BusinessWeek Names Three B Corporations Among This Year's Top Five Social Entrepreneurs

Last week, GoodBiz113 gave its readers a heads-up re the voting deadline in BusinessWeek's annual endeavor to identify leading social entrepreneurs ["April 26: Last Day to Vote for America's Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs"].

Well, the votes have been counted. This year's top five winners include three companies -- denoted by the asterisk [*] -- certified as B Corporations, which "use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems," and get to proudly display the above logo on their websites and all of their other marketing media:

1. BetterWorldBooks.com*
2. Impact Makers*
3. Stonyfield Farm
4. Academic Earth
5. CleanFish*

Kudos to these inspiring innovators, as well as to BusinessWeek for showcasing enterprises that are demonstrating the far-reaching power of balancing creative commerce with social change to serve the greater good.

SOURCES: B Lab, BusinessWeek
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April 26: Last Day to Vote for America's Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs

The deadline is fast approaching for BusinessWeek's competition to determine America's top social entrepreneurs. To root for your favorite socially responsible enterprise -- among 25 total finalists -- vote here by day's end tomorrow, April 26, 2009.

Social entrepreneurs -- enterprising individuals who apply business practices to solving societal problems such as poverty, pollution and poor nutrition — are now 30,000 strong and growing, according to B Lab, a nonprofit organization that certifies these purpose-driven companies. Together, they represent some $40 billion in revenue.

Not surprising, then, that they've caught the attention of venture capitalists such as those at Acumen Fund, a nonprofit that invests in companies that try to alleviate poverty, and Bay Area Equity Fund, which backs businesses aiming to make social or environmental improvements to San Francisco's needier neighborhoods.

President Barack Obama -- whose campaign pledge to "help small businesses by cutting health-care costs, improving access to capital and investing in innovation and development," and post-election Recovery Act delivers significant funding for small businesses -- has even suggested starting a new government agency to help socially conscious startups gain more access to venture capital.

In January, BusinessWeek asked readers and a few members of the social enterprise community to nominate candidates whose trailblazing companies, in operation for at least a year, aimed to turn a profit while tackling social ills.

After the call for nominations ended on Feb. 20, BusinessWeek staff sifted through more than 200, and narrowed the impressive group down to a final 25:

* Academic Earth
* BetterWorldBooks.com
* BigBelly Solar
* CleanFish
* CraftNetwork
* Cyber-Rain
* D.light Design
* Fair Trade Sports
* Green Coast Enterprises
* Ground Report
* HeatSpring Learning Institute
* IceStone
* Impact Makers
* Innova Materials
* Interrupcion Fair Trade
* Lumni
* Microfinance International Corporation
* Peaceworks Holdings
* PharmaJet
* PhilanTech
* Restore Products
* Revolution Foods
* Social Venture Technology Group
* Stonyfield Farm
* TOMS Shoes

You can view a slide show that features all 25 finalists, and then vote for your favorite company through tomorrow, April 26. BusinessWeek will announce the top five vote-getters on May 2.

GoodBiz113's take: This is truly an amazing endeavor by BusinessWeek to recognize innovative small businesses leading the entrepreneurial way toward social justice on such a far-reaching scale -- locally, nationally and globally. We're especially pleased that Stonyfield Farm, whom we originally featured in October 2006 ["Recycline-Stonyfield Partnership Milks Resources to Benefit the Environment, Consumers and Each Other"], is among this year's 25 finalists.

SOURCES: Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan for Small Business, BusinessWeek, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Palo Alto Software Releases New Marketing Plan Pro Powered by Duct Tape Marketing®

As students head back to school, small-business owners are revving up their enterprises. Need help? Good news! GoodBiz113 ad partner Palo Alto Software, in partnership with small-business marketing guru John Jantsch [pictured] of Duct Tape Marketing, just announced the release of its new Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing®.

In this latest release of Marketing Plan Pro, Palo Alto Software has taken the award-winning Duct Tape Marketing methodology and embedded it into Marketing Plan Pro. The result: a product that will guide users through the process of creating a powerful marketing action plan that will help them understand how marketing and advertising can help grow their businesses.

Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing -- the best way to write a successful marketing plan -- is all-new for 2008. Small businesses often struggle with marketing strategies, and how to put an action plan in place that will actually grow their sales numbers. Marketing Plan Pro will give any business a clear plan to start working from, and get them started on creating a winning marketing strategy in just 30 minutes.

Your First Marketing Plan -- Within 30 Minutes!
Creating a marketing plan doesn't have to take months. In fact, Jantsch recommends starting with the simplest marketing plan outline, and then returning to add detail as implementation of your marketing plan progresses.

Marketing is a system, not an event, and Duct Tape Marketing is a systematic approach to marketing that is as elegantly simple as that sticky and trustworthy roll of duct tape. The Duct Tape Marketing system shows customers how to develop and execute marketing plans that will give businesses life and longevity. Audio introductions narrated by Jantsch are also included for major topics.

This new version of Marketing Plan Pro will help you:
* Build your marketing vision to identify your business goals.
* Focus on action, not words.
* Find your customers.
* Identify your remarkable difference and help figure out how you stack up against your competition.
* Forecast sales and budget expenses.
* Publish your plan securely online.
* Present your plan in style.
* Track your progress.
* Get free books [including a copy of Jantsch's own bestseller, "Duct Tape Marketing"] and more!

“It’s been exciting watching my Duct Tape Marketing system go from blog to book to software,” said Jantsch, creator of Duct Tape Marketing. “Merging my system with Palo Alto Software’s Marketing Plan Pro software will make this methodology available to anyone wanting to see their business succeed. The 30-minute plan will allow anyone to get from plan to action immediately.”

“Working with John Jantsch to bring Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing to market has been a great experience for Palo Alto Software,” noted Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software. “Our Marketing Plan Pro software still employs the core elements that have always made it a great value — including the step-by-step approach that guides users seamlessly through the process of creating a marketing plan that will be immediately available for use and get results.

“Palo Alto Software’s collaboration with John Jantsch and the Duct Tape Marketing system will be nothing short of remarkable for new and repeat customers, and we are very proud to bring this version to market.”

Learn From the Best in Class
Marketing Plan Pro and Duct Tape Marketing are both widely recognized as the best solutions in their class. Among their accolades:

“If you're going to market with a new product or service, Marketing Plan Pro will deliver all of the professional documents that you need to plan your launch.” -- Entrepreneur Magazine

“Marketing consultant and entrepreneur John Jantsch has earned a large following among small-business owners... He dispenses tips, strategies and tactics to help entrepreneurs expand their businesses.” -- BusinessWeek

Practically speaking, summer's over. Now, focus on growing your business!

Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing is available as an instant online download or on CD-ROM [download included] via Palo Alto Software. All Palo Alto Software products come with a no-risk, 60-day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee.

SOURCES: BusinessWeek, Entrepreneur, Palo Alto Software
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In June 2008, Entrepreneur Magazine picked Palo Alto Software's Business Plan Pro as one of the top resources that can take your company to the next level of growth and profitability. Click this link to learn why...