About This Resource

This session was part of the Winter 2024 CE Week.

Series Overview

The Strategic Growth Planning series is designed to explore the specifics of employment social enterprise growth planning, including:

• Scaling to a new geographic location
• Strengthening staffing and organizational design
• Streamlining operations, and
• Enhancing financial management capacity.

Whether you’re charting a course for expansion or seeking to refine your current growth strategies, this series provides a holistic exploration of key facets essential for organizational advancement.

To bring the learnings to life, we’re thrilled to be joined by ESE leaders and consultants with deep expertise in employment social enterprise best practices and operations.

Session Description

REDF is excited to be joined by Tamra Ryan and the team at Women’s Bean Project for a workshop designed to unravel the intricacies of operational growth within Employment Social Enterprises (ESEs). The Women’s Bean Project team will share firsthand experiences and insights into the intentional strategy behind their substantial growth in both their business and employee success operations.  

Participants will walk away with the following understanding:

1. How to assess the key internal and external indicators that your organization is ready for operational expansion. 
2. The significance of visionary planning in operational growth, including setting strategic goals and starting with a clear vision of the desired end-state. 
3. Effective methods for engaging stakeholders and incorporating their perspectives in the growth strategy, including decision-making and change management. 
4. How operational growth strategy lays the foundation for a fundraising or investment plan.  

Below is the session recording and accompanying materials

About Women’s Bean Project

Women’s Bean Project is a Colorado 501(c)(3) non-profit social enterprise that supports women striving to create lasting change in their lives by establishing steppingstones to self-sufficiency. We believe all women have the power to transform their lives through employment. We envision a day when barriers to employment are eliminated, when employers hire based on talent and potential rather than background. We hope all women who want a second chance can come to the Bean Project and find the community, support and confidence needed to improve the future for themselves, their families and the community.

Now our revenue is more than $3M per year and our products are sold in nearly 1,000 stores nationwide, including King Soopers, Whole Foods, Safeway, and Meijer, as well as small specialty retailers. You can also shop our products online on our website, Amazon.com and a small growing number of other online sales portals.