Giving back when you’re a successful entrepreneur is one of the greatest pleasures you can have in life, often better than building a successful business in the first place.
From Rockefeller to Bill Gates, entrepreneurs have a long history of paying their good fortune forward, and if you’re in a position to do so, you will really benefit from following in their footsteps too, but how do you go about it?
Here are some great ways you can give back as an entrepreneur right now:
1. Give money
Perhaps, the most obvious way to give back as an entrepreneur is to give money to a good cause whether that’s a charity feeding the homeless or a program that helps to train disadvantaged young people in your field.
Money is always needed and it will always be greatly received. It will also give you more bang for your buck in PR terms if that is something you care about.
2. Give time
Of course, money isn’t only the valuable thing you can give. As an entrepreneur, you have no doubt built up a considerable number of skills, and there will be many people who could benefit from your knowledge and expertise.
Entrepreneurs like Kyle Corkum and Richard Branson are not only more likely to volunteer their time, but the time they do volunteer is also more likely to be useful in terms of helping people to do more, be better and live happier more productive lives.
Of course, when you volunteer, you get as much as you give because you meet so many great people and get to do something really positive that isn’t all about building your business.
3. Raise money
Giving money is one way of giving back, but raising money is another very effective way of helping charities and foundations to thrive. As an entrepreneur, chances are you have a lot of great contacts in the business world.
Many of whom will have done very well for themselves, so why not encourage them to open their wallets and give generously to a cause you can all get behind? Whether you simply ask for a donation or hold a ball or some other fundraiser, your efforts will be very much appreciated.
4. Set up your own charity or foundation
Why not use all of your considerable skills to set up your own charity or foundation that can help people long after you have gone. If you can set up and run a successful business, you can set up and run a successful charity, although you may need to learn a new skill or two along the way.
This is often one of the most popular choices for entrepreneurs because it enables rhythm to actually get their hands dirty and feel like they really are making a difference on the ground level, so please do consider it as an option.
We should all make time to give back. It’s our duty as humans to offer a helping hand where we can, and as an entrepreneur, you are uniquely placed to do so, so go ahead and make a difference you won’t regret it.
