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Find show notes at www.hashtagimpact.com/podcast12 Recorded at Mettā.
This is what you will be asked when you open the website of LocalMotion, a social enterprise based in Hong Kong: “Do you want to live a more meaningful life?” So what if you do? In this episode, we talk to Sarah Fowler and Belinda Poole, Co-Founders of LocalMotion, about the vision behind their matchmaking platform empowering Non-Profits & Social Enterprises through skills-based volunteering.
They share how they made the transition into the Corporate Social Responsibility space and what led them to start LocalMotion. Currently, they are taking on stereotypes when it comes to working in the social sector with their #HeroinesofHK campaign celebrating women making a contribution in the social sector.
“At the moment there is a belief that you have to sacrifice a good paycheque in order to work for an NGO or social enterprise, and that it’s NOT possible to make a big impact and earn money. Now, we are yet to prove our point. However, it seems like the default advice is to tell people that it can’t be done. We think that dissuading people from taking an entrepreneurial approach – before they have even started ! – doesn’t help create the social change that we’re looking for and need”, Sarah and Belinda say.
Photo Credit: LocalMotion & Rooftop Republic. Rooftop Republic is featured on #impact Podcast Episode #2
Sarah explains how they introduce the community to the, for Hong Kong, still very new concept of skills-based volunteering. Belinda shares why it is important to celebrate, also the little milestones. You’ll also hear about that magic moment when they got their first client. Find out why they feel so inspired by the people that work for the organisations they support.
Every founder out there knows these moments all too well: the difficult investor talks and the mixed messages. Sarah and Belinda let you in on their secret how they balance these challenges and stay focused growing their company as well as their impact.
It has a lot to do with them vigorously testing their product and doing market research in the first place, going that extra mile to find out what their clients and partners need. Surrounding themselves with brilliant advisers did not harm either.
No matter where you are in your social impact journey, you will take a lot of valuable action points from this interview.
#MENTIONED in this episode
- Here you can find out more about the inspirational book Belinda mentioned in this episode, showcasing the entrepreneurial journey of the Thankyou brand, a social enterprise, founded in 2008. Thankyou donates 100% of the profits to life-changing food, water and health and sanitation programs around the world.
Belinda did not promise too much. You will not regret getting a sneak peak into their publication “You have the power to change stuff”, available here. - This is an article Belinda wrote on “Don’t follow your passion”. Read it here.
- SAVE THE DATE for the upcoming first live podcast recording FASHION with #impact featuring Christina Dean, Founder of Redress on April 28th at 11.45 am – 2 pm at Eaton House, Central, Hong Kong.
Find out more and RSVP here.
#SPECIAL THANKS
- To my friend Marlene Hofer, who co-hosted this episode.
