How to Thrive as a Mission-Driven Entrepreneur in a Broken System
What if building your business could also build a better world?
Hey Builders,
Profit and purpose are not opposites—they’re partners.
🎧 In this episode, I sit down with Teresa Chahine—Yale lecturer and author of Social Entrepreneurship—to talk about what it really means to build for impact without waiting for permission.
💡 Top 3 Takeaways
💡 “All entrepreneurs impact society, whether they mean to or not.”
Teresa expands the definition of social entrepreneurship to include every founder making values-based choices.
👉 Founder move: Build with intention. Your product affects people…own that responsibility.
🌱 “You don’t have to exit to win. Small businesses change lives too.”
She reminds us that VC isn’t the only path, and that SMEs create real, sustainable livelihoods.
👉 Founder move: Focus on longevity, not just scale.
💸 “Patient capital allows founders to stay aligned with their values.”
Teresa breaks down why fast VC money often leads to burnout, shortcuts, and misalignment.
👉 Founder move: Look for funders who care about impact—not just ROI.
Let’s make money and make a difference. Let’s build the damn thing.
—Kathryn
Build the Damn Thing
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