Social enterprising is the way forward, Pascal Derrien, SPADE Enterprise Centre

Interesting interview with Pascal Derrien, from the SPADE Enterprise Centre who explains the concept of  social enterprising.

What is your own background briefly?

Well I am originally from France and landed on Irish shores in 1998. While I have worked in France for Sony for 8 years I have spent most of my professional life in Ireland so I guess I am officially confused. Joke part I have been working for large corporations, SMES, Start Ups or Social Enterprises. The last few years I have been focusing on Social Enterprise projects leveraging and applying skills acquired in the corporate world for the last 3 decades. I particularly enjoyed my time In Microsoft but was equally thrilled at throwing myself into Social projects such as Front Line Make Change or my current assignment in SPADE.

For those of you who may not know SPADE, SPADE Enterprise CLG is a Not For Profit organization with a charity status. Our primary objective is to help pre start-ups and young companies by offering an inclusive and incubating environment in the heart of Dublin. In turn this allow them to focus solely on their mission, establish strong foundations and grow. We act as a catalyst by providing subsidized and serviced offices and kitchen units alongside ad hoc mentoring.

Social enterprising is the way forward, Pascal Derrien, SPADE Enterprise Centre

Does it seem like a logical background to what you do now?

Yes and no but does it matter?  Personally  I tend to go with the flow and I am a big fan of the plan of no plans. It’s really about grabbing opportunities when they arise sometimes it works sometimes it works differently trial and error is my motto. I suppose as a  self-made generalist it has served me well to date.

With my latest role in SPADE I have the opportunity to leverage and bring what I have learned to date but I equally acquire new knowledge. In the end your background will only bring you so far the differentiator is about making impact. I guess what you bring is more important than what you did  in the end.

How was the last 12 months? What were your big wins?

The last 12 months have been a roller coaster to be honest and like anybody else the last 3 in particular have been a huge hurdle to overcome however in the midst of the crisis SPADE has managed to be recognized and accredited as 2020 Business All Star by the AIBF. This was major win for us especially since very few socially driven entities had been awarded this prestigious award before us.

What would you have done differently?

As you may guess I am not a big fan of the time machine what I may do going forward is more important having said  that COVID-19 has crashed a few plans we had namely around co working space. However it has not derailed a major Shared Kitchen Project SPADE has in the pipeline and while we are only at scoping and design phase, planning permit permitting we should be able to add a shared kitchen to our existing services portfolio by 2022. There is a huge need for kitchen incubators and small premises at the moment to help entrepreneurs and pre start up making their first steps in a regulated and safe environment.

For example  have noticed a substantial rise in the level of enquiries the last 8 weeks and while I have quite a few office units ready to be rented I am at full capacity on the Kitchen units front. Besides we would also like to establish firmer partnerships with other likeminded organizations when it comes to mentoring  as I think we need to propose a more programmatic approach to our customers  .

Why did you get involved with helping start-ups & micro enterprises?

For those about to startup we salute you.  I know I am paraphrasing a famous song title here but I have the utmost respect for anybody who has the guts to pursue their dreams and get a business off the ground. While  have headed briefly a start-up  I don’t personally see myself as an entrepreneur however the altruist in me is always happy to play a modest and positive part on the journey of others. Besides if we park the national GDP figures for a moment  the back bone of the Irish economy is based on companies with less than 20 staff so for me it’s no brainer.

How do you help ensure that sustainability and B-corp principles are included as much as possible?

While we obviously consider any startup the ethos they have built their company around is a big part of the decision making . A sustainable blueprint is important whether it is about local employment, promoting veganism or giving back to producers overseas. Moyee Coffee is one of our tenants who is a B corp is encapsulating clearly the notion of giving back rather than just making profits as they help coffee growers generating a fair income from their hard labour.

We are not a commercial landlord so hosting those companies by providing subsidised units in the heart of Dublin is our way to give back and make a positive impact to society.

Why do you think it is such a powerful idea?

Social enterprising is the way forward without a shadow of a doubt, I always say that only fools love fossils. Companies who are looking at fixing societal problems by creating value for themselves and people they serve need help. Interestingly enough the Social Enterprise landscape is also muting from largely parochial structures to having a more global impact.

An article from the Guardian a few years ago said that ‘’ two-thirds of social enterprises said they expected to grow their offshore ventures in the next three months“. In the same article they outlined how social enterprise was  becoming an emerging force in Pakistan  for example .This is encouraging for those who want the world to be a slightly more inclusive one.

How can people find out more about you personally & your work?

Professionally you can find me on LinkedIn or drop by in SPADE in Dublin 7, the team would be delighted to welcome you. On the personal front I am a relatively private person however you may find me on the start line of a few marathons, guiding visually impaired runners at a parkrun venues or riding my bike at Irish cycling sportives.

https://twitter.com/ClgSpade

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascalderrien/

https://www.facebook.com/spadecec/?modal=admin_todo_tour

https://www.instagram.com/spadeclg/

Who and where do you get inspiration from?

I don’t do heroes or worship public figures however I have met two individuals who have impressed me for various reasons. The first one is the legendary Peter Mc Verry  which I have met on a few occasions and also had the opportunity to be a fellow judge at the National Student SPARK Social Enterprise Awards for the last  two years. I admire his drive and hunger to get things done for the right reasons.

The other individual is the late Benjamin Barber a man of action as much as theory, he formed the Interdependence Movement, and  Interdependence Day, an annual gathering held each year on September 12, the day following 9/11, to seek alternatives to terrorism and the war on terrorism. He always looked for solutions rooted in cooperation and pooled sovereignty rather than national hegemony and unilateralism.

Ben was a true Renaissance man, and he applied his prodigious talents equally to the worlds of politics and culture. He set out to change the world and succeeded. I was fortunate enough to work with him on a couple of projects and was blown away by his sheer intellectual power.

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