Impact Business Leaders (IBL), a company dedicated to building the social enterprise sector, announced the launch of their IBL@Utah program in Salt Lake City, hosted by the James Lee Sorenson Global Impact Investing Center (SGII), with further support by The Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund and Hitachi Foundation. The program aims to provide skills, mentorship and job opportunities to professionals looking to kick-start their career in social enterprise.
Around the world, social enterprises for-profit businesses that produce a good or service to solve a social problem are proliferating as more entrepreneurs connect their desire to create lasting social or environmental impact with their urge to innovate and build world-class businesses. But these social enterprises often struggle to find the right talent to scale, and it can be a surprisingly hard sector to break into. It is estimated roughly 40 percent of U.S. social enterprises have fewer than five employees.[i] Yet many young professionals are eager to use their business skills to make a tangible difference in the world.
“We have found that globally it is difficult for young professionals to break into social enterprise careers and equally difficult for social enterprises to find the right experienced talent needed to grow,” said IBL¹s Executive Director, David Kyle, who has built start-ups on several continents and worked with Citibank, Acumen Fund, and Calvert Foundation. Impact Business Leaders is filling the market gap by training business professionals, thoroughly vetting both fellows and job opportunities, and matching candidates into social enterprises. By 2015, they aim to have placed 250 professionals into social enterprises globally.
“Our experience shows that our process is very effective at connecting people with jobs in a way that both sides can be excited about, and we expect the vast majority of fellows to secure placements with our partners,” said Kyle.
The IBL@Utah program begins in September 2014 and will offer up to 30 fellows an intensive two-week course exploring social enterprise and impact investing at the University of Utah¹s James Lee Sorenson Global Impact Investing Center (SGII). Unlike other training courses, the IBL program will be taught by leading practitioners such as Ross Baird of Village Capital, Lewis Hower of SGII, Andy Lower of ADAP Capital, and others.
IBL fellows will learn the hands-on reality of building and sustaining innovative businesses and working with investors. They will also gain an enhanced skill-set that will help them add immediate value to social enterprises. SGII¹s Executive Director, Lewis Hower, noted: “IBL fellows leave the training with practical knowledge they can leverage from day one in their job placement. We have a great network of investors and entrepreneurs to provide top-notch workshops, so fellows should come ready to engage and learn.”
IBL fellows are also provided with valuable support in getting their first job in a social enterprise. IBL’s wide network of social enterprises and impact investors enables IBL to find and place fellows so that they can gain practical experience for up to a year. IBL’s partners are also excited about the program as it provides a source of strong talent to grow their businesses. Previous fellows have been placed with IBL partners around the world: Village Capital, SOCAP, Waste Capital Partners, Unreasonable East Africa, and others.
Corey, an IBL Fellow with a consulting and international development background, discussed her placement with a company in Kenya: “IBL facilitated a placement for me at One Degree Solar as a Project Manager. I still have to pinch myself each day that I am working for such an incredible social enterprise. I would not have been able to get to where I am today without IBL and I highly recommend IBL to any early to mid-career professionals.”
IBL is looking for professionals with 3-5+ years of experience, an undergraduate degree, and a genuine interest to pursue a career solving major global challenges. Mr. Kyle encouraged potential applicants to learn more and apply at www.impactbusinessleaders.com.
