Notes

Will Miller's SEED20 Ignites a Fire
It only takes a spark to acquire a fire going, and what Will Miller started in the past with Social Venture Partners was burning last night at the lender of America auditorium downtown. In a single jammed packed hour, the overflow crowd of 450 guests heard 3 minute pitches from 10 of Charlotte's most innovative, courageous community change-makers.

"Erma the Bookworma" from Promising Pages enticed the crowd with an objective to collect one million books and end childhood illiteracy in Charlotte. Mike Elliott, among the six judges, praised the scalability of the approach. Another judge Carol Hardison, agreed with the urgency in reaching children before they fall too much behind.

Playing for Others was theatre in action, parroting teens evolving through the program as they build self-esteem and reorient their focus to helping others. Judge Landra Johnson asked the presenter to please bottle and send to all parents the formula so you can get teens to clamor for anything.

Beds for Kids is working to make sure that every child in Charlotte sleeps in a warm bed during the night, and urged the audience to "get up off your couch... and give it to us."

Judy Carter at The Learning Collaborative asked "who was your first teacher?" and reminded us that for most, the solution is our parents. She helps parents embrace their role, bringing love and learning together well before the initial day of school. Former SEED20 winner, second grade teacher and 2013 judge Julie Jones applauded Carter's efforts as necessary to early education.

Innovative approaches to old problems included Swaraj Yoga which is addressing homelessness and mental illness through yoga and meditation for homeless men. Founder Laura McCarthy is single-handedly offering these classes to 200 men per week - just one single woman and a truck, with a profound and heartfelt commitment.

All the contestants are incredibility creative, dedicated leaders. But a few stood out as true entrepreneurs, creating businesses around their mission. Neet's Sweets is a bakery started by Antonia "Neet" Childs as a way from the sex trafficking that ensnared her at age 16. Will Miller's SEED20 Ignites a Fire includes a future of its that could include store expansions, franchising or national branding. But to take it further, Neet has generated the Market YOUR BRAIN Foundation to encourage other women to build businesses that enable independence, self- esteem and a life out of your shadows.

Speak Up Magazine is another enterprise which creates micro-businesses for homeless entrepreneurs who sell, write or market for the magazine. As Founder Matt Shaw pointed out, you can find 120 organizations in Charlotte that serve the homeless, but only 1 that provides jobs and a creative outlet for this market.

Sustainability was a large theme for the evening - how to break the cycle of dependency by creating jobs, lifelong skills, and a way to independence. My First Suit described its four week mentoring program that prepares first generation college students to dress mentally to be productive men, culminating with a tailored suit for every young man. The need resonated with Judge Lana Johnson, who recalled being told early in her career to "dress for the job you need next" - but recognized it takes more than clothes, it requires knowing yourself and how to behave socially to take that next step.

Additional hints for the night time was the city Culinary School (CCS). Who couldn't resist supporting a buddy for the Bistro buggy? Chef Ron gave a rousing (and loud!) pitch to expand his roving food cart, pointing out that CCS has already trained and found jobs for 700 former inmates, and contains now taken its program on the path to reach folks in food deserts and other under-served areas. Most of us did not recognize Chef Ron in his suit (rather than his apron), but his engaging passion and humor were unforgettable.

get more info of Charlotte Talks was uncharacteristically short on words for the evening. Some took this as lack of interest, but it found to me as awe and dumbfoundedness at the array of innovation and initiative taking place right under our noses. Indeed more than once, judges admitted they "had no idea" that a few of these creative programs were underway inside our community.

In case you are as inspired because the crowd that repeatedly erupted into applause last night, however, not sure which of these fabulous programs to aid, you might be interested power2give, a micro-philanthropy website founded by the Arts and Science Council. Judge Paul Wetenhall was impressed by the statistics shared on money raised up to now through the web site, and Director Laura Belcher asked for support to expand its focus from cultural organizations to all area non-profits, like the SEED20 entrepreneurs.

Something's burning in Charlotte - a fire in the hearts of social entrepreneurs that are taking small steps toward big impacts around town.

Lori Collins, Strategic Advisor for Emerging Ventures with a Social Mission, http://www.startupcafe.org
Website: https://www.inventables.com/users/marquezmarker7204