IESE Business School

Entrepreneurs Changing the Game | The Dean's Call Episode 15

What does it really take to build a business that creates positive impact and survives in the market? In this month’s Dean’s Call, I speak with IESE Business School Prof. Desirée Pacheco about social entrepreneurs and what sets them apart from more traditional entrepreneurs. Her research shows that creating impact often requires playing a very different game. Social entrepreneurs frequently realize that building a company is not enough. To compete and scale, they may need to help create entire industries around them. Here are a couple insights that stayed with me: • Success depends on managing not only customers, but also a wider set of stakeholders, from governments to local communities. • Communicating effectively with these stakeholders is often as critical as the product or service itself. Drawing on firsthand research in countries such as Ghana, Colombia and Tunisia, Desirée also explores the realities and barriers faced by women entrepreneurs. Interestingly, initiatives designed to help often fall short when they rely on rigid, hierarchical structures. Flatter, more collaborative approaches tend to be far more effective. It is a conversation that offers a fresh perspective on what impact driven entrepreneurship really demands.