Our team doesn't look at or discuss challenges. Instead, we call challenges 'opportunities.' Why is that? Because they're an opportunity for us to think, innovate, and take a better path. I can't tell you how much that drives and motivates people.
The entrepreneurial mindset and leaving a legacy, not just a footprint
Being a social entrepreneur is all about mindset. We believe we can solve the most significant challenges and do better for our teams and others. If you're thinking you'd like to create a social enterprise, consider looking into resources such as the following:
Building a business that makes money and changes lives doesn't happen by accident. It occurs with an entrepreneurial mindset with focused intentionality and always asking why things can't change and how to do things better than our competitors. In short, it happens because we refuse to settle for less and accept things as they are (i.e., divided and with fewer opportunities) as unchangeable. So, consider leaving more than footprints and leaving a legacy.
© 2025 Wayne Elsey. All Rights Reserved.
Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO
Wayne Elsey is the founder and CEO of Elsey Enterprises. Among his independent brands, he is also the founder and CEO of Funds2Orgs. This social enterprise helps nonprofits, schools, churches, civic groups, individuals, and others raise funds while helping to support micro-enterprise (small business) opportunities in developing nations and the environment.
