That’s the magic of social entrepreneurship–seeing problems not as obstacles, but as opportunities to make a sustainable income while having a positive impact on the world around you.

Historically, the main purpose for creating businesses was making money, with world travel and colonialism becoming by-products in the race to amass wealth. However, we are inching towards a change.​

Instead of focusing only on profit, people are trying to create companies that have the potential to help those around them. These entrepreneurs are designing ideas that solve real social and environmental problems, while keeping their companies afloat.

The new business mantra is not only about making a living, it is about making a difference in the world. Called ‘social entrepreneurs’, these new business owners are trying to create companies that try to make a profit, but not at the human cost of hurting those around. Instead, they are trying to work with cleaner energy than traditional businesses and help the communities they live in.

Social entrepreneurs are the keystone to bringing empathy and human connection back into the cold, gilded world of business.​ If you are planning on starting a business that balances profit and humanity, you need to be prepared.

Before beginning, it’s always better to crack open a good book and understand the terrain that you’re stepping into. Here are Troora’s top recommendations of books for social entrepreneurs.​

The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, Mohammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi economist, entrepreneur, and business leader who was instrumental in bringing the phrase ‘social entrepreneur’ into modern business lingo.​

‘Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism That Serves Humanity’s Most Pressing Needs’

by Muhammad Yunus

It all began when he decided to lend small amounts of money to people the banks had long ignored. He did not do any credit checks, took no collateral, and created a revolutionary idea based on just trust. That idea turned into the ‘Grameen Bank’, helped millions escape poverty, and gave birth to what we now call social entrepreneurship.

This book tells a number of fascinating stories using Grameen Bank’s partnerships as examples of social business. It explains the concepts, takes a look at the positive case studies, and learns from the real-world examples of the man who brought the concept to life. Reading Building Social Business is the first step through the door of becoming a social entrepreneur yourself!

‘The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World’

by Jacqueline Novogratz

While Mohammad Yunus’ Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism That Serves Humanity’s Most Pressing Needs is a book introducing a person to the world of businesses that run for the good of the people, Jacqueline Novogratz’s The Blue Sweater is a story of a personal journey, told through a memoir of travel, ideals, and engagement.​

Jacqueline Novogratz starts her tale with the story of a beloved blue sweater that she donated back at home in the USA, and found 11 years later and half a world away in Rwanda when she went to Africa as a volunteer. It made her realise how the actions we take can touch the lives of countless people, known and unknown. Her journey is key to understanding the spirit of social entrepreneurship.

Novogratz tells gripping stories with unforgettable characters: unwed mothers starting a bakery, courageous survivors of the Rwandan genocide, entrepreneurs building services for the poor against impossible odds.​

This book challenges the age-old idea of charity as a virtue and encourages approaching poverty through the lens of the people themselves. As Jacqueline Novogratz writes, “It is about building solutions from the perspective of the poor people themselves rather than imposing grand theories and plans upon them.’’

‘Start Something That Matters’

by Blake Mycoskie

In this book, Mycoskie talks about the humble but exciting beginning of his start-up turned million-dollar company, TOMS. It all began when Mycoskie travelled to Argentina and encountered impoverished children without any shoes on.

In a bid to help them, he founded a business based on giving back to the community without sacrificing profit. For every pair of shoes that TOMS sold, they gave a pair of shoes to an Argentinian child. Business boomed, the shoes flew off the shelves, and Mycoskie succeeded in establishing the idea that not only does making money help a business flourish, but the act of giving as well.

Following his own story, this book explains how a for-profit brand rather than a charity can reinvent the notion of business through giving. Even though he never studied business, went to fashion school, or worked in retail, Blake Mycoskie chose to start a business based on goodwill and effort.​

Creating a business which brings in money while still working for the benefit of a community is a lot to juggle, but this book teaches you–through example–that entrepreneurial spirit and optimism can sometimes help you cross the hardest of hurdles.

‘Do the KIND Thing: Think Boundlessly, Work Purposefully, Live Passionately’

by Daniel Lubetzky

In his book, Danie Lubetzky weaves a tale that combines family history and personal success and failure. It is a book that talks about the realities of social entrepreneurship and respecting your employees, business partners, and clients.

In his book, Lubetzky has shared the socially motivated principles that have shaped the business model and success of the company he started in 2004, ‘KIND Healthy Snacks’, which sells tasty, healthy snack bars.

Daniel Lubetzky turns his experience building KIND Snacks into a guide for social entrepreneurs. Filled with personal anecdotes and business stories, it is a book that can inspire new entrepreneurs to take more risks and give back to society without compromising on success.

‘Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World’

by Rutger Bregman

Imagining a better world can feel impossible, but in Utopia for Realists, Rutger Bregman shows that big ideas do not have to stay dreams. He weaves together history, economics, and real-world experiments to explore how society could be more just, prosperous, and free.​

Bregman shares bold yet practical ideas such as universal basic income, shorter workweeks, and open borders that challenge the status quo and encourage readers to rethink what is possible, especially in the present political climate. Utopia for Realists turns complex economic and social concepts into an accessible guide for change-makers and social entrepreneurs alike.​

Full of compelling research, engaging stories, and useful insights, this book is easy to read and will leave you thinking long after the last page.

‘The B Corp Handbook, Second Edition: How You Can Use Business as a Force for Good’

by Ryan Honeyman, Tiffany Jana , et al.

Starting or scaling a business with purpose can feel overwhelming, yet this handbook offers a clear path forward. This book talks about how companies of any size can use business as a force for good. They draw on conversations with over 200 certified B Corps around the world and include a refreshed focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.​

A B Corp is a business that aims to do good for people and the planet while still making money. This book gives practical frameworks, real‑world examples, and checklists that help you understand the what, why, and how of becoming a B Corp.​

For social entrepreneurs who want to build businesses that not only thrive but also create meaningful impact, this handbook can help turn big ideas into action.

‘Rise Up: How to Build a Socially Conscious Business’

by Russ Stoddard

Understanding the world of business, especially when you’re approaching it in a socially conscious way, can be a hard task. Rise Up by Russ Stodard is an easy-to-read, engaging, and comprehensive book that takes the reader through the basic tenets of creating a socially directed business.​

The book starts off with the basic definitions of what a social enterprise is, delves into case studies taken from the author’s own life and community, and expresses in an easy-to-understand way the reason why infusing ‘purpose’ in any for-profit business brings benefits for all involved.​

If you want to create a business while staying socially conscious, this book is an essential read that can help you identify and understand different corporate structures, figure out which one is right for your business, as well as help you look for resources for your start-up.

Reading books written by those who have lived, fought, and won in the world of social businesses is an integral part of understanding what social entrepreneurship stands for. They can help you learn from your failures, like Daniel Lubetzky in ‘Do the KIND thing’, help you find resources and direction, as with Russ Stoddard’s ‘Rise Up’, or even, with the help of books like ‘The B Corp Handbook’, come up with your first business idea!

Social entrepreneurship may not solve every global problem overnight, but it proves that ordinary people with extraordinary ideas can spark real change, and these books can help you bridge the gap between inspiration and execution.