Social Enterprise Fundamentals

Facilitated by Nicole Dean from The Mill House Ventures.

If you’ve ever thought about incorporating a social or environmental purpose into your business, or even considered whether becoming a social enterprise could be right for you, this session is a great place to start. Join us for Social Enterprise Fundamentals, a practical introduction to what social enterprise actually means, how different models work and what it could look like to build a social enterprise yourself.

We’ll unpack the fundamentals of social enterprise, including common definitions and standards, different types of social enterprise models and real-world examples. We’ll also explore the difference between a social enterprise and a business that simply operates in a socially responsible way — because doing good business and being a social enterprise aren’t necessarily the same thing.

If you’re considering starting a social enterprise, we’ll then look at some of the key things to think about as your idea develops, including different business structures, what social enterprise can look like for a sole trader and where you can find support and guidance.

Whether you’re just starting to explore the idea or already have a business with a social or environmental purpose, this session will give you a clearer understanding of the social enterprise landscape and some practical next steps.

The Mill House Ventures is a not-for-profit company committed to the growth and impact of social enterprises in the Canberra region. They offer programs that support the emergence and growth of social ventures so they can have the greatest impact.

Nicole Deen (our presenter) works in Program and Community engagement at Mill House Ventures, working directly with business owners and the community, helping purpose-led founders strengthen their ideas, grow their ventures and increase their social impact.