Posts by Mara Bolis
-
Most Influential Post Nominee: In Impact Investing’s Rush to the Mainstream, Who Are We Leaving Behind?
After a long march toward mainstream acceptance, many in impact investing are claiming victory. But a new report by Oxfam and Sumerian Partners argues that the sector should focus on the needs of the businesses working to reduce poverty rather than on the investors who stand to benefit from their work. In other words, it's time to stop pretending that investors seeking a pure market return can tackle the most complex global challenges in high-risk markets.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Investing
-
Monday
Share / Comment
October 30
2017Impact Investing Has it Backward: It’s Time to Prioritize the Needs of Social Enterprises, Not Just Investors
Impact investing is blissfully unaware – or intentionally ignorant – of social enterprises’ experience as they seek investments, contend Mara Bolis and Sarah Alexander. This process often involves accepting financial terms and/or partners that can distract from the social mission. Impact investing needs to start telling – and hearing – these businesses' stories, so they share a financing story that's emblematic of enterprises that prioritize social returns within fragmented enabling environments.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
-
Good for You, David Brooks: Now, could I please have Thomas Friedman’s phone number?
It’s great that New York Times Columnist David Brooks recently helped catapult impact investing into mainstream consciousness. But to move the impact investing space forward, we will have to look beyond the mainstream to challenge the boundaries of what we’d previously imagined was possible.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship