Our digital world is awesome. We can connect to so many people and initiatives around the world. We still go out to our everyday stores, and that is where social enterprise can still grow. Even more than that, let’s think about the places that don’t have many social enterprises readily accessible in local areas. What if we could clone our favorite social enterprises, and introduce them to the communities they’re needed the most?
In this series, called ALL Ways, we’ll grow to know social enterprises by their charming points. We say “charming” to refer to branding and approaches that help us see another way to manage social entrepreneurship. We’ll also suggest ways to interact or use these charming points in our own involvements with social enterprise (personally and professionally).
This post is an outside observation of a company for inspiration in social enterprise interaction and engagement.
In today’s post, we look into the business booster Stage Six expanding social good through franchising. Stage Six assists thriving social enterprises in scaling their business with a franchise model.
Knowing the company: Stage Six
Commercially viable social enterprises can contact Stage Six to scale their business and social impact with a franchise model. Stage Six seeks to provide a framework for social enterprises to scale rapidly, vastly, and sustainably. Not only this but the initiative is geared toward scaling local entrepreneurs as they believe in their powerhouse potential. Currently, some examples of social enterprises they helped scale are in health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation, housing, and clean energy.
Before helping initiatives scale, Stage Six works with teams to determine if a franchise model is reasonable, or even the right direction for the kind of impact that social enterprise is aiming for. That’s actually where the name “Stage Six” is inspired from. They evaluate businesses to find which stage the team is in and work on a solution from that point. If a franchise model is a good option for the social enterprise, Stage Six provides technical assistance to build up and expand the reach of that team.
Stage Six is interested in executing viable social enterprise systems locally, nationally, and eventually globally. Services provided by Stage Six fall under the following general categories: franchise assessment and evaluation, franchise system design and development, and operational support.
What Surprised Us
Since Stage Six has an affinity for strengthening local systems, there is a chance to improve the community economy and employment. On the About Us page, they talk about the impact on local communities: “Because our clients use the franchise model to expand, they all create local business ownership opportunities and jobs.” Creating a strong system locally turns repeating that system in another locality much simpler. An easy, efficient, repeatable process is always set to scale.
Social impact is multiplied by this use of franchise models for social good. In fact, it’s not too far off to consider the work Stage Six is doing as an exponential amplifier for social impact. The initiative is removing financial barriers to franchise development by offering services at below-market rates, but still ensuring their own social enterprise model is stable. Stage Six offers at below-market rates in exchange for a share of their client’s future success, such as royalty share or equity.
What is the benefit for good
Two of the biggest charming points of Stage Six are empowering local economies and increasing the expansion of social good with a repeatable framework. Developing local economies can increase community involvement, quality of life, and ownership. Simply building franchises with people of that local economy, rather than a larger foreign franchise gaining a monopoly in the region, provides a more transparent connection with stakeholders.
Expanding social good is one of the top priorities of social enterprises. We all do our part, and discovering ways to increase the reach of social good is a natural next step. Doing your part could mean joining a franchise and helping a viable, proven solution be more accessible to the communities that would benefit from the social impact of that franchise.
Investing in Social Franchise could turn into a great incentive for those wanting to get into social enterprise, but are concerned about coming up with a new business idea. Similarly, franchise models may also be attractive for financial backers that want to include social enterprises in their portfolios. Opening the stage for the franchise model within social impact further normalizes social good being a natural part of business.
What’s Next
We like to encourage actively participating with positive initiatives. Each person making their own choice to participate adds up! Whether you engage for fun, inspiration, or expression, here are our suggestions for engaging this initiative:
Personal
- Remember to support local or small social enterprises so they can gain momentum to expand their social impact.
- Recommend Stage Six to your favorite social enterprises that you want to see in your area if they are not there already.
Professional
- Ask yourself if a franchise model fits in the long-term vision of your social enterprise.
- Talk with your team about what types of consulting could positively scale your social enterprise.
People Helping People Podcast is seeking methods clearly supporting an effective impact. Observations and discussions on happenings in the social enterprise community is a significant part of our contribution to social good. Continue to check-in for more conversation-starting content.
Relevant podcast episodes
- Dr. Lynda Ulrich of Ever Widening Circles Shares the Four Shifts for a New World
- SocialVentures’ Allen Proctor is Connecting the Ecosystem of Social Impact
- GoodFind’s Nohelia Rambal Talks About the Ripple Effect of Small Commitments
Relevant blog posts
- Mindset and Attitude: The Key to a Successful Side Hustle
- 9 Practical Steps in Building a Successful Social Impact Business
