ENT141 Innovative Social Enterprises
When:  Spring
Credits:  3
Enrollment Restrictions:  Must have at least Sophomore standing.
Additional Notes:  This course is required for the ENT for Social Impact Minor. This course is offered in collaboration with Tisch College for Civic Life.

Instructors

Julianne Zimmerman

Julianne Zimmerman

As Managing Director with Reinventure Capital, she invests in a chronically overlooked pool of entrepreneurs: people of color and women.

Description

Innovative Social Enterprises is structured to provide students a highly interactive exploration of core skills vital to social entrepreneurs. We start with awareness (self, context, relationships) and move quickly to practicing requisite disciplines (asking questions; testing and reframing assumptions; forming teams and other alliances; identifying opportunities, risks, and resources; giving and critiquing pitches; making go / no-go decisions). We will practice an iterative rhythm of weekly information gathering, sensing, assessment, and reframing, with emphasis on creating compelling value for multiple stakeholders. Students will engage in individual reflection, individual and team pitching, and active discussion. This course is designed to equip students with a practical discipline of asking effective questions. Whether students aim to found social enterprises, join social enterprises, or possibly fund, regulate, or incubate social enterprises, they will come away with sharpened agency and actionable practices for innovative leadership in the social enterprise sphere.