How to measure and manage your social impact with Heidi Fisher

Social enterprises exist to create impact. Not measuring it is like trying to reduce your blood pressure without checking whether your medication or lifestyle changes are having an effect, according to social enterprise and impact specialist Heidi Fisher.

Yet many social entrepreneurs are mired in a swamp when it comes to measuring, managing and understanding their impact.

Heidi Fisher joins me for episode 325 of Business Live to explain her five-stage LEAN social impact approach.  Social enterprises of all sizes use it to understand, demonstrate and improve their social impact.

Heidi runs through the five stages (Define, Plan, Measure, Analyse and Learn), why each is important, how to use them, common pitfalls and how to embed impact management into day-to-day operations. 

Well-known for her unflinching honesty, Heidi has run social enterprises for over two decades and worked with or supported thousands of social entrepreneurs. She was awarded the MBE for this work a year ago and is determined for social enterprise to become the default way to do business. Understanding, being realistic about and boosting your social impact is a key element.

Also in this episode: new events, grant and loan funding and an entrepreneurial community.

Timings:

• 0 - 2:44 introduction
• 2:44 interview with Heidi Fisher
• 30:05 new events from the Business and IP Centre Sheffield
• 32:05 the Digital Entrepreneurial Community, a new networking group in Sheffield
• 32:50 the Cultural Recovery Fund is now open for applications from eligible businesses, social enterprises and charities – details
• 34:26 wrapping up

Heidi's new book, Impact First: The social entrepreneur's guide to measuring, managing and growing your impact is out now.