Say Thankyou for disruptive power
The business community talks a lot about the transformative power of disruption. But in reality, the forces of convention usually win out.
Most of us who go to business conferences and presentations will be sick of hearing references to Uber and Airbnb. The success of the simple idea which breaks the mould is fascinating. Who would have thought there would be a taxi company that didn’t own any taxis, or an accommodation provider with no property ownership?
To be truly disruptive is a state of mind, points out an amazing book I have been reading by the Australian social entrepreneur Daniel Flynn. In You Have The Power To Change Stuff: Chapter One, Flynn details how his dream of setting up a business to have a real impact on global poverty took shape - from his parents’ garage.
Flynn and his team operate a social enterprise - Thankyou which produces lines of fast moving consumer goods such as bottled water, muesli bars, body care products and baby supplies, and distributes the profits to global projects alleviating poverty, health challenges and maternal mortality.
Millions of people around the world have already been helped. But while elements of his story will be familiar to any start-up, the truly disruptive nature of his business shows how rare that quality actually is.
The book itself has no price, leaving it up to the purchaser to decide its worth. And it is printed horizontally, to remind readers each time they turn the page of how doing things differently has the power to truly challenge the status quo.
Madness? Well, while Flynn says people have paid 50 cents for it, another paid $5000. The money raised is used to develop and launch new products with the aim of doing good in the world.
The social enterprise culture in the Southern Hemisphere is just getting going, but Flynn’s ideas are inspiring for their ambition and practical impact.
Next week, Sunday Business will be looking at some of the social entrepreneurs who are in the New Zealand vanguard to a new business future.