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Social enterprise and making money are two concepts that we don’t usually think fit together in society. Social entrepreneur Noam Kostucki, however, thinks that the recent economic crisis is an opportunity to rethink and restructure the ways that businesses and charities operate.

The University of �Թ��� and its entrepreneurial-orientated students were delighted to welcome back Noam, after his first inspirational talk to us last year on Social Enterprise: “What happens when business meets charity”.

Noam failed to disappoint. He believes that everyone can make money from doing good, and is proud to be the co-founder and managing Director of seeducation (www.seeducation.org), a social eco-system that aims to bring together people who want to make the world a better place.

After dropping out of university, the social entrepreneur set up an executive coaching and corporate training company in Poland, working with multinationals like HP and Tata, as well as Polish banks, IT and real estate companies.

Noam Kostucki’s talk explored how to develop the attitude it takes to overcome obstacles to trying to do good, and how best to achieve results through asking the ultimate question ‘WHY?’ He demonstrated this by using an example of one of the BBE students’ businesses.

Noam believes that entrepreneurs and business leaders don’t have to choose between financial profitability and having a positive social impact. With a room full of young (money-driven) wannabe entrepreneurs, it was something that he was eager to continuously stress to his audience. He also points out that charities can become fully sustainable and independent by developing the skills needed to create products and services needed by the public.

So how can we turn an idea into a social, money-making reality? “Don’t give up on living with purpose. The secret is to do what you love” advises Kostucki. “We don’t have to accept the way things are. Organisations that thrive make money from doing good.”

Report by Oliver Rowlinson (Business Enterprise student)