Last week, we focused on how to give back as an entrepreneur and what better way to reflect on doing so than to welcome one of our members who is a successful entrepreneur to give her input on the topic. Ashley Bauer started her own company in 2012 with husband Eric called FlightBridgeED, a medical education company that specializes in providing pre-hospital, critical care, and emergency medicine education for healthcare professionals of all types. Ashley, Eric and their team joined Ment a little over a month ago and we are happy to introduce you to them, their company and their outlook on philanthropy to you!

Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy – The Impact of Giving Back

Written by member Ashley Bauer on behalf of the FlightBridgeEd Team

Philanthropy is considered kindness and generosity to fellow mankind.  As a business owner and entrepreneur, often times you can feel there is absolutely not enough time in the day; and the thought of attempting to add something else to your plate is just unthinkable. However, it is imperative to understand the importance of giving back especially within the community that we are all a part of.  It not only benefits the community in which you live and work but also rewards you both personally and professionally.

The act of giving is not limited to monetary contributions. In fact, I can reflect back on our early business venture and many philanthropic contributions from others were simply time and experience and had nothing to do with monetary giving. I do believe those contributions and opportunities helped us exponentially and allowed us to continue to pursue our vision and goals. This also allowed us to see the importance of giving back as well.  Research has shown that when an individual donates, whether time or money, it stimulates an area within the brain that makes us feel good (Brown, 2016).  What better reason to give than this?

If monetary contributions are the easiest way for you to give back, then think locally. Sponsoring a local charity or contributing to a new community project are excellent ways to contribute and can make a huge difference and overall impact. Taking the time to help other entrepreneurs can be invaluable as well. Giving suggestions and coaching other entrepreneurs can really be the key turning point in their venture, with this often being a contribution they will never forget and are likely to pay it forward just as someone did for us in the beginning. Volunteering time can also be invaluable and can make a life-changing difference not only for you but the lives in which you are volunteering to help.

As an entrepreneurial or business owner philanthropist, you not only get the satisfaction of giving back and helping but are likely to further your networking opportunities as well.  These situations usually open up new opportunities for you and your business and garner exposure that you never really intended in the beginning.  It is likely to unintentionally build respect for you and your company within the community as well. In the end, as with everything else in life, the more you give, the more you are likely to get in return.  Like many business owners and entrepreneurs, we are blessed in so many ways, but we also understand the importance of giving back to others and our community. We understand the impact it has on us and those around us and hope it inspires others to do the same and focus more on philanthropy and humankind.

Arora, K. (2017). Five powerful ways to give back as an entrepreneur. 

Brown, C. (2016).  The importance of philanthropy in business.