Gingras Global Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 51

Investing in entrepreneurs who are passionately committed to addressing a social need, improving their communities or bettering the world while at the same time making money is a way to make a sustainable difference. I would argue that making money while doing good is one of the most sustainable and powerful ways to change the world!

In addition to empowering and enhancing what’s good in other and in communities, impact investing means increasing access to capital and other resources that social enterprises need, but some have often not been able to access [these resources]. It means employing equity strategies to ensure the social entrepreneurs have both the resources and the tools to be effective and sustainable.

What should be our bulls-eye when we think about our investing or the kinds of businesses we launch? People, people, people. Not just my people or your people but all people. Can our economic decisions benefit the common good? Can more of humanity thrive if we participate in impact investing and social enterprise? These two are proving that pure capitalism is becoming a thing of the past.

In my opinion, social impact investing is a "back to basics" approach to supporting small business. It's just a "new label" for investing in the types of companies that have always been responsible for the majority of economic growth-- and are the backbone of our economy. Social impact investors have stepped in where traditional banks left off 30-40 years ago-- when they would evaluate risk reasonably, and to extend credit to customers to support their ability to grow and scale local businesses and create jobs in their communities.