Lessons in Social Entrepreneurship: Test Fast & Pinpoint Pain Points
Through their education nonprofit MindRight, Ashley Edwards and Alina Liao (both MBA ’16, pictured above) are working to help at-risk youth recover from trauma caused by exposure to community violence and other poverty related barriers. Below, the Stanford GSB graduates share the experiences that led them to launch their startup and offer tips for others pursuing their own entrepreneurial journey.
Can you share a story or two about the path that led you to become social entrepreneurs?
Ashley: “My dad used to share stories with me about his time growing up in Newark, New Jersey where he was exposed to violence and crime on an almost daily basis. Years later, when I returned to Newark to work in education as director of operations of a charter high school, I saw my students face the same daily obstacles that my dad faced growing up. Nothing had changed decades later. Many of my students suffered from trauma from exposure to daily violence, never received help because of our school’s limited resources, and had to beat incredible odds to escape a cycle of poverty. I have a personal conviction to ensure that no other child has to grow up that way. Social entrepreneurship is a way for me to make that conviction a reality.”
Alina: “Before the GSB, I led a transformation of the organizational structure of the consulting firm where I served as vice president. This experience got me thinking about a future in entrepreneurship. In my free time, I tutored low-income youth in Washington, DC. I was both inspired by the potential of the kids I served and angered by the failures of the status quo to provide them with basic needs that all children need to thrive. I went to the GSB to change careers and explore how I could make an impact for underserved youth. The classes Startup Garage and Social Venture Practicum helped me discover that being an entrepreneur allows me to channel my strengths and past experiences into what matters to me most - unleashing the brilliance of at-risk youth.”
What are some entrepreneurial lessons you’ve learned so far as you’re working on your education nonprofit?
Lesson #1 “Throughout our journey, we’ve learned the importance of testing fast. Before we had any technical platform built, we were able to test our user experience and value proposition by simulating the experience of the technology we envisioned. We decided to start texting users manually ourselves to start receiving feedback on our basic idea, before we even decided whether we would create a mobile app or a texting platform. This helped us hone in on our current product of an SMS texting platform. By doing this, we were able to gain valuable insights on our user experience before spending significant resources on product development.”
Lesson #2 “We’ve also learned the importance of narrowing the pain point of our target users. Untreated PTSD and traumatic stress in under-served communities is a huge, complex problem. Naturally, we were pulled in many directions in our early ‘ideation’ stage. However, by speaking with the youth we serve, we gained a more nuanced understanding of the barriers that keep at-risk youth from getting help. We heard repeatedly from teens living in areas with a high prevalence of trauma, ‘you’re just expected to live this way.’ This narrow pain point we uncovered revealed a crucial barrier in getting youth the help they need. We were able to design a targeted solution around helping youth better understand what trauma is and that they can overcome it with the right skills. We’ve since received validation from our early users.”
How do you come up with new, creative ideas? What inspires you?
“The youth we serve continually inspire us to do our work. Teens from South Los Angeles to Newark are incredibly creative, artistic, and resilient people, as we’ve witnessed through our daily interactions to help them tackle adversity in their lives. By holding focus groups and embracing user-centric design, we are continuously inspired by their stories and able to use their feedback to generate new ideas to meet their needs.”
Learn more about MindRight here.
