The Social Entrepreneur: Business That Builds Community

About This Episode

How can business and entrepreneurial principles be used to solve social problems? In this episode, Pace University Lubin School of Business Dean Neil Braun sits down with SALIDO founder and CEO Shu Chowdhury to talk about business, technology and social entrepreneurship. “[There is] emotional satisfaction in helping people at the most interesting stage of life,” says Braun, a long-time Share Our Strength board member. Serial entrepreneur Chowdhury wants community building to be part of the DNA of his company. One of SALIDO’s values is community service. “If someone can’t care about someone they don’t know because it’s the right thing to do, it often happens that they can’t connect with what you’re actually trying to do,” he explains. After a distinguished career as an entertainment executive that included stints as Chairman and CEO of Viacom Entertainment and President of the NBC Television Network, Braun uses his vast experience in business to help a diverse student body including many from underserved communities. “They’ve overcome more adversity just to get to college than I have in my entire life and I am so inspired by them. They have found the inner strength to deserve a chance,” he says. No Kid Hungry supporter Chowdhury credits his parents for instilling a philanthropic and entrepreneurial spirit in him. They emigrated from Calcutta, built successful businesses and started a family foundation. His latest venture is improving restaurant technology systems to be more functional for restaurant workers at all levels. “When you make someone’s life easier and you help them do a better job… that can have a pretty awesome net impact on not just society but the individual,” he says. Listen to this important conversation that mixes insights from the business world with the desire to create social impact.