There is this seemingly paradoxical world that those of us bridging business and social impact exist in. Anyone in the economic development realm will tell you it is nearly impossible to explain what we do to others. Our own mothers can’t explain it and not because they don’t try to show us off to anyone who will listen. They usually stop at “She does something with business and it’s really complicated stuff, but it’s to help people. Look at this picture of her with these important people.”

One of the first steps I take with clients when they come to me and ask me to connect them to small businesses is helping them understand the personality type and culture they will be working with. Too often, people representing larger entities assume that small businesses will automatically take to what they are offering or that the context in which small businesses are operating is simple. Small businesses are almost always shifting and changing and the people who work and lead in them thrive in that type of environment.