Curious about social enterprise, B Corps, Fair Trade, and purpose-driven business? This is the meetup for you. Join us as we demystify business for good.

We have two panels planned. The first with some business leaders who've been on a business certification and industry membership journey, to learn why they decided to invest in the process, the value they get, with key lessons and insights. The second panel is with people experienced in purpose-driven business certification and industry membership sharing what the requirements are, how it works, and trends they’re observing.

This event is part of NSW Small Business Month, and in collaboration with our friends at B Local Sydney/B Corp and Fair Trade Association of Australia & NZ. Thanks to both NSW Government and the City of Sydney for their support. 17 November is also Social Enterprise Day, as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. What’s that mean and how do you get involved? Come along and find out!

Our meetups are about having fun and enjoying each other’s company while sharing and learning from each other. We start with about 45 minutes of networking before getting into the content. It's a way to make new friends, stay connected with old friends, and the focus is on bringing the community and ecosystem together.

Joining online? We'll be kicking off the content part of the meetup from about 6:45pm. Join online.

This event is free thanks to support from the NSW Government. If you're not a current SECNA member, why not join now!

Speakers/Panellists

Carolyn Butler-Madden. Chief Purpose Activist, The Cause Effect
Author, speaker, podcast host, and Chief Purpose Activist at B Corp certified purpose consultancy, The Cause Effect, Carolyn Butler-Madden believes in a world where business is a force for good and brands drive profit through purpose. She helps business leaders define their purpose and embed it into their business and brand to deliver meaningful social impact AND business success. Her mission? To make social purpose a vital part of business. In 2021, Carolyn released her second book and podcast “For Love & Money”. She’s also author of Amazon bestselling book, Path-To-Purpose, Australia’s first book on cause marketing (2017).

Kim Good. Founder, Import Ants
When Kim started Import Ants in 2008, she wanted to introduce Fair Trade products to mainstream retailers. Her first product was elephant dung paper, the ultimate in recycling. By turning a waste product, elephant poo, into a useful everyday product like paper she was supporting Fair Trade communities in Sri Lanka, the endangered wild elephant, and encouraging people to think differently about using waste. With a background in design and merchandising she felt that she could best use her skills by adapting a product already in Sri Lanka for a western market and she’s been able to tap into the growing plastic free and eco product sector with our EcoMax Brushes. This has allowed them to grow and train and employ almost one hundred women.

Nandeeta Maharaj. Founder, Goods 4 Good
Nandeeta is on a mission to help you make the world a better place through your everyday purchases. Goods 4 Good is a marketplace connecting you to products from Australia's amazing social enterprises and the causes that matter to you. Impact areas include homelessness, mental health, animal welfare, the environment, and the UN SDGs. Our list of products is growing by the day ranging from candles, laundry detergent, soap, tea, jewellery, chocolates and more.

Daniel Crespi. Goodness Director & Co-founder, Goodtel
Daniel is a telco veteran starting work in the industry when it first deregulated in 1991. He’s worked in several of the Tier 1 telcos, including Optus (before any hack) and AAPT/TPG. He specialised in B2B sales, both in retail and wholesale telecoms, in Australia until 2010 and then was in the UK in his own business, before returning in 2018. He’s now a joint founding director of Goodtel, a social enterprise telco. It donates 50% of its profit to not for profits, is a certified B Corp, and is also Certified Carbon neutral through Climate Active. Goodtel was founded in December 2019 and has donated $67,500 to not for profits that help protect the planet and those in need.

Nimmity Zappert. Founder, All of the Good Things & Authentic Selling. Chair, Fair Trade Association of ANZ
Before founding her own enterprises, All of the Good Things and Authentic Selling, Nimmity worked for 25+ years in senior management in the software industry. Working across a broad international landscape, this included working in Africa, Middle East, Europe (including Russia and Central Europe), Scandinavia, Asia and the Americas. As well as providing fantastic experiences exploring the world, these experiences also highlighted the extreme contrast in her living and travelling circumstances, and those she saw in her travels. Nimmity is passionate about using her business experience for good. Her travels and work experience sparked a passion in the Fair Trade movement. Nimmity currently volunteers as the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand. Nimmity enjoys hiking, exploring new cities, art, camping and reading fantasy novels.

Ben Pecotich. Design & Innovation Director/Founder, Dynamic4. Founding Board Member, SECNA
Ben is a designer, coach, and the founder of Dynamic4 - a social enterprise and B Corp focused on design and innovation for happier communities. He spends his time coaching leaders to solve problems that matter in more empathic and innovative ways to create great outcomes for people and planet while being financially successful and looking after their wellbeing. He's also the author of Solve Problems That Matter: Design, Build & Launch Your Social Enterprise Idea, co-founder of the Sydney Design Thinking meetup, and a founding board member and treasurer of SECNA.

Rob Shwetz. Partner & Strategist, The Growth Activists. B Lab trained B Consultant
Rob is a B Lab trained B Consultant and has assisted numerous businesses prepare for their certification, as well as the verification process with B Lab, including fashion, retail, recycling, martech, manufacturing and financial services. As a senior business, marketing and communications strategist with more than 20 years’ experience in B2B and B2C he has held senior executive roles with Fairfax, Publicis, chinadotcom and Mediacom. Rob is a board member of the NFP Results, and advises on business model innovation in the startup space, with a focus on sustainability. Rob is a full member of The Research Society.

Andrew Marselos. Social Procurement Lead for NSW & ACT, Social Traders
Andrew is passionate about changing the increasing social and environmental issues we face today by leveraging the power and sustainability of the social enterprise model. He's the Social Procurement Lead for NSW & ACT at Social Traders. In this role he works across social enterprise, business, and government sectors to support the growth and development of a sustainable social enterprise ecosystem across NSW and ACT. Andrew is also a Non-Executive Director at SECNA and leads the Member Engagement Committee.

November 2022

There's a lot going on in November. 17 November 2022 is Social Enterprise Day, which is part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. The themes this year are Ecosystems. Education. Inclusion. Policy.

November is also NSW Small Business Month, a program that brings together industry associations, small business advocates and government to upskill and connect NSW small business owners. The month-long event also promotes the importance of small businesses to the community and NSW economy. The theme this year is Connect for Success.

These themes are what SECNA and our monthly meetup are all about.

Sponsors

Thanks to NSW Government for their support with a NSW Small Business Month grant.

Proudly supported by City of Sydney.

About SECNA Meetups

SECNA’s purpose is to nurture a healthy and connected social enterprise movement in NSW and the ACT… and beyond, including everyone in and around the ecosystem.

A connected and engaged social enterprise community is key to increasing awareness, understanding, and advocacy - while building strong partnerships and collaboration. This will help us progress to our shared vision of a world where we collaborate to ensure all people, places, and our planet thrive.

That’s what SECNA Meetups are all about. A regular way for us to meet, make new friends, stay connected with old friends, and bring the community and ecosystem together. Having fun and enjoying each other’s company while sharing and learning from each other. Exchanging ideas, celebrating the wins, and learning from the fails. In the spirit of collaboration.

Our meetups aren’t just for current SECNA members. We welcome everyone in and around the social enterprise ecosystem… and even those who are just curious to see what it’s all about. We come together valuing and including our diversity.

We meet on the first Thursday of the month and the focus is on convening and holding space for connection in a fun and friendly way. We also have talks, panels, and interactive sessions on a range of topics related to social enterprise. Most of our meetups are hybrid and provide connection beyond Sydney and Canberra to other metro, rural, and regional locations across NSW and the ACT.

We’d love to hear from you if you’re keen to speak, there’s a topic you’d like covered, or if there’s someone you’d like to hear from. There are also sponsor/partnership opportunities available.

Thanks!

Ben Pecotich, Samara James, Bridget Gunn & Greg Hodgkinson (with Karen Porter from B Local Sydney & Nimmity Zappert from Fair Trade Association of Australia & NZ)
SECNA Meetups Organising Team

Contact the host of SECNA Meetup #3: Demystifying Business for Good