At the age of 40 and having led successful businesses for several decades, Philip Wilson wanted to make a positive impact in his native Guatemala.
His sister ran a private foundation that brought drinking water to 2,000 families per year, but because it relied solely on donations, its reach was limited. There she found the opportunity to turn it into a social enterprise and since 2010 it has been called Ecofiltro.
In his work as CEO of this social enterprise, he learned valuable lessons that will be useful to you if you have a business or are thinking of starting one:
According to the World Health Organization, 80% of diseases in the world are caused by the lack of access to drinking water. In Guatemala, the coverage deficit for sanitation services is close to 83% in rural areas.
In Latin America there are many challenges like this, which can be mitigated by applying business principles. However, it is important that you choose an issue that you are truly passionate about.
In Wilson's case, his main motivation is to help people and he estimates that for every 100 filters sold in rural areas, 3.5 lives are saved.
When your product is aimed at the bottom of the pyramid, you must consider that their purchasing power is limited and understand how they spend their money. They will only buy from you if your proposition truly adds value.
During Wilson's visits to families in rural areas, he observed that they had cell phones and televisions, but investing in a filter was not a necessity because they could boil water. They spent between US$10-US$13 a month to buy the necessary firewood, so he developed a product that was sufficiently attractive and economically more advantageous.
Many people who are trying to help society fail because they do not understand how to reach their customers. Billboards, press conferences or presence in shopping malls were not strategies that would impact the rural market.
They chose to donate one ecofilter per classroom and one for the kitchen to as many schools in the area as possible, thus gaining the trust of the community and meeting community leaders who support the project.
Make sure you don't impose a type of technology that has no cultural acceptance. An idea may sound good, but you can't ignore people's customs.
Other products such as improved stoves for filtering water or chlorine tablets have been rejected by the community. Ecofiltro is accepted because families are used to storing water in clay jars to keep it at low temperatures and these practices have been adopted for many years.
As a young man, the message Philip received in college was "business is about making money and creating jobs". After years of experience, he advises young people not to think only about getting rich.
He is aware that it is possible to live a life with a good economic level through social entrepreneurship, but at the same time helping and generating a positive impact on society.
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Wilson believes that the best way to solve many social challenges is through investments in social entrepreneurs, as they have the right training to efficiently manage resources. Finally, entrepreneurs have the power to exercise a more responsible leadership that generates economic, social and environmental value simultaneously.
Learn more about this initiative: https://www.ecofiltro.com/es/resumen-0
