verynice is a global design, business, and innovation consultancy that dedicates over 50% of its efforts toward pro-bono services.
The company is a full service social enterprise that has provided over $300,000 worth of pro-bono design and consulting services in 6 continents to 125+ clients thanks to their team of nearly 100 international volunteers, collaborators, and partners.
Why do they do this?
Matthew Manos, the founder says,
“The notion that business is designed for the short term is an old model and the thought that philatrohy comes only after wealth creation is also an old model. New business models dictate designing for the long term and incorporate wealth creation and philantrohy at the same time.”
When Matthew’s design ideology did not match his early career opportunities, he started looking in a different direction- at social design, design with a social purpose. What was startling to him was that non-profits in the US alone spend over $7 billion on marketing and design. To help this situation while creating a self sustaining business, his seed idea evolved into a social enterprise or social business, that helps non-profits with probono services while supporting the business with for-profit contracts.
So how does Matthew’s firm manage to do both?
In an interview to Forbes, he says
“I figured out that I could give away half of my efforts and still make the same profits as a standard design firm… provided that I was able to get twice as much work.”
While this is a challenge, it’s one that VeryNice has been able to rise to thus far, through soliciting skill based volunteering.
Listen to his inspiring talk that encourages business to leave behind a legacy of doing good and doing well.
About Priti Ambani
