The importance of our work with entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders is often hard to communicate. This year, when we put our annual report together, we tried to capture the deeper story between the numbers—of impact that is happening in lives and communities—to paint a picture of what is possible in any community.
Read the introduction to our 2019 Impact Story in this excerpt below:
POSSIBLE starts with PURPOSE
CO.STARTERS began as an idea to solve a problem on a Main Street, in a mid-sized city.
We didn’t know, when we came together as a small band of misfits, makers, artisans, and artists, that our local efforts would spark a movement. We didn’t know that movement would spread to more than 200 communities. We didn’t know the transformative community we were building together would reach the hands and hearts of more than 12,000 starters.
We were focused on the challenge in front of us—finding real solutions for the people and places that we knew—and our inkling that there had to be a better way.
While trying and learning and growing, we caught a glimmer of something bigger. We saw the potential to change the future—to build, not only better businesses and a better economy, but healthier lives in the process. To reach a different possible.
We believe we can redefine success: personal, business, and community. We believe business can be an act of service and the foundation for thriving communities.
We believe it is possible to build businesses out of passion without sacrificing your soul. We believe it is possible to grow economies from the ground up, with grassroots leadership, personal investment, and community support. We believe we can redefine success: personal, business, and community. We believe business can be an act of service and the foundation for thriving communities.
Reflecting on our past year of growth, we are awed to see, over and over in different communities, this pattern of change. To see what began as an inkling echoing in different expressions across our network of member communities. To see true transformation happening in people, places, and perceptions.
From the beginning, we believed it was possible to create a better future, a better way. The following pages highlight just a few of the many ways we are finding that possible.
—Enoch and the CO.STARTERS team