Engage a Personal Connection: Never Underestimate the Power of Coffee

Engaging a personal connection is more than a tweet, a like, and a plus.  And if you are a social innovator, a social entrepreneur, or an entrepreneurial non-profiteer—here is one thing I have learned over the past few months of launching and growing Innov8Social that may apply to you too:

Never underestimate the power of meeting up for coffee.

No Matter What Stage of Ideation

No one is born a social innovator. Everyone who is on the path of creating triple bottom line value started with an idea, concept, or inclination towards being involved in this evolving field.  For those established in the field, those ideas were nurtured, fostered, and driven through building relationships and refining concepts. And that process, after all is said and done, probably involved considerable live interfacing with other people.

Everyone Can Meet Over Coffee

So, even if you’re in early ideation stage—I challenge you to challenge yourself to engage a personal connection and meet interesting people in the field over a cup of coffee, herbal tea, or chilled sparkling water. Talk about your big idea, an unmet need that compels you to act, and listen to the life and work experiences of someone else trying to do well by doing good.

I think you may notice, as I have, that the social innovation community is encouraging and willing to meet you wherever you are in the process and help you brainstorm how to get to where you want to be.

And know that small ideas can be made big and big ideas can find an outlet in the informal, personal conversations that happen in the midst of frothing milk, double-espresso shots, and ground coffee beans.