Lara Galinsky of Echoing Green answers listener questions about creating meaningful careers. Britt Bravo hosts the show.

Question 1: I had hibernated for twenty years as a home maker and due to changed circumstances that I found myself in I had to pursue a career to bring up my children all by myself. I was successful in this endeavor and have also completed a eight year stint in the social sector. I now want to set up my own non-profit organization that will create resources for women as well as them help them set goals for themselves and become self reliant. Where can I seek start up funds for such an organization?

Question 2: Does an organization have to be non profit or not-for-profit to be considered a social entrepreneurship project?

After a short break, the Be Bold Podcast returns!

Lara Galinsky of Echoing Green answers listener questions about creating meaningful careers. Britt Bravo hosts the show.

Question 1: I've been a development professional for 3 years (1.5 in membership and 1.5 in grantwriting). I would like to move out of development and into programmatic work but am having no luck. I've tried to highlight the skills I've gained that would be valuable to program work (communication skills, research, project management, etc.) but I'm worried that they're just not perceived as good enough (i.e., related enough) to qualify me. I've heard that most development professionals have a hard time breaking into program work. Is this true? What can I do?

Question 2: How do I overcome hesitation and fear of public speaking?  I feel like this is holding back my career.

Lara Galinsky of Echoing Green answers listener questions about creating meaningful careers. Britt Bravo hosts the show.

Question 1: What professional resources (i.e., legal, marketing, accounting, etc.) are available to take an idea, which has received great reviews from various constituencies that I have discussed it with, from the concept stage to fruition while running a small commercial business with its daily responsibilities? Are there consultants available and, if so, how do they get compensated and how is the concept properly protected?

Question 2: When thinking about my future and what programs of higher level education will best prepare me to make the impact I want to make, I get really caught up in how long it's going to take. I get frustrated thinking about the time it takes, when really all I want to do is start NOW. Move now, and start working now to make people's lives more comfortable, and to help more children survive into adolescent and adult years. However, I know that educational preparation is important to fully realizing my goals. Medical school takes years, and an MD/PhD program can take 8 years or more. I plan to apply for a Fulbright grant for personal research after my senior year to help me get a better idea about what my part should be in the greater scheme of things--but this sets me back a year, and I'm already behind a year because of other exciting opportunities I've taken. What can I do to start making my impact now, while I'm pursuing graduate level education (and will be strapped for cash and therefore unable to contribute financially to programs I support)?

Lara Galinsky of Echoing Green answers listener questions about creating meaningful careers.  Britt Bravo hosts the show.

Question 1:
I'm launching a CPA/Consulting firm dedicated to advising and helping organizations and individuals who value people and planet.  I'm interested in locating highly qualified business partners but so many people want the guarantee and stability of a firm paycheck.  How do I locate and entice dreamers, risk takers and do-gooders to collaborate in an entrepreneurial venture and share some of the risk?

Question 2:
I am passionately interested in the future and cutting edge ideas and solutions. I would like to empower women, youth and seniors…underserved people by providing easy to understand information and resources on alternative energy, sustainable living, green jobs and old and new conservation practices. Do you have any suggestions on where I can amass extensive information on these subjects on my own? Are there government agencies, no-profits, individuals, trade organizations or businesses providing this service now? Some of the conferences are quite expensive and as a single parent, often a six day a week full time employee, I am unable to attend a college courses or a university at this time.

Resources mentioned in this show:

TreeHugger.com
Grist.org
TriplePundit.com
Earth2Tech.com
GreenforAll.org
EPA.gov/teachers

Lara Galinsky of Echoing Green answers listener questions about creating meaningful careers.  Britt Bravo hosts the show.

Question 1:
What does it mean to be a leader working for social change (as a community organizer), where the emphasis is on collaboration, to build upon the natural skills and talents already present within the community and to share power?  In other words, describe leadership models that support social change organizing.

Question 2:
I am 41 years old and work as a nonprofit ED and a grant proposal writing consultant.  I will start courses towards an MBA in October, and would like to earn a CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive).  I really want to advance into a CEO realm, and lead a large organization, but I am not sure if I am positioning myself correctly. What advice would you have?

Lara Galinsky of Echoing Green answers listener questions about creating meaningful careers.  Britt Bravo hosts the show.

Question 1:
I am bootstrapping a social enterprise in my "spare time” while balancing multiple consulting projects to pay the bills and keep my family budget nearly in -balance.  My wife jokes that the cash flow distinction between unemployed and social entrepreneur is merely semantics.  My question is, what is the best way to identify and screen for appropriate sources of seed capital for hybrid businesses?

For potentially venture backed businesses, there are some great sources (VentureOne, for instance) which allow an entrepreneur to quick sort through the thousands of funding sources to identify funders by stage, investment category, industry, etc.


Question 2:
I'm considering leaving a lucrative career as a lawyer in New York City to enter a career in public service.  How can I find a career that will allow me to serve the public (perhaps at a nonprofit organization) but also make enough money to support myself?

In this episode, Lara answers questions about Echoing Green's book, Be Bold and the upcoming call for stories. 

Lara Galinsky of Echoing Green answers listener questions about creating meaningful careers.  Britt Bravo hosts the show.

In this episode, Lara answers questions about the Echoing Green Fellowship including:
- What is the Echoing Green Fellowship?
- What are the application requirements?
- What are common mistakes in the application process?
- What additional resources does Echoing Green provide to applicants?

Applications to the fellowship are due December 1, 2008.

Lara Galinsky of Echoing Green answers listener questions about creating meaningful careers.  Britt Bravo hosts the show.

Q1. I recently quit from an organization where I worked for the last 11 years.  I haven’t decided what to do next and am considering doing consultancy work.  How do I market myself given that I’ve never done this kind of work before?

Q2. I am currently completing a Ph.D in Anthropology with a focus in U.S. Historical Archeology.  I am now interested in pursuing a career with either a nonprofit or NGO abroad working primarily in the area of education and educational development policy.  My question is twofold: 1. How do I now market myself for this field when most of my education and research has been in another field and primarily in the US and 2. While looking for organizations to apply to, I have not had much luck in finding any geared towards education and education development abroad. Are there any particularly useful websites, or organizations that I could direct my search to?

In this episode of the podcast, Britt Bravo discusses two questions with Echoing Green Vice President, Lara Galinsky.  In the first question, a listener with a background as a television producer asks how to build a career in storytelling for social change.  In the second question, a listener asks if it's okay to pursue a career with social impact despite less than altruistic motives.