Editor’s note: This article is not only important because it represents good research, but also because it gets to (what we’ve learned) is the heart of the matter. The disconnect between private enterprise and social enterprise is the lack of acceptance that a few years of losses inevitably precedes any real success or sustainability. It is anathema to me that business people don’t apply the same rules to social innovation that we do to our own businesses. That is, that to gain one must lose…for a while.
Editor’s note: Thanks to Vistage Chair Artie Isaac for pointing me toward the concept of “polarities.” I’ve spent a life stumped trying to “solve” them and research proves I’m on the wrong track. Dr. Johnson gets a little abstract for me but the fundamental points made are real eye-openers for me. He connects things that have confused me eternally in a manner I can mostly understand. He also reassures me that in business, just as in life the right thing to do is also the most successful for all involved.
The end of the Cold War, marked by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, had an equally dramatic effect on the general level of armed conflict in the global system. The levels of both interstate and societal warfare declined dramatically through the 1990s and this trend continues in the early 2000s, falling over 60% from their peak levels. To review the complete listing, "Major Episodes of Political Violence, 1946-2012," used to construct the warfare trends, click here. You may also view regional trends graphs by clicking here. 
Editor’s note: My son, Tim, sent me the TED talk Dan Palotta did and it's excellent. It certainly reflects a lot of what our foundation actually practices every day. But I also enjoyed this analysis of his talk which provides even more food for thought. Where do I land? As long as it's not purely administrative cost........we're pie growers.
Editor’s note: “Attached is a link to a short video about Towards Employment. Towards Employment empowers individuals to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency through employment and focus on helping low-income and disadvantaged individuals to remove employment barriers and assist them along a career pathway. They understand that one job can change a life, stabilize a family, strengthen an industry, and can send positive change throughout an entire community. They are making a difference in thousands of lives. Please watch this video and share it with your community.”
Editor’s note: Attached for your viewing is a 12 minute video of a commencement address I gave last week the day after we celebrated the life of my good friend, Jake Sposito. I wrote to you about Jake a few months ago in a blog titled, “This Mortal Coil.” These remarks to 38 entrepreneurs graduating from Goldman Sachs “10,000 Businesses” program here in Cleveland use Jake’s life to share a couple of the most important lessons Jake taught me:
Editor's note: It is rather easy and enticing to take a cynical, broad brush to the Morgan Stanleys and Goldman Sachs of the world and paint any of their efforts to do good as laughable and self-serving. With that said, impact investing both intrigues and inspires me to learn and do more.
