Today we’re rounding out 2020 with our 80th episode, and we couldn’t be happier hosting our special guest, Nicole Crone. I first met Nicole though Wild Tiger Tees. Since then, she pops up everywhere!
The seed of Nicole Crone’s Inspiration
Nicole’s catapult into social enterprise began in high school when assigned to write a 10-page paper. Luckily, students could choose the topic, and Nicole’s topic search led her to businesses with a social impact. She really immersed herself in social enterprise after a member from a social impact coffee shop gave a talk to one of her classes. She went directly to the person after class to join and made her first connection.
Impact Through University Organizations
In college, mentors encouraged Nicole to join the Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations (SCNO). There she consulted local non-profit projects. She learned the difference in balancing suggestions and integrating actions. When taking a step back, she realized the social enterprises were able to have profit and do good, while the nonprofit model showed that social impact could sometimes be capped based on revenue.
Nicole started at the University of Cincinnati, but she later transferred schools to Ohio State University (OSU). Here she found herself joining Business For Good (formerly Alleviating Poverty Through Entrepreneurship – APTE). Nicole took on a leadership position and shared her experience of successfully organizing a summit for the initiative with an 8-person team. She realized work ethic and passion are huge players in what gets accomplished. She reflected on how the success of the team really shows “…it’s not always about numbers. It’s just about dedication and willingness to dive in, and put yourself out there, and try to make a big impact.”
Connecting with the Community
Being genuine also plays a role in these connections. Nicole discussed networking tips she received on expanding her opportunities. She shares advice specifically for fellow college students on what to do to develop connections. Nicole continued by giving a rundown on her roles in management and strategy throughout different initiatives, including how she landed a job involving my dog’s favorite treats. Like most college students, Nicole thinks about how social impact is going to unfold in her career, but she is not placing too much pressure on herself.
We talk about GiveBackHack 2020, where Nicole participated in the initiative 3-tree for their environment-focused project. She enjoyed the event and spoke about what impact the Columbus area had on her epic journey. Nicole also interacts with initiatives such as Third Way Cafe and Social Ventures. She shared thoughts on what it means to connect with individuals, and how she will personally continue participating:
“I still feel like there are so many other people that I could meet and could talk to. I’m looking forward to trying to set aside some time to just reach out to additional individuals, and knowing that I’ve learned a lot, but the learning never stops…”
If you would like to learn more, you can visit Business For Good on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can connect with Nicole Crone on Linked-in.
