Entrepreneurs are people who organize, manage, and take on the risks of a business. They often start a new business in response to a perceived need for a good or service. An influencer, on the other hand, is someone who has the power to affect or change people and their behavior through social media—often to get them to buy something.
Influencers who start their own business certainly fall under the first part of the definition of entrepreneur, as they are managing their business and taking on risks. Nowadays followers trust the influencers blindly they look up to them and want a lifestyle like theirs. Many influencers are bringing social change through working as entrepreneurs.
Starting With Few Students
Shaheen pursued her Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Sociology at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. It was during this time that her unwavering dedication to educating the underprivileged led her to initiate the Akansha Foundation in 1989.
Starting with just 15 students, the non-profit educational center has since grown exponentially, serving over 15,000 children in Pune and Mumbai. With support from her parents, friends, and Citibank, the Akansha Foundation became a beacon of hope for countless children seeking a brighter future. Today, the center teaches 3,500 students in 58 centers and 21 schools.
Teach For India Model
In 2008, Shaheen’s vision expanded even further, inspired by the Teach For America model. She founded Teach For India with a daring ambition to provide an excellent education to every child in India, driven by a movement of dedicated leaders committed to ending educational inequity.
Today, Teach For India’s impact is immense, reaching over 32,000 children through the dedication of over 900 Fellows and 250 staff members across eight cities. The Teach For India Alumni community, comprising over 3800 members, has had a direct impact on one million children and an indirect reach of 33 million children.
There are many influencers engaged in entrepreneurship, contributing to societal change. This phenomenon reflects the positive impact of influencers in reshaping cultural norms and introducing new ideas and lifestyles. By leveraging their platforms for entrepreneurship, influencers play a crucial role in fostering social progress and uncovering new facets of entrepreneurship.
