Social Enterprise – A Way to Give Back and Build Community with Kathy Wong

Creating a Business Model That Can Foster and Impact Change

Kathy knew she wanted to find a way to give back, and she knew she was not alone in that desire. In her pursuit of finding a way to give back Kathy discovered the social enterprise model. This is where a product or service creates income that allows the enterprise to give back. Inspiration struck while Kathy was at the beach, and she decided her product would be thongs or flip-flops that leave a print of an inspirational message in the sand.

She also knew that shoes in India were a luxury, and kids were not able to go to school if they didn’t have shoes. Kathy also knew that there were many liked minded people that wanted to give back, but didn’t know where to start. She started sharing her stories and ideas on Facebook and was delighted to discover that people all over the globe were responding and being inspired.

Creating Connections Through Story and Community Passion

A community of like minded people with a desire to help was built through Kathy sharing her story on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. What started out as Kathy sharing affirmations and mantras turned into the story of the Moeloco product unfolding as the community evolved. Kathy thinks she inspired people because they would see themselves in the story. They were inspired because as things unfolded they realized if she could do it, they could do it. The community is what makes it all possible and that is really powerful.

Motivating the Community to Take Action 

Continual engagement can turn passion into action. By telling and continuing the story through blog posts and living the story through events, action is inspired. When people can see and feel the relationship of the children in India it is very powerful. They plan a yearly trip to India, so that people can see and build on the relationships that are fostered through the organization and the community of supporters.(post continues after image)

Community Passion Overcomes Negativity 

Negativity has only come from outside the community. Some have asked, “why are you only giving shoes, and not more”. The shoes give a helping hand, but the real benefit of the social enterprise is the education. When people are living in such abject poverty, everything can’t be changed overnight. Small steps can lead to big change. The community is so passionate about the cause that when negativity was encountered they responded for Kathy.

The community shares the passion and tells the story. This helps to find opportunity and to collaborate with other communities and charities. This story has actually inspired others to create their own social enterprises.

Communication Platforms

The audience is always on Facebook. Major channels for communication they use are Facebook and Instagram, but they also share the stories through their blogs and YouTube videos, but they use the same channels for distribution.

Top Communication Tips for Community Connection

Be authentic in everything you do. At first, Kathy didn’t even want to show her face, but she knew she needed to share who was behind the movement and share her real authentic self. Kathy may not know all the answers, and she is not afraid to ask for and accept help. This business has only been established for 18 months, but it has been a very personal journey for Kathy that was actually 20 years in the making.