Is Giving An Interaction or a Transaction?

Jessica Jackley is a successful business woman, and also the co-founder of Kiva.org, a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. “By leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.” (source: Kiva.org)

Jessica Jackley- entrepreneur, successful business owner and change agent!

At a recent Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Conference where I was speaking I also had the opportunity to hear Jessica’s presentation. She shared the moving and powerful story of Kiva, and how small loans such as $25 can support an entrepreneur in another country to move out of poverty into business. The stories were rich with the reminder of how a little giving, empathy and understanding, can make a big difference in the world. Stories, according to Jessica, drive us to act!

Jessica talked about the importance of knowing your mission and your business identity…that is who you are and what you do. She also stressed that in business and leadership you must listen well, and to make something from whatever you have (any action is better than none at all). Lesson #3 was to co-create and include people on your journey.

When describing the process of giving, she stated that community service and giving is about an interaction (e.g. relationship) vs. transaction (providing a check). I thought this was a wonderful way to define being in service to others.

If you were to describe your lessons in community service and giving, what would they be?

To find out more about Kiva and the loans that change lives, visit: http://www.kiva.org/

Crowdsourcing..is it an option for your business?

Jessica Jackley is a Founder and CEO of ProFounder (www.profounder.com), a platform providing new ways for small business entrepreneurs in the U.S. to access start-up capital through crowdfunding and community involvement. ProFounder will launch to the public in the fall of 2010.

Prior to ProFounder, Jessica was a Founder, Chief Marketing Officer, and Director of Kiva (www.kiva.org), the world’s first p2p microlending website. Kiva lets users lend as little as $25 to poor entrepreneurs around the world, providing affordable capital for them to start or expand microenterprises. Since its founding in October 2005, Kiva has facilitated over $160 in loans across 205 countries.

I had the pleasure of hearing Jessica speak at a recent Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Conference, on May 4, 2012.  Jessica's passion for business and making a difference in the lives of others was contagious.  In her presentation, she also responded to questions about  crowdsourcing

Raising funds for a small business can be a daunting task for any fledgling entrepreneur. Whether it be from friends and family or from the general public, finding investors, setting terms of the funding, assigning equity and filing compliance documents is a challenge. ProFounder, is a stealth start up that ensures all entrepreneurs and small businesses have access to an easy and simple fundraising platform.

My book, On Toby's Terms is in development to become a major motion picture! This is incredibly exciting, and a great learning opportunity. The movie producers launched a short window crowd sourcing campaign through Indie GoGo.  You can learn more here:  http://www.indiegogo.com/On-Tobys-Terms-The-movie

It will be interesting learning more about how these sites can assist small businesses and community organizations.