KANDICE JACOBS CREATIONS

Social entrepreneurship is a very compelling concept for consideration by the business-world. Social entrepreneurship is an idea popularized by Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka - a global training organization for social entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurs are agents for change who use business models to creatively address social problems. This paradigm shift in thinking, and method of operation across industries, is addressed by authors Kristof & WuDunn in their Pulitzer Prize winning work entitled, Half The Sky (2009:54-55). 

 

Acknowledging the problems existing within society (around the world), social entrepreneurs use business models/problem-solving strategies to help combat or minimize the impact of these social ills. Theodore Roosevelt famously stated that, "No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care." Social entrepreneurs see aiding human-beings, and thus society as a whole, as "the end-goal" -- not simply a means to tax advantages and good press. Profitability is believed to be the natural by-product of such a genuine focus though. For, the consumer will ultimately spend their money somewhere, on some product or service. However, that consumer is far more likely to purchase from an entity with which he/she feels two things: (1) his/her need has successfully been met and (2) he/she feels personally valued. The social entrepreneur chooses to extend a helping hand today, thus establishing a relationship and not just performing a transaction.

 

Thus, I am committed to practicing social entrepreneurship. As a death care professional and female entrepreneur, I choose to use my business model of directing & design to address social problems closely affecting women and young people. Thus, *KJC will offer (1) "Design Grant" per year, per local funeral home, to help alleviate the financial burden of client families who meet any of the following criteria:

 

• Loss of a young person age 0 - 21 who has died by violent means

• Loss of a female relative who has died as a result of domestic violence

• Loss of a female relative who has died as a result of documentable Alzheimer's Disease/or Dementia [in honor of my maternal grandmother, Mae Eva Howell]

 

*I will donate my design rate on a basic memorial package OR Memorial DVD at the funeral home owner's request, up to two families per year, per funeral home, for families experiencing loss due to the aforementioned circumstances. The only charge billed to the funeral home for the design project will be for the cost of stationery materials, printing/or delivery. In extending this design grant, the funeral home agrees not to present a bill to the family for more than the aforementioned KJC expenses invoiced.