Many people ask: When we want to establish a social start-up, is it really important to write a business (or let's say social) plan? The answer is yes: It doesn't matter if you're talking about a business idea or a social idea, in any case, you need to raise funds from companies, banks, people or individual investors and having a document like business plan is necessary for them to be able to make their decision.

Makezen's Reflections, a social entrepreneurship blog, has written a number of "To-Dos" for writing a business plan for social start up which I think are very valuable. Below I have brought the more important ones, hope you enjoy them:

- Look at the process of making a business plan as a learning process- it is never ending.

- If your idea is of "confidential" matter, talk to people you trust in order to get their feedback. If the idea is not a secret, try to "sell" it to anybody that you encounter.

- Work with the business plan from three levels: strategic, tactical and operational. Try to balance between those three levels. Most importantly, don't lose yourself in a 5 year's strategy when you don't even know what you will do in the next 3 months!

- Do plan, but do also allow yourself to explore other opportunities that come along.

I found this cool video about Muhammad Yunus, owner of a local bank in Bangladesh, who was recently awarded Noble Prize for his efforts on starting social ventures. In this video, he talks about the need for business thinkers to lead the way and be the first movers in starting social start-ups in their industries. He gives example of Micro Finance work he has done in his home country and also highlights some challenges like the need for creating Social MBA programs in business school to feed the opportunity market.



I think his later point has already come into realization as I heard that IESE, one of the top 10 business schools has started such program and schools such as Harvard and MIT in the U.S. are moving the same way.

Hope you enjoy the video!

Green Living Online has a wonderful list tips for a green new year's party. I will certainly keep this handy as a checklist for the party just to make sure I don't forget anything.

There was one thing in particular that was news to me though:

"If you do need to go disposable then make sure everything is biodegradable. That means no plastic, Styrofoam or foil. There are lots of options available, including disposable dishes made out of potato starch that will decompose. Look for paper napkins that are at least 80 percent post-consumer recycled paper that are naturally brown or bleached. Seventh Generation sells some great green paper products. Read more about the available products in Keeping your plate green."

Plates made of potato starch - neat! I think the only way they could improve on that idea is to make them edible.

More often than not, no matter all your best intentions, your New Year's resolutions still fail. You probably can't even remember your 2007 resolution, can you? Although, I'm certainly one to talk - I can't remember mine either!

However, now more than ever, it is absolutely imperative to fix your carbon carnival lifestyle and work toward living your life a bit more harmoniously with nature. The why's are pretty much known to you, the only problems that remain are how and what. Here is "how", and the upcoming series with 2,008 eco-friendly and green habits will help you out with "what".

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

In an effort to not be a Scrooge, all I'm going to say is I hope you didn't get wrapped up in negligent consumerism and all the typical political correction of Christmas. I mean, come on - Santa is too fat?

Trust me, the gluttony of old Saint Nick is not why we have an obesity epidemic. Kids loving and believing in Santa 200 years ago were just as prone to obesity, due to his obesity, as kids today. This latest assault on "normal" bodies in media could only mean media is still trying to promote anorexia as more and more people try to look like the "beautiful people."

At any rate - here's to hoping your holidays are spent with family, cheer, and generosity at heart. Best wishes to you and yours!

Wow! It is such an honor to be so useful to so many great resources. Thank you all, so very much - I'm totally flattered!

The School for social entrepreneurs lists Audeamus as one of their picks for the "most influential / readable / interesting / relevant blogs" on social responsibility. I have to say, the School for Social Entrepreneurs blog is pretty interesting too. Great to have found another awesome addition to my reading list!

Audeamus is also one of the Top 7 Picks for Echoing Green - a group that gives out $90,000 in seed funding to social entrepreneurs through a two year fellowship program. I'm quite honored to be in their top picks with such prestigious blogs as Have Fun Do Good (who also linked to Audeamus), How to Change the World, Spare Change, Social ROI, NonProfit Times, and Social Edge.

The Long Arm of Corporate Social Responsibility is also in Creative Weblogging's Top 10 for December 17, 2007.

And last but most certainly not least, Audeamus is in the blogroll for Hermes' Journeys (a typically political and sociological blog) and Sharing Witness, a blog on "social problems, unique perspectives, [and] innovative solutions", while Buzztracker linked back on my coverage of the fact Australia will remain strong, despite the recent election.

Thanks again!