31 Social Entrepreneurs Inspired by Reading

How Founders Take Some Time Off to Reboot

SocialBusiness.org has done dozens of interviews and the featured social entrepreneurs inspired by reading have cited numerous books that they turn to in order to reset, reboot, recharge and get themselves on their way to be ready for another busy and long day as they start up their own social business or social enterprise. Some of the thinkers here didn't cite books but simply cited reading more generally as a way for them to learn about what's going on in the field at large -- or perhaps they dived into a little fiction in order to get their mind off of things.

Some of these social entrepreneurs inspired by reading, like Barb Stegemann of Dragon's Den, who founded an ethical perfume company called 'The 7 Virtues,' have written books on their own.

SCORE
5.2 out of 10
GENDER
50% Men50% Women
MARKETTop markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa
GENERATION
  • Gen Z
  • Gen Alpha
  • Millennial (primary audience)
  • Gen X (primary audience)
POPULARITY
Popularity 61%
Activity 87%
Freshness 8%
Tracey Spokes, Artistic Director of 13th Theatre Company (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Tracey Spokes, Artistic Director of 13th Theatre Company (INTERVIEW)
Dave Simnick and Eric Vong, Founders of SoapBox Soaps (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Dave Simnick and Eric Vong, Founders of SoapBox Soaps (INTERVIEW)
Tim Draimin, Executive Director of Social Innovation Generation (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Tim Draimin, Executive Director of Social Innovation Generation (INTERVIEW)
Piyush Mangukiya, Founder of EducateNCare (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Piyush Mangukiya, Founder of EducateNCare (INTERVIEW)
Dave Llorens, CEO of 1BOG (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Dave Llorens, CEO of 1BOG (INTERVIEW)
Tim Draimin, Executive Director of Social Innovation Generation (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Tim Draimin, Executive Director of Social Innovation Generation (INTERVIEW)
Felix Cheung, Founder of DopeHut (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Felix Cheung, Founder of DopeHut (INTERVIEW)
Dr. Jordan Kassalow, Founder and CEO of VisionSpring (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Dr. Jordan Kassalow, Founder and CEO of VisionSpring (INTERVIEW)
Meg Wirth, CEO of Maternova (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Meg Wirth, CEO of Maternova (INTERVIEW)
Nathan Rothstein, Marketing and Sales at Project Repat
CATEGORY
Social Good
Nathan Rothstein, Marketing and Sales at Project Repat
Katie Jeanes, Founder of A Little More Good (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Katie Jeanes, Founder of A Little More Good (INTERVIEW)
Thurlow Hanson-Moore, Founder of the TOUCH Initiative (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Thurlow Hanson-Moore, Founder of the TOUCH Initiative (INTERVIEW)
Leslie Beasley, Co-Founder/Managing Director of The Open Arms Shop (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Leslie Beasley, Co-Founder/Managing Director of The Open Arms Shop (INTERVIEW)
Eve Friedman, Founder of Eve Echo (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Eve Friedman, Founder of Eve Echo (INTERVIEW)
Emily Holdridge, Co-Founder of Everything Happy (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Emily Holdridge, Co-Founder of Everything Happy (INTERVIEW)
Worldstock (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Worldstock (INTERVIEW)
Eric Cope, Founder of Smile Squared (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Eric Cope, Founder of Smile Squared (INTERVIEW)
Mike Radparvar, Co-Founder of Holstee (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Mike Radparvar, Co-Founder of Holstee (INTERVIEW)
Ajay Godhwani, Founder & CEO of Intuary (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Ajay Godhwani, Founder & CEO of Intuary (INTERVIEW)
Rachel Cope, Co-Founder of Lazy Angel (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Rachel Cope, Co-Founder of Lazy Angel (INTERVIEW)
Barb Stegemann, CEO of The 7 Virtues (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Barb Stegemann, CEO of The 7 Virtues (INTERVIEW)
Jennifer Gootman, Executive Director of Global Goods Partners (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Jennifer Gootman, Executive Director of Global Goods Partners (INTERVIEW)
Stacy McCoy, Co-Founder of Give to Get Jobs
CATEGORY
Social Good
Stacy McCoy, Co-Founder of Give to Get Jobs
Assaf Weisz, Founder of Venture Deli (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Assaf Weisz, Founder of Venture Deli (INTERVIEW)
Nick Foley, Founder of Celebrate the Hero (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Nick Foley, Founder of Celebrate the Hero (INTERVIEW)
Jimmy Ostholm, Founder & CEO of The Porteur Foundation (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Jimmy Ostholm, Founder & CEO of The Porteur Foundation (INTERVIEW)
Merete Mueller, Writer & Producer of The Tiny Documentary (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Merete Mueller, Writer & Producer of The Tiny Documentary (INTERVIEW)
Sharon Schneider, Founder & CEO of Good Karma Clothing for Kids (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Sharon Schneider, Founder & CEO of Good Karma Clothing for Kids (INTERVIEW)
Brooks Dame, Founder of Proof Eyewear (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Brooks Dame, Founder of Proof Eyewear (INTERVIEW)
Bridget Hilton and Ben Richardson, Co-Founders of Jack's Soap (INTERVIEW)
CATEGORY
Social Good
Bridget Hilton and Ben Richardson, Co-Founders of Jack's Soap (INTERVIEW)