The Next Chapter
Written by Justin Chan, Founder of The Community Company.
Published on April 6, 2022. 3 Minute Read.
I like to make announcements for The Community Company on my birthday.
When I made my first birthday announcement on April 6, 2019, it was a vulnerable one because of how new the company still was. I wanted an excuse for people to read what I had to say, so posting it on my birthday felt safe.
Now, 3 years later, I do it because this project is truly what I’m most passionate about. There’s beauty in publicly sharing exciting news on your most personal day. In a way, it’s like inviting the community to celebrate your birthday with you.
Today, I’m announcing The Community Company’s new direction. There’s a quote about social entrepreneurs that sums it up well. It goes:
“Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.”
The first three years of The Community Company was really about teaching others how to fish.
I worked with the most amazing Creators to inspire us through their stories. From our annual holiday cards, to our youth addiction sweaters, to the Reconnecting Ontario postcards, we’ve done some really cool projects that allowed us to showcase the gifts and talents of our community. All while starting important conversations on social causes.
I’m so proud of Nathan and the inspiring interview he did on CTV News. I’m proud of Ranju for his growth in storytelling and joke telling. And I’m proud of Susie and her dedication to sharing love and smiles with others.
Through my journey of building relationships and storytelling, I’ve also created the blueprint on how we can reimagine changemaking in our community.
Now, what does this have to do with our next chapter?
As many of you know,
The Community Company partnered with Hope House to launch The Better Food Company in September 2021.
This is a social enterprise that we were hired to create from start to finish; from research, to branding, to launch day. A social enterprise is a business created to achieve a social outcome.
In other words, we’ve created the foundation for a sustainable revenue generating company that enables Hope House’s food sharing to happen. All while building community and bringing people to their garden to build relationships over food.
To date, launching The Better Food Company is my proudest accomplishment. Ever.
This project has validated everything I’ve learned from our community.
I didn’t know it at the time,
but all of the things I’ve learned along the way working with Creators like Ranju, Sarah, and Susie, and organizations like J.O.E. and oneROOF, has taught me how to effectively build community.
I’ve been able to test out ways to engage community, learning how to share the right narrative on social media and in the news. I’ve learned how to capture our community’s attention through product designs. And most importantly, I’ve learned how to create projects that truly empower the individuals that we work with.
The next chapter of The Community Company will involve doing this again. And again.
We are now offering our services to the amazing charities and organizations in Canada.
We’re excited to journey alongside organizations to create their own social enterprise around the cause they’re most passionate about.
I believe social enterprise is the future for all community work. It is the intersection of business and charity, combining the efficiencies of business with the social impact of charities. It allows organizations to sustain their important work beyond grants and donations, all while building relationships with those that stand behind their cause.
In short, The Community Company is helping you build a better community.
You can visit www.communitycompany.org/social-enterprise-development to learn more about our new service offer.
For those who have followed my journey since the beginning, this is our first major development as an organization. And to celebrate my 28th birthday, I would really appreciate it if you shared this blog post with your community on social media. We are looking to bring on new clients this month and you may happen to be friends with someone who has been thinking about social enterprise for awhile.
If you know of any organizations or charities that you think would benefit from a project like this, please send them our website, this blog, or introduce me to them! I’ve included a comment form below if you’d like to share any additional thoughts and ideas.
We’ve spent the first three years learning and teaching others how to fish. And now we’re ready to revolutionize the industry.
The Community Company
The Community Company exists to help you build a better community.
You would describe yourself as someone who is passionate about community. Through your day-to-day actions, you’re making our community better, whether it’s your work or your volunteering.
In the current system we live in, money can be used to create change. But as you know, there’s an overwhelming number of ways that you can spend it. So you’re often asking, is this the best way to make a difference?
Visit our vision page to learn more about why we do our work!
Do you have any partnership ideas, questions, or want to learn more?
Feel free to send me a direct message by filling out the form! You can also visit our Social Enterprise Development page by clicking the button below.