Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Business Administration
Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started
What You'll Learn
- Learn what a social entrepreneur is and isn't and whey (and only why) you should become one.
- Hear social entrepreneurs from around the world describe what they wished they'd known when starting out-lessons learned and mistakes made.
- Learn how to prepare yourself to become a social entrepreneur-skills, experience, emotional demands, commitment.
5 Modules
20 Hours
4 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started
Do you have an idea that could help solve a societal problem? Are you wondering if starting a social enterprise is the best way to go forward? You are thinking about becoming a social entrepreneur!
In this course, you’ll critically examine what makes for a good idea, and whether that idea requires starting a new business. You’ll craft a personal immersion plan while considering different ways to create impact. You’ll explore the personal challenges and connections to your life’s purpose before deciding to commit to becoming a social entrepreneur.
Each week, you’ll see and hear from 11 real-life social entrepreneurs, working around the world, and sharing the lessons they’ve learned as well as the mistakes they’ve made and how you can overcome them. Among their experiences are: providing clean water in India and the Dominican Republic, warming premature babies without incubators, improving education in Africa and Detroit, and providing affordable fresh food to low-income residents of Los Angeles. Ultimately, you’ll be able to decide whether your idea is necessary for the world, and if starting a social enterprise is the right path for you. This course is based on the book “Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Starting Out, Scaling Up and Staying True” by Michael Gordon.
Skills You'll Gain
- Entrepreneurship
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Social Policy
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started introduces learners to the foundational decisions involved in launching or exploring a social venture. Through stories from practicing social entrepreneurs, reflective exercises, and guided activities, you will examine problem identification, motivation, skills, and intentions while developing clarity around your potential impact.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Introduction
- Video: Introduction to the Course
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Reading: Help us learn more about you!
- Reading: How To Go Through This Course
- Reading: A special webpage for Coursera students
- Video: Social Entrepreneurship
- Reading: Using the Workbook
- App Item: Launch your Workbook
- Reading: Meet the Social Entrepreneurs
- Video: Learn
- Reading: Learn From Others
- Video: The Challenges of Social Entreprenurship
- Video: Lessons to be Learned
- Reading: *Lessons Left on the Ground*
- App Item: Workbook: notes on Lessons
- Video: Are You a Social Entrepreneur?
- Video: How Did I Become a Social Entrepreneur?
- Video: What is a Social Entrepreneur?
- Graded Assignment: Check your understanding in this ungraded quiz
Module 2: Immersion
- Video: Immersion
- Video: It's Not About You!
- Video: Check Yourself
- Reading: *Knowing vs Understanding*
- Video: Real Experience: You Cannot Learn from Phone Calls
- Video: Live the Problem
- Video: Volunteer
- Video: Use on the Ground Knowledge
- Reading: *Faux Immersion*
- Video: Build an Ecosystem
- Discussion Prompt: Faux Immersion
- App Item: Workbook: Create Your Immersion Plan
- Discussion Prompt: Ask for help, and provide help!
Module 3: Ideas
- Video: Ideas
- Video: Solving a Problem
- Video: Idea or Good Idea?
- Reading: *Good Ideas*
- Reading: *On Whose Shoulders?*
- Video: Research
- Reading: *Developing an Idea*
- Video: A Good Idea is Context-Specific and Can Change
- Video: “Problem First” vs. “Solution First”
- App Item: Ideas Part 1: State the Problem
- App Item: Ideas Part 2: Refine your Problem Statement
- App Item: Ideas Part 3: Develop a succinct message - using the Half-Life technique
- Discussion Prompt: share your “problem statement” experience
Module 4: Be Ready for the Challenge
- Video: Necessity
- Reading: *Necessity*
- Video: Why “Necessity” May Be Hard to Grasp
- Video: Example of “Necessity”
- Video: Join
- Reading: *Joining the chorus*
- Reading: Ecosystem Mapping Activity
- Reading: A reflection on your eco-system map
- Discussion Prompt: Defend your decision to launch a business - OR - find / join / suggest an existing Social Enterprise!
- Video: Personal Challenges
- Video: Profit
- Video: Emotions
- Video: Emotional Roller Coaster
- Video: Threats to You and Your Business
- Video: Extreme Emotional Challenges
- Video: No Glamour (“You'll Want to Quit”)
- Video: Uncertainty
- Video: Burnout
- Video: Isolation & Feeling Misunderstood
- Video: Financial Problems
- Video: Moving Slower Than You'd Like
Module 5: You, Social Entrepreneur
- Video: Pro-Social Behavior
- Video: Pro-social Skills of Social Entrepreneurs
- Reading: *The Sanities of Pro-social Behavior*
- Video: Empathy
- Video: Doing It For Others
- Video: Flexibility & Quiet Confidence
- Video: Resilience
- Video: Persistence & Patience
- Video: Team and Personal Support System
- Video: Faith and Mission
- Video: The “Why”
- Video: Authenticity
- Reading: Bonus Material: next video....
- Video: Bonus Material: How a Social Enterprise Changes Lives
- Discussion Prompt: Explore your Intentions
- Video: Commit
- Video: “All In”
- Video: Going For It
- App Item: The Significant Other Test
- Video: Skills
- App Item: Personal Skills Inventory
- Discussion Prompt: Skills Discussion
- Reading: Activity: Self-Reflection
- Reading: Course Feedback
Grading Policy
You must earn an overall grade of 80% in order to pass the course and earn the certificate. The “Course Activities Reflection” is worth 100% of the final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
What Learners Are Saying
Social entrepreneurs see a world they want to live in and bring it about. If you want to know how they do it – and how you can do it, too – join me in learning from them.
Michael Gordon, PhD Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Business Administration
Social entrepreneurs see a world they want to live in and bring it about. If you want to know how to do it - and how you can do it, too - join me in learning from them.
Michael Gordon, PhD Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Social Entrepreneurial Studies
