Earlier this year I attended Ballet under the Stars, I haven’t been to the ballet in years and it was definitely worthwhile! It was actually a dress rehearsal, but the organizers had very kindly agreed to allow children from MINDS to attend free of charge. It was a private viewing of the ballet mixed with really fun interaction from the Artistic Director (choreographer).
I’m pretty sure it didn’t cost the theater company anything, and was helpful for the performers to have an audience. It had tremendous value for the kids & their parents though, not to mention our team of volunteers (who were suitably impressed). Even though it was a great opportunity, there wasn’t any press coverage. They did it because it was a good thing to do. It was a small contribution to making the world a better place.
“The Marc Benioff approach of choosing one thing that you can work towards is a great way to ensure your business makes a positive difference in the communities it serves, while ensuring that you aren’t biting off more than you can chew. What one thing does your business do to help others?” – Richard Branson
Whether it’s Richard Branson who thinks that protecting our natural resources is a great entrepreneurial opportunity, or Marc Bernioff who is committed to creating equal opportunities for women in the workplace – one thing is clear. You can make a profit, get some good PR, and save the world at the same time. If you Google either of these two moguls you’ll see articles talking about their social work, but both are very distinct. They’ve focused on specific areas and are recognized as personalities that represent the cause. Whilst trying to save the world, they’re recognized as being evangelists for their particular cause. Which is much more news worthy than being known as “that guy that does alot of charity work”.
Rather than jumping at every opportunity, find one cause that you believe in and work towards it. It’ll help you develop expertise in an area, achieve more – and for the Machiavellian, might lead to some recognition & good PR opportunities.
What do you believe in?
