LESSON PLAN ā¢ IMPACT LAB
The Entrepreneur: Purpose-Driven Business
Students compare business models built for social and environmental impact, watch entrepreneurs who use them, and design and pitch a social enterprise of their own.
Students Will
- Compare business, nonprofit, and hybrid models
- Evaluate how a business addresses a social or environmental issue
- Design an organization’s mission, product, and revenue model
- Collaborate in a team
- Deliver a formal pitch
Preparation
Review the resources at the end of this page. Select 1 or 2 films from the Business for Good collection (suggested films below).
AT A GLANCE
FOR
High school, higher education (business, social entrepreneurship), and leadership programs
TIME
Three class periods; expandable to a full semester
FORMAT
Groups of 3 to 4
FILMS
1 or 2 films from the Business for Good collection
YOU’LL NEED
B Canvas worksheet; a simple feedback rubric
SUGGESTED DISCERNMENT LENSES
Position and Evidence
Step 1: Business as a force for good
Introduce the idea of using business to address social and environmental problems. Using the resources below, introduce terms such as social business, social enterprise, and B Corporation. Use the comparison graphic to show how the models differ.
Ask students:
- What are the pros and cons of each model?
- Name examples of each model, especially in your own community or region.
- Why would an entrepreneur choose one model over another? Are some problems better handled by one model?
- In each model, who decides what social impact is desirable, and who is affected by the work?
Step 2: Watch the films
Before viewing, introduce The Discernment Protocol. For this lesson, we suggest emphasizing the Position lens (who made this film, and why?) and the Evidence lens (what shows this business works?).
Screen the films. Students note their thoughts and questions as they watch. Pause between films to share. Then discuss:
- What entrepreneurial solution does each film show?
- How does each business address a specific social or environmental issue?
- What is the entrepreneur’s connection to the issue?
- What evidence does the film give that the business is working?
- Tip: Ask students to research the businesses in the films: how they work today, and how they communicate their mission. Read the filmmaker Q&A for background.
Step 3: Design a social enterprise
Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4. Assign each group a social or environmental issue, or let groups choose. Each group designs a social enterprise that addresses its issue, defining:
- Purpose and mission
- Product or service
- Audience and the population it serves
- How it earns revenue
- Organizational structure
- Name, logo, and slogan
- Tip: Give groups the B Canvas, a visual tool for designing business models with a purpose.
Step 4: Pitch
Each group pitches its enterprise to the class. Classmates give feedback using a simple rubric:
- What questions or clarifications do you have?
- What were the strengths of the idea?
- What would you improve?
- What did you like most about the presentation?
- Tip: For an extra challenge, use the Lightning Talk (Ignite format): presenting in 5 minutes.
Take it further
Pair each group with a local business. Students design a way for that business to increase its positive impact in the community, such as a restaurant reducing food waste or donating meals to a nearby shelter. Invite judges from different backgrounds, including the business owners, to vote on the best idea. Consider a prize, such as funding to carry out the project or a feature in the local paper.
For higher education and leadership programs: run the full-semester version as a capstone. Teams build a complete business model and pitch to a panel of faculty, alumni, or local entrepreneurs.
Suggested films
- Why B Corps Matter (6 min)
- The Happiness Shop (10 min)
- Dignity With Flowers (5 min)
- Brighter (11 min)
See the full Business for Good collection. Go behind the scenes with the filmmaker Q&A.
ā CHANGEMAKER AWARD
Students, educators, and institutions who take their learning further can apply for the SIMA Changemaker Award.
Standards Alignment
Global competence: OECD PISA Global Competence; Asia Society Center for Global Education.
Common Core (US):
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1: Participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5: Make strategic use of digital media in presentations.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats.
International Baccalaureate: MYP: Individuals and Societies; Design. DP: Business Management; Economics. CP: reflective project.
