THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

An introspective look at building a startup with long-range vision.

Entrepreneur Abouelnaga’s perspective on startups has the implicit message that if you do what you love as a career, you’ll not only become wealthy, but also “improve the world.” His latest book looks with fresh eyes at how an entrepreneur’s mindset can help or hinder a startup, and it examines the difference between passion, which initiates a goal, and purpose, which, for him, entails a sense of moral obligation. Abouelnaga, a former Forbes columnist, writes in a pleasant, no-nonsense style, taking readers through his comprehensive, easy-to-follow program built around six key, introspective questions. The answers are sure to help readers assess whether their vision is tenable and whether deeper examination,or a course change, is needed before jumping in. Early chapters focus on each question individually: “Why is this important?” “Why is this important to me?” “Why am I the right person to be doing this?” and so on. The author significantly delves into what he calls the overriding element: Does the venture have enough scope and significance to pass a “requiring help test”? In practice, this means that one must determine whether one’s idea will have a broad impact on society. Abouelnaga goes on to helpfully note that his own purpose in forming his organization, Practice Makes Perfect, was to help disadvantaged students. But he realized that in order to meet his big-picture goal—creating a more equitable society—he would need the support of other people. The book builds upon its own ideas, and it’s best read as a whole, but the chapters are so neatly focused and streamlined that each manages to stand well on its own. No matter what way one chooses to digest the information, it will certainly be of value to businesspeople at all levels of experience.

A useful manual aimed at socially conscious entrepreneurs.