A lucrative opportunity pulls you away from your mission. Navigate the tension between financial sustainability and staying true to your purpose.
Part of
Social Entrepreneurship →
Building a business that makes money and makes a difference. Navigate the unique tensions of mission-driven work where impact and revenue must coexist. You'll navigate four escalating scenarios — from the mission drift to the scale question — practicing the decisions that matter most when the pressure is real and the stakes are personal. This isn't theory. It's practice for the moments that define how this chapter of your life unfolds.
Skills you'll build
What happens in this story4 scenarios
A corporate partner waves a contract that could fund your operations for a year — but the project they want has nothing to do with the community you serve. The money is blinding.
Your team is excited about the funding — they do not see the drift yet. You start sketching what the organization looks like in twelve months if you say yes, and the picture unsettles you.
The board splits — half want financial security, half want mission purity. You are the tiebreaker, and both sides have arguments that keep you up at night.
You draft two versions of the response — one that accepts the money and one that protects the mission. Only one gets sent, and it will define what this organization becomes.
More stories in this course
View all →The Impact Report
Your investors want numbers, your beneficiaries want stories. Learn to measure and communicate impact in ways that satisfy both.
4 scenarios →The Difficult Donor
A major funder wants to influence your direction. Navigate power dynamics when the money comes with strings attached.
4 scenarios →The Scale Question
Growing your impact means growing your organization. But bigger is not always better. Navigate the paradox of purposeful scale.
4 scenarios →The Mission Drift
A lucrative opportunity pulls you away from your mission. Navigate the tension between financial sustainability and staying true to your purpose.
Start free →4 scenarios · 25 min · No account required to try