Can Social Entrepreneurship Work in the Rust Belt? : A Mom, a Dream, and a Declining Downtown / Jennifer Brogee ; edited by Drew Harris.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Brogee, Jennifer, author.

Contributor:

Harris, Drew, editor.

Series:

The Emergent Entrepreneur, Gender Studies (Lived Places Publishing)

The Emergent Entrepreneur, Gender Studies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Entrepreneurship--Social aspects.

Entrepreneurship.

Society & social sciences.

Genre:

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (137 pages) : illustrations.

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

A Mom, a Dream, and a Declining Downtown

Place of Publication:

New York, N.Y. : Lived Places Publishing, 2024.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

What lessons can be learned about social entrepreneurship success from a coffee shop founder in a declining downtown in the US rust belt? Launching her coffee shop in a declining downtown in the US rust belt in 2003, entrepreneur and young mom Jennifer Brogee thought that a well written business plan and a social mission was the path to success. After being denied funding, she soon realized the many challenges she would face as a young woman and mother in business. Social Entrepreneurship in the Rust Belt documents Jennifer's 20-year business evolution from startup to exploring new paths beyond the coffee shop. A business model with tight margins and high overheads, Jennifer details how she navigated the Great Recession, COVID and how she juggled multiple careers. A story of independence and interdependence, this book is ideal reading for students of Business and Entrepreneurship, Gender Studies, and Cultural Studies as well as entrepreneurs and small business managers.

Contents:

A message from the author

Copyright Page

Abstract

Acknowledgements

Contents

Learning objectives

1 Entrepreneurship roots

Traits of an entrepreneur

Lima losers

2 Business as mission

Cabrini Green, Chicago, IL

Christian Community Development Association

3 Mom entrepreneur

Entrepreneur and a mom?

Writing the business plan

Choosing a property

A huge mom fail

Business proposal denied

4 Finding funding

Our original "investor" letter

A little help from our friends

Bootstrapping it

5 Growth

An early version of our menu

First day serving customers

Too many customers

April 27, 2003 (journal)

An unexpected development

Downtown Lima Assoc., Wed. November 12, 2003

The Jennifer story

In summary

6 The Great Recession

If you build it, they will come-maybe

September 2008

Great Recession lessons learned

7 Re-invention

Change in leadership

Now, a barista

8 Slowdown

The arrival of COVID-19

Surprising sources of revenue

May 14, 2020 (journal)

Next steps

9 Macroenvironment

10 Twentieth anniversary

Downtown Lima speech, March 2, 2023

11 Social mission

Epilogue: Mistakes made, lessons learned

Lesson 1: Choose debt vs equity wisely

Lesson 2: Plan for cash flow

Lesson 3: Avoid credit cards

Lesson 4: Beware of overestimating market size

Lesson 5: Avoid copying the big brands

Lesson 5: Be honest about your social mission

Lesson 6: Stay on top of your financial statements

Lesson 7: Constantly measure profit

Lesson 8: Analyze your industry

Lesson 9: Work together with the community and the government

Four legs of a table = people and institutions

Lesson 10: Be honest and transparent

Appendix Excerpts from original business plan and year one financials

References

Recommended further reading

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on Publisher's website, viewed May 14, 2024.

Other Format:

Print version: Can Social Entrepreneurship Work in the Rust Belt? : A Mom, a Dream, and a Declining Downtown.

ISBN:

9781916704107

9781916704121

9781916704114

OCLC:

1425790939

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.