Social Impact Measurement Needs A Dose Of Storytelling
Personal Stories are the last of the Visual Storytelling series comprising Cause Stories, Impact Stories and Product Stories. Each of these stories convey a specific aspect of the social good brand- what it does, who benefits from what it does and how it does what it does. On the other hand, personal stories are narratives centered on the personal trials and tribulations of the social entrepreneur along his entrepreneurial journey. These stories are rooted in the reality and the truth behind the entrepreneur’s quest towards changing the world. Personal stories thus bring out a beautiful account of the persona who inspires the social good brand.
How to tell Personal Stories?
Entrepreneur is the Hero
A personal story is not a biopic. Instead it’s a journey of a social entrepreneur’s evolution told by weaving together some important events in his life and his thoughts that led him to what he is now. Shreemaan Bryan Lee tries to bring out the love and the dedication Krishi Star founder Bryan Lee has for his cause and his social enterprise in India. This story shows his upbringing, his inspirations and how he transitioned from being a shy American-chinese kid with an identity crisis to heading a social good brand in India. This journey, from being someone very ordinary who had a highly predictable future, to now carving his own path is what this story is about.
Personal stories showcase the deep urge of the Entrepreneur to create an impact
Stories of personal journeys try to delve deeper into the social entrepreneur’s psyche. Blake Mycoskie did not conjure up the idea of TOMS one fine evening looking over the setting sun. Instead, the realization about the effects on students because of lack of access to shoes occurred to Blake while he was on a trip to Argentina. Here, he stumbled across an activist who took him to the low income pockets of the country where walking without proper shoes caused disease, infection and inconvenience to children. That’s when Blake along with an Argentinean instructor decided to start a for-profit to make Tomorrow’s shoes – TOMS. And the rest is history.
photo courtesy: hero.com
Personal stories talk about the impact whilst keeping the Entrepreneur’s personal strife in focus
The issue of menstruation has been plaguing Indian girls and women forcing them to drop out of schools, fall ill due to lack of hygiene and cause discomfort. Arunachalam Murganantham, better known as the ‘Menstruation Man of India’, hit upon an idea when he saw his wife using a rag cloth during her period days. He decided to make a better sanitary pad using cotton and offered it to his wife to test it. Out of embarrassment and to make him stop his research, his wife Shanti left him and sent him a divorce notice within a month. His neighbors and friends called him a pervert when he started testing it on himself after repetitive failure of getting a proper feedback from his target users. Today, after a TED talk and multiple guest sessions in management schools, he provides jobs to thousands and 877 brands make his affordable sanitary pads in 27 Indian states. Also, his wife came back to him five years later and is very proud of her husband now. Here’s his story.
Conclusion
Personal story shows the highs and lows of the social entrepreneur and the decisions he made that represent his grit and innovation. It transports the viewer right next to the entrepreneur through his journey inspiring the viewer along the way.
Rohan
Chief Visual Storyteller @ One Life, One Passion & Chief Blogger @ Creatively UnsettledAn Engineer and MBA by training but a storyteller by choice.I am passionate about telling real, positive & meaningful stories of social good.I am also a zealous writer, a thinker, a continuous learner and a hands-on dad! Riding on a country-side road and sleeping under the stars is my rush. I had been featured in ’15 Inspired Young Indians Who Chose Their Dreams Over Stability’ by Homegrown- A youth media company powered by an online content platform.rohan@rohanpotdar.com
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