Lifestyle: Social entrepreneurs: new year resolutions for 2014

As we welcome in 2014, social entrepreneurs share their resolutions – from being outrageous to learning how to say 'no'

To welcome in 2014, we asked a variety of social entrepreneurs their social resolutions for the year ahead.

We had a diverse group of answers, these included: ambitious pitching, "I am going to start contacting potential clients who are out of our league, being a bit more cheeky and brazen in our pitches"; keeping focused on company objectives: "I will need to keep extremely focused on what is most important for the network"; and greater work efficiency: "more productive meetings is my top ambition, making sure they cover what they need to, and don't take too long."

What are your social resolutions this year? Share them in the comment section below to get involved in the debate.

Louise Croft, founder, Find Me Charity

"This year my new year's resolution is to be more outrageous. I'm naturally quite risk averse, unusual for an entrepreneur I know, and although I have big dreams, I'm not pursuing them aggressively enough. Our company is growing and we're content, but this year I want to push harder, grow faster, and take more risks. I am going to start contacting potential clients who are out of our league, being a bit more cheeky and brazen in our pitches – asking for fees beyond our standard, contacting chief executives directly, suggesting shorter timelines, and so on. We're planning to try and pair up with some inspirational mentors who can push us to be more ambitious, and follow the phrase: 'If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space'."

Charlotte Chung, policy and research manager, Social Enterprise UK

"My opening line is to explain that social enterprises operate everywhere. I'll say 'You name a sector and I'll name a social enterprise working in it'. Thankfully, no one has ever tested me on this, as I would be guilty of resorting to the stock few that I have committed to memory. My professional resolution for 2014 is to take the time to learn more about our new members, so the next time I give a talk, I'll be ready if someone wants to test me!

"The best way for people to understand social enterprises is through real life examples. In a sector that is young and growing, I need to spend more time getting to know the new guys. The ones with the new ideas, doing things differently, and especially the ones that challenge what I think I know about this sector."

Sean Farmelo, co-founder, Students for Co-operation

"For 2014 I'm aiming to help springboard the creation of a connected network of student co-operatives across universities and colleges in the UK. We are in the process of incorporation, and creating an open source database of resources, that student co-operatives can use during their start-up processes. Students for Co-operation is in the unique position of being able to link together the many different strands of mutualism and democratic businesses found on campuses across the country."

Tessa Blunden, co-founder, The Ivy House

"2013 was a tremendous year for The Ivy House, although buying and opening this co-operative pub in London took a huge amount of time, energy and persistence. I am determined that 2014 will be a year of consolidation, learning from our months of trading, and ensuring that the Ivy House is something its staff, shareholders, customers and community can be very proud of. I also intend to make some time to enjoy it, particularly the beer!"

Anna Davies, senior research associate, The Young Foundation

"2014 is the final year of the research project I'm working on, looking at social innovation in Europe. I'm going to be focused on understanding what spreading social innovation looks like in different contexts, particularly where actors have different levels of control – what are the distinct challenges associated with growing a practice through an umbrella organisation, or trying to replicate a specific intervention in new contexts? This will mean lots of opportunities to meet and learn from people working on different social projects, which should help keep our research grounded in the realities of practice. 2014 should also be a year when I can continue the conversations and exchanges that began at the first Social Frontiers conference in November. No discipline has a monopoly in the area of social innovation, so it's essential we keep talking to one another."

Krisztina Tora, developer, Global Social Entrepreneurship Network

"Because I am in charge of a new and ambitious project, the Global Social Entrepreneurship Network, I feel like a social entrepreneur myself.

"Given the high number of priorities I have, I will need to keep extremely focused on what is the most important for the network, and try to say 'no' more often. My challenge is about finding and keeping the right balance between being open, and curious to what's happening in the social entrepreneurship support sector globally, concentrating on the current expected deliverables.

"I will need to be creative in ways to engage the members of our network, in sharing and learning opportunities. I will need to get a nuanced and detailed understanding of the challenges they face, to be able to foster value, creating discussions, and collaborations."

Jasmine Kubski, international sustainability projects manager, Change Agents UK

"The incredible people and organisations I've met through Women in Social and Environmental Enterprise have inspired my new year's resolution. I want to make 2014 the year to become a 'change agent' through social enterprise.

"My goal is to present social enterprise as an achievable and attractive option to our network of 10,000 young people, currently registered with Change Agents UK, who are actively looking for careers that create positive change for sustainability."

Simon Frost, chief executive, Parity Trust

"2013 has seen progress towards recognising the importance of social investment to the UK, and increasing awareness of social enterprise in our economy, but much remains to be done.

"My new year's resolution for 2014 is that I hope other institutions involved in supporting the sector begin to fully recognise the importance of the need for a wider range of financial products and services. Organisations such as Big Society Capital have yet to address this, arguably focusing on larger deals. The market needs to grow strongly, to maximise the social impact as the need is now urgent."

Ed Mayo, secretary general, Co-operatives UK

"It is a common new year resolution to avoid wine, perhaps after a new year's eve that saw the old year out in style. My resolution is to seek out good wine and in particular, co-operative wine. There are wine co-ops in South Africa and across Latin America, many with the Fairtrade Mark. In France, most champagne is co-operatively produced, and across Europe there are wine co-ops supporting farmers and vintners in a tough economic climate. Here in the UK, because it is a co-operative society, the prices are kept low. Being co-operative is not just good company, it is good cheer."

Martha Paren, managing consultant, International Centre for Social Franchising

"2014 is going to be a busy time for ICSF, therefore my resolution is to use my time in the most effective way. More productive meetings is my top ambition, making sure they cover what they need to, and don't take too long. It's sometimes hard, particularly as a lot of our team work remotely.

"One of ICSF's values is to build on previous experience. As a team we've agreed to make sure we keep doing this, building on our knowledge and experiences from previous projects. It's easier said than done though, when life and work gets busy. I'm resolved to make sure it works, and that we build in time for reflection and learning."

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