DESCRIPTION OF MY SOCIAL BUSINESS MODEL
Inspired by Alex Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas and collaboratively created by more than 300 international experts working on 2500 social projects on the Imagination for People platform, My Social Business Model (MySBM) offers a version adapted to the social economy.
MySBM has a clear vision : to give everyone a questioning grid needed for the conception of a well-thought and well-reasoned social project. Thanks to the educational and collaborative approach of MySBM, social innovators (social entrepreneurs intrapreneurs and engaged citizens) can now define their strategy, economic model and deployment plan step by step.
Method is key in order to make your social project a real success.
METHODOLOGY
The MySBM canvas helps you through the key questions in order to guide the conception and presentation of your project, to affine your economic model and to build your business plan.
My Social Business Model is defined around the canvas. This one is structured in 8 quadrants that will help you in your reflexion.
SOCIAL CHALLENGE
In this quadrant, you should define the social problem you or your organization are seeking to address. It also covers the needs of the key stakeholders affected by the problem or related to it. Try to answer key questions such as:
- What is the social problem you are trying to solve?
- What are the causes of the problem?
- Who are the key stakeholders (beneficiaries, third parties, communities) related to this social problem?
SHARED VALUES
This quadrant will take you through your mission and your offering to the community, not just for the beneficiaries of your project but also for the entire ecosystem that will be impacted it. Ask and answer these questions:
- What is the mission of your project?
- How did you come up with your mission?
- What is the value proposition for the stakeholders facing the social problem?
CATALYSTS
Here, you will define the key factors for the success of your project, including the issues of governance, social acceptability and the usability of your offer.
- What will the governance structure of your project look like?
- How does your project plan to address its social acceptability?
- Is the usability of your project easy to understand/use for your beneficiaries?
REVENUE MODEL
Explain what are the different revenue streams of your project and the various channels of distribution opened to you.
- How will you price your products and services to your customers and beneficiaries?
- What sort of relationship will you have with your clients and beneficiaries?
CORE COMPETENCIES
Here you will be able to summarize the core competencies that will be necessary to develop your project. These skills can be internal or external to your team.
- What are the core competencies of your team? (experience, unique, sustainable…)?
- How would you describe the needed external core competencies? Are these in the market, from volunteers partners, or do you have to pay for some skills?
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
This addresses the factors that will ensure your project will be financially successful into the future.
- Do you have a margin, or are you set as a coop, association/non-profit?
- Does your organization have a sustainable financing model?
- Is your project based on fixed or variable costs?
- Can you finance your project through non traditional financing options? (grant, donation, crowdfunding…)
IMPACTS
This quadrant helps you clarify the social, environmental, economic, territorial and cultural impact of your project.
- What are the social impacts of your project how do you measure them?
- What are the environmental impacts of your project how do you measure them?
- What are the economic impacts of your project how do you measure them?
- What are the territorial impacts of your project how do you measure them?
- What are the cultural impacts of your project how do you measure them?
SCALING
Finally, what are the actions that will allow you to quickly increase your impact by acting on a larger scale.
- How will you approach different communities to obtain their support?
- What are the mechanisms that will help scale your project?
- Do you have to own the tangible and intangible assets of your project?
