Social investment: is it worth the hassle?

“It’s not just that social investment is complicated for social entrepreneurs – investment is complicated for normal entrepreneurs,” says Kresse Wesling, co-founder of social enterprise Elvis and Kresse. “It’s something that will take an enormous amount of your time. It’s something that will have to be managed as you do round after round, as you try to please your shareholders. It’s always going to be complicated when you’re trying to get people to take a risk.”

So is it still worth it?

Finance is essential for organisations “that want to seriously grow”, says Edward Finch, partner at Buzzacott. Not only that: the process of being financed is also very useful “in instilling business thinking and business discipline in the business itself”.

Wesling’s top tip? Take time to find the right partner, she says, “and the complications will sort of melt away.”

Watch the video for more insights from Good Deals & Beyond Good Business 2018 – the social enterprise and social investment conference delivered by Pioneers Post and Hatch Enterprise.

Good Deals & Beyond Good Business is returning on 21 May 2019 – sign up here for updates and early bird tickets.

Film shot and edited by Hatty Bell.

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