People, Profits, and Planet

When I started Hipcycle, my goals included not only making as profit, but also operating a company in a way that contributed to the betterment of our planet and also the people on it. This attention to not just the almighty dollar is known as running a “social enterprise,” or as managing to a “triple bottom line” of People, Planet, and Profits. I’ve long been a believer that using the power of business is the best way to affect social and environmental change.

Even though we have only been open a little over a week, I am always seeking ways to manage to this philosophy. We have recently made some commitments to some organizations that have missions about which we feel strongly. First, we have contributed a big gift basket of upcycled products to the silent auction for the “Empoweresque” fundraiser of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation. You may recognize Ian as the hunky dude who played Boone Carlyle in “Lost” and who currently plays Damon Salvatore in “The Vampire Diaries.” Ian established his foundation “to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures.” They do a lot of really good work. Empoweresque is being held in Atlanta on Friday, October 29^th, and should be a fun night out for folks that live anywhere in the southeast. (The foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so any donations you make would be tax-deductible.)

Also, we have contributed a couple of Hipcycle gift certificates for an online auction benefiting Embrace Infant Warmers, a 501(c)3 non-profit social enterprise. Embrace creates super-low cost infant warmers for the developing world to address the millions of hypothermia cases each year that affect low birth weight and premature babies. The auction, called #SpreadTheWarmth, is being organized by Emily, creator of the mommy blog “Family and Life in Las Vegas.” In addition to her own blog, Emily has recruited about a dozen other bloggers to help promote the event. The auction runs from October 30^th to November 13^th. Bookmark it and come back and bid on some great prizes!

Of course, running a social enterprise is not just about making donations to worthy organizations. Rather, it also includes how a business is run every day: how you treat your suppliers, customers, employees, and the resources you need to make the business successful. In future posts, look for more on these issues as Hipcycle grows.

Andrew Sell is Chief Hipcycler at Hipcycle, which sells attractive, durable and reasonably-priced upcycled products. You can follow Hipcycle on Facebook and Twitter.