A capitalist economy is beautiful in the sense that it allows for efficient growth through continuous innovation. Greed is a primary driving factor behind such an economy and the drive towards larger profits often results in decisions that disregard the human component. Innovation comes that a price that is often very harsh for those who are unable to keep up. Social entrepreneurship offers a way to combine innovation while holding onto the human component. These are firms that find a way to bring together a social need while creating innovation. If we fail to recognize the importance of social entrepreneurship, our world will grow into a place where the only value will be perceived through wealth. The gap between the rich and the poor would grow to levels that are incomprehensible
One of the examples of social entrepreneurship that I’ve seen so far in Detroit is a bakery known as On the Rise Bakery. The goal of this bakery is not to just make money but to give people a chance they might have never had otherwise. The bakery is run by men who desire to truly change their lives. The bakers have recently been released from prison or have completed a substance abuse treatment program. This company has found a way to not only generate profits but to help those in need. They are training people who will have the ability to train others and change the lives of others. Places such as On the Rise Bakery are lighting a candle that will slowly light other candles and eventually illuminate all those around them.