Meet a FLiP: Social Enterprise Fellow Annie Lam

Annie Lam on Social Enterprise and Microfinance 

By Jordan Walker

FLiP recently sat down with Annie Lam, who was selected as the first Social Enterprise Fellow of Changing Our World, an international philanthropy consulting firm.  Chosen out of over 40 qualified applicants, Annie is spending 12 weeks researching the challenges and opportunities in social enterprise.

In her interview with FLiP, Annie talks about her personal experiences with philanthropy and social enterprise and where she plans to go next.

Ok, first things first…what is social enterprise?  And why is it important?  

Social enterprise is an organization/venture that advances a social mission through market-based strategies. It also refers to any earned-income business or strategy undertaken by a nonprofit to generate revenue in support of its charitable mission. Its role is increasingly important, as it provides a sustainable way for nonprofits to run their organizations, and a medium for for-profits to do good through their social missions. 

You had an incredible opportunity to travel to Cambodia on behalf of Deutsche Bank’s Social Investment Funds. What does microfinance look like first-hand?

I was representing the Bank to conduct due diligence with a few microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Phnom Penh. Other than understanding their headquarters' operations, I was brought to remote rural villages to observe how micro-loans were distributed and collected. 

I remember in one of the villages, the loan officers gathered borrowers - mainly women - and educated them on how money should be spent and saved before distributing the funds. The procedures were very primitive, however. For instance, borrowers fingerprinted their loan agreements as compared to how we sign documents with pens.

In an interview with a woman who borrowed $100 for half a year, she reported to need the money to produce and sell pillows at the marketplace to make a living. She managed to repay her first loan with this mini-business (first phase of production: 200 pillows), and she anticipated to double her production scale with merely another $100. I was overwhelmed by the monetary power of $100 in Cambodia. In the US, that amount of money could probably only purchase a few pillows.

Now you’re pursuing a Master’s degree at Columbia University.  What makes the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) right for you? 

I have always been interested in meeting people of diverse cultural backgrounds, and SIPA's community displays that. On top of classes that are taught by a number of renowned professors, the most rewarding experience is to meet other students from all around the world. Each student has a unique story prior to attending SIPA, and oftentimes we learn from each other's experience. Even though I was on international rotations in my previous job, and I got to build friendships with people from other countries, I seldom came across natives from developing countries, especially those from Sub-Saharan Africa. Learning their cultures, gestures and hospitality fascinates me. 

My first year focused more on building the foundation so that in my second year I will have the opportunities to partner with external organizations and experience real world cases. I think this is another rewarding part of the education and I am looking forward to it. 

What’s the next step for you after you graduate next summer?

I am still exploring how to develop my career into the next stage, and I am grateful that I am learning a lot through this summer fellow opportunity - both on the subject of social enterprise itself as well as the approach towards conducting independent research. It definitely enhances skills I have acquired. Upon graduation, I am hoping to land in a job where my hard and soft skills can be utilized, as well as doing good for society. 

About Annie

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Annie first realized she wanted to study international relations when she attended the Future World Leaders Summit in Washington DC in 2001.  A double Quantitative Economics and International Relations major, Annie received her Bachelor’s degree at Tufts University before going on to work in the Credit Risk Management division at Deutsche Bank AG.

While at Deutsche Bank, Annie volunteered with its Global Social Investment Funds, primarily in Cambodia.  In her work with the Fund, Annie was tasked with interviewing recipients of microfinance loans to ensure responsible spending and repayment as well as achievement of measurable impacts.  

Annie is currently pursuing a Masters of International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University.  Her coursework includes a focus on economic and political development.

Annie can be reached at alam@changingourworld.com.

Education, credentials, and philanthropy careers: By Richard Marker

A few weeks ago, a question I asked about getting an advanced degree to help your career in the world of philanthropy garnered 20+ comments, and generated parallel posts on a number of other sites. As a follow up, I asked a good friend of FLiP's, Richard Marker of Wise Philanthropy - www.wisephilanthropy.blogspot.com - to react to the question. He answered on his site in fine style, so I wanted to share his response here as well.

Will Schneider’s inquiry is a very helpful one.  Given where I sit (and have sat) I am asked that question all the time.  Based on at least five or more “careers” over a 40 year period, here are some thoughts – in bullet point form:

• Unless one is absolutely committed to a job where there are defined credentials (law, medicine, etc.), no graduate degree is worth anything unless you are interested in what the degree is in. Otherwise stated, any graduate degree can be equally useful in the general field of nonprofits, grantmaking and/or philanthropy IF you are passionate about the field you are studying and want to work in that area.  (A degree in international education would be of interest to some funders; a degree in environmental sciences would be of interest to others; a degree in urban studies to still others…)

• I had already been tenured and had a well established career as a college chaplain/faculty member when I decided to get a management degree.  By that time, I had been working for 13 years.  I ended up loving the management concepts and a year later changed career directions based on that management credential.  There is no doubt in my mind that I would have been absolutely bored if it had been mandatory that I obtain that management degree before I was interested and ready.

ManhattanGMAT's Social Venture Scholarships

As editors of a blog gaining some traction online, we get requests to promote certain products, events, or websites. We'€™re always happy to get these requests, but mostly they are only peripherally related to the philanthropy sector so we've passed on them. In the case of the ManhattanGMAT Social Venture Scholarships, however, we jumped at the opportunity to involve the FLiP community. 

Here'€™s the offer: ManhattanGMAT, the world'€™s largest GMAT-exclusive test prep company, is offering up to 25 individuals the chance to take their preparation class (valued at nearly $1,400) for free. The scholarships are open to people who work full-time for an organization that promotes positive social change, who plan to use their MBA to continue to work for the good of society, and who demonstrate financial need.

This special class will be held beginning at the end of January 2007 through March 2007 (9 sessions), and will be taught by the founder of ManhattanGMAT, Zeke Vanderhoek. Check out his bio- http://manhattangmat.com/staff-vanderhoek.cfm.

In other words, if you are part of the FLiP community and are considering going to business school in the near future, jump on this opportunity. The deadline to apply has been extended to January 22, and we'd love to see the class dominated by young professionals in the philanthropy community.

I also want to congratulate Mr. Vanderhoek for creating this scholarship. For the most part, young professionals in a socially conscience occupation don't often have the money for a high-end test prep program like ManhattanGMAT, and therefore can'€™t compete with the bankers and brokers of the world for admission. With this kind of opportunity, FLiPs will level the admissions playing field at top schools.

There is a new discussion thread over at the FLiP Group on Facebook about the best grad schools for philanthropy education, and we often get requests to write posts about continuing education (like Shannon Bond's "€œBack to School to Save the World"€). In other words, FLiPs are talking about going back to school - the market for socially conscience MBA students appears to be growing, and we're happy to see a leading test prep company get ahead of this trend.

Go to ManhattanGMAT's Social Venture Scholars at  http://www.manhattangmat.com/svs.cfm now, and get your application ready. If this offer isn'€™t right for you, I'€™m sure it is for someone you know, so tell your friends about it. It's a chance we shouldn'€™t miss!

FLiP Meets: Cathy Williams

I recently had the chance to talk with Cathy Williams, Ph.D., CAE, the Vice President of Education and Research Programs at the Association of Fundraising Professionals. As we approach the end of our education issue, I thought this would be a good time to chat with an expert!

*Be sure to check out the end of the post for a list of resources to continue your education*

Future Leaders in Philanthropy: For fundraisers with only a few years of experience, who are interested in going back to school to further their career, what degree would you recommend they pursue?

Cathy Williams: There are many opportunities to learn about fundraising, for those at all levels of experience.  The “definitive” list of these opportunities is a moving target, since educational programs are constantly being developed or disbanded depending on local demand.  Many colleges and universities offer fundraising certificate programs through their Continuing Education department.  There is also a growing list of colleges and universities that offer masters degree programs in nonprofit management.  Most of these degree programs include one or more courses in fundraising.  The degrees are offered in a variety of departments, depending on the university.  Some possible degrees include Masters of Public Administration (MPA), Masters of Public Policy (MPP), Masters of Urban Planning (MUP), Masters of Social Work (MSW) and others.  The Center for Public Service, Seton Hall University has developed a list of nonprofit management degree programs: www.nonprofit-info.org/misc/acad.html.

The Buck Doesn't Stop at Banking

For those of us who have had to circumnavigate the perilous sea of choosing a career upon graduation from college, we know that the pressure to find a job that is both enjoyable and financially supportive can be overwhelming. At many prestigious universities, graduates feel burdened to land high-paying, high-powered jobs.

As a result of the current state of the U.S. economy, the job market, or perhaps because of sheer force of habit, the most highly coveted jobs are largely considered to be on or around Wall Street. Be it banking, law, venture capital, etc., there is no doubt that for some people, this type of job provides the perfect alignment of talent, ability, and passion. But FLiP isn’t for those rare few; it’s for those of us who aren’t sure where our personal “intersection” lies – but who are also used to overachieving and want to continue to do well. For those of you uncomfortable with the typical career path that many of your friends are embarking upon, this is a call to consider a slightly different route – one that requires a more introspective, proactive approach.

The Ultimate Internship: How to

After Anastasia revealed how she made the most of her ultimate internship in last week’s post, we heard from more than a few FLiPs.  "Fabulous to know how to take advantage of an internship", they said, "but what of the kids who need to find one first?!"  A few of the best strategies, FLiP-tested and editor-approved:

The Ultimate Internship!

“Get an internship!”

Many of us have heard that dreaded mandate from our parents, teachers, or career counselors. While the thought of spending your time struggling to find a (unpaid!?) job haunts your dreams, the reality is far more palatable. First of all many paid internships exist, so you may be able to find work at the organization of your choice. However, there is a much larger point to having an internship that you will never be able to replicate in the classroom: The value of the experience itself. A truly useful internship will be an opportunity to open doors for you, that you might not even have known existed.

Back to School to Save the World

So, you want to be a future leader in philanthropy? The director of a nonprofit? A fundraising executive? Do you have what it takes? One way to get noticed in the growing pool of up-and-coming do-gooders is to get a masters degree focused on public sector management. As nonprofits run themselves more and more like businesses, there is a growing need for young people whose business know-how is as apparent as their passion to make a difference.

The nonprofit world is acutely aware of the need for new talent to replace the alarming number of baby boomer executives expected to retire in the coming years. “We need to ensure that the pool of candidates is bigger, better, and more diverse,” said Denice Rothman Hinden in a January 2006 Chronicle of Philanthropy article. The good news is that more and more colleges and universities are developing programs to address this growing need. This recent growth is both good and bad; on one hand more programs means more choices, and on the other, well, more programs means more choices. As someone currently enrolled in a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) program, I learned first-hand that while choices are wonderful to have, they also make for a daunting degree-selection process.

August/September 2006 - Education in Philanthropy

Today marks the beginning of our third issue! Since this is a bit of a milestone for us, I think it’s also a good opportunity to explain where FLiP is going. Our goal from the start was, and remains, to create a community for fundraisers and grant-makers who are early in their careers. I am often struck by how many people there are working in this industry, with so few forums to share information or communicate with each other. With FLiP we are trying to address this issue by being an active forum, for you.