Big ideas, or just good ideas, are worth more than a dime a dozen, but how much more? Social entrepreneurs must form teams, test their ideas, raise funds, and develop and execute business plans. The session will explore current research and thinking about:
- Where good ideas come from
- How entrepreneurs convert ideas into action
- Successful entrepreneur habits and attributes, and
- How our ecosystem supports or undermines us
Marty Johnson
Marty Johnson is Founder and CEO of Isles, Inc., an urban sustainable development organization that fosters self-reliance and healthy neighborhoods. Founded in 1981, Isles arose from a student-initiated seminar and thesis at Princeton University. Isles has received awards from the U.S. EPA, the White House, the United Nations, and numerous other organizations. Isles’ work includes community planning and green real estate development, wealth creation, environmental health, urban agriculture, education for under served high school drop-outs and job-training. Increasingly, Isles provides technical and organizing assistance to policymakers and groups across the state and beyond. Mr. Johnson co-founded other development organizations and projects, including: New Jersey Community Capital, Housing and Community Development Network of NJ, Building One New Jersey and the Success Measures Project, a national effort to develop impact measures for community building work.
