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Getting started: How to build a social impact company

The do’s and don’ts of running a business that strives for the greater good

Starting a business is never easy. But what if your new venture’s core mission is social impact? How do you get started? Where can you go for funding? What pitfalls should you avoid? And what lessons can you learn from those who’ve gone before to create a great company with a higher purpose?

This 60-minute webinar on the do’s and don’ts of running a business that strives for the greater good was recorded live on Thursday Sep 10, 2020 at 1:00PM EST. It was presented by Smith Business Insight and Queen’s Executive Education.

Featuring a panel of social impact entrepreneurs and small business experts: Chip McCrimmon of Falc0n-X and Hero Hub; Hakeem Subair of 1 Million Teachers; Nazaneen Qauomi of Red Gold of Afghanistan; and Shari Hughson, entrepreneur and director of the Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship program at Smith.


Gain insights into:

  • Building a business around a core social purpose

  • The pros and cons of a profit vs. non-profit model

  • How to find startup funding

  • The importance of hiring the right employees

  • Why you need a clear mission (hint: without it, you won’t succeed)

  • Real-life lessons from social-impact entrepreneurs

Session Participants

Shari Hughson

Adjunct Lecturer & Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR)

Shari Hughson is an award-winning entrepreneur, innovator, and adventurer. As a Smith School of Business Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) and Educator, Shari draws on her lived experience as a seven-time serial entrepreneur and the previous Director of the Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Hakeem Subair

Hakeem Subair is the CEO of 1 Million Teachers Inc., an organization working with teachers to enhance students’ learning outcomes. He is also an adjunct professor at the School of Business at St. Lawrence College in Kingston as well as a student advisor in the Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship (MMIE) program at the Smith. He is a Smith graduate.

Nazaneen Qauomi

Nazaneen Qauomi is the CEO and founder of Red Gold of Afghanistan, a social enterprise that aims to empower women economically in developing countries such as Afghanistan through the cultivation, processing, and marketing of premium saffron to international markets. She is an alumni of Smith School of Business.

Chip McCrimmon

Chip McCrimmon is an entrepreneur who has launched several social impact companies. Chip co-founded HeroHub, a charitable ecosystem that creates a greater social impact by connecting individuals to charities, non-profits and their opportunities. His newest venture is Falc0n-X, a company whose mission is to help landfills reduce their pollution by providing them with technology that captures, separates and purifies greenhouse gas emissions. Chip is a Smith School of Business graduate.