Three Ways Entrepreneurs are Impacting Communities

Entrepreneurs like me with companies less than five years old can feel like a drop in the ocean of the business world. We come up with what we believe to be a world-changing idea and spend day and night working to create a ripple, eventually a wave. But no matter how much progress each of us has individually made, collectively entrepreneurs are significantly improving the communities we live and work in, and it’s time to recognize our contributions. In honor of Global Entrepreneurship Week, please give yourselves a round of applause for:

1. Giving Back

TOMS Shoes may be the first company that comes to mind with the success of their One for One program, but a slew of new brands like SOLO Eyewear have followed suit, contributing millions of dollars and products to communities worldwide. This model works well for entrepreneurs that need to scale contributions with sales, and is reinforced by 2013 Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Study findings that “91% of global consumers are likely to switch brands to one associated with a good cause, given comparable price and quality.” Taking the model even further, startups like MOGL, Skooltopia, and FlipGive enable consumers to donate a percentage of dining, product, and gift card purchases toward chosen schools and causes, opening up additional channels for communities to fundraise for needed services.

2. Creating Jobs and Fostering the Happiness of Employees and Stakeholders

Tony Hsieh of Zappos took this to an extreme when he started the Las Vegas Downtown Project which owns or invests in 300 businesses, including eateries, a school, a park, and a hotel, but he had the right idea in creating a better community for Las Vegas residents, Zappos employees, visitors, and partners. While most startups can’t buy our own bars, we do collectively create satisfying jobs for people–a striking two-thirds of all new jobs in the U.S. (8 million in 2007), according to Kauffman Foundation research.

3. New Technologies and Solutions for Community Organizations  

Having spent a lot of time volunteering with nonprofits, I’ve seen repetitive and inefficient practices that could (and should) be updated. Although not necessarily a lucrative market in itself, organizations like schools and charities provide necessary support to their communities, so technologies that benefit them benefit all. My own startups, DonationMatch.com and SamplingForGood, have streamlined access to almost $4 Million in goods used as prizes in fundraising events, while also giving companies an organized, time-saving portal for in-kind marketing. AmpYourGood is radically improving how food drives work so that nothing ever sits in a collection bin, enabling even fresh produce to be simply delivered to food pantries. Pay It Forward Processing lets merchants automatically donate a percentage of all credit card transactions to a designated charity. And VolunteerMatch connects volunteers to organizations. Hundreds of hours are being saved thanks to entrepreneurs who thought, “There must be a better way.”

As much as it sometimes feels like our individual contributions are (yet) unseen, we entrepreneurs are doing extraordinary things for our communities and people’s lives, without necessarily realizing it. Take time to celebrate these accomplishments, continue pursuing your dreams, and I’d love to hear about new ways you’re creating impact, too. _____________________________________________________________________

This blog was contributed by Renee Zau, the Co-Founder and CEO of DonationMatch.com and SamplingforGood.com, a self-service platforms that streamline win-win connections between businesses or brands and their target audiences through community events. Raised in Silicon Valley and now living in San Diego, Renee is an entrepreneur at heart who thrives on the supportive startup community, partnerships, figuring out ways to make systems more efficient, simplicity, and sunshine.