December 2018: Impact

A lot of lip service is paid to giving back; to what’s wrong, who’s responsible, who needs help, and how to help them.

But how much action is being taken? My hunch is that the ratio of talk:action is wildly disproportionate.

This month, we explore what our impact is on our clients and on our community at large.

At Pregame HQ, every year, quarter, and month, we set Impact goals. Often the most overlooked area of business, impact encapsulates the areas of reputation, legacy, and community impact.

For most solopreneurs and newer businesses, impact goals are the realm of building one’s own reputation for (let’s be honest) the sole purpose of getting more business.

The subject of impact, especially when it comes to social good, can be fraught. What are the ethical considerations, for example, of being a corporate sponsor for a charitable project? This includes our personal interest in a given cause or initiative as an individual, whether donating money or serving on a board or giving an in-kind product or service.

The era of B-corps and wristbands and paid volunteer days seems to raise more questions than it answers.

What is truly impactful versus a feel-good activity for the donor?

Should social outreach be the realm of for-profit corporations and entities?

Is social media activism valuable?

How should people of traditionally privileged groups speak up for traditionally disenfranchised groups, if at all?

At what stage of business should charitable giving be considered a requirement?

Is anyone exempt from giving back?

Are some people more responsible for the community than others due to historical privilege?

What is our personal responsibility around giving back?

How much of my income should be mine to keep?

Is it really selfless giving if I get a tax credit or a reputation credit?

Is there such things as an offset, whether carbon credits or a potentially cancer-causing product putting out a pink edition to raise money for breast cancer each October?

This month, we’re proud to feature re:home, a thoughtful and provocative exploration of immigration and assimilation through art, on view now at The Minnesota Project in San Francisco.

We wish you Happy Holidays, and a heightened sense of your personal and professional impact. Check your motives and consider your ripple effect.

Strategy & Style,
Ciara


Artwork by Patti Bartelstein, All Are Welcome, Todos Son Bienvenidos, limited edition print, 20” x 14”.  For sale in the re:home Pop-Up Shop. All proceeds go to the artist’s designated non-profit organization supporting homeless, immigrant and creative communities in SF Bay Area. For International Rescue Committee (IRC)