A Clear Vision of Social Franchising

Social enterprises are beginning to dip their toes into the (often murky) waters of franchising. This relatively new movement, known as social franchising, is currently the hot topic within the social enterprise circles. In a previous article for Justmeans I explored the 'for' and 'against' arguments for social franchising. For me, the 'for' arguments are stronger. Vision Spring is a social enterprise that demonstrates why.

Vision Spring is the brainchild of Dr. Jordan Kassalow, a practicing optometrist. His idea for a social enterprise came when he realized that over 40% of the patients he treated simply needed a pair of non-prescription eyeglasses, the kind found in drugstores all over the US. The condition of presbyopia (what he was treating these 40% for), where the eye exhibits a progressively diminished ability to focus on near objects, affects nearly everyone as they reach middle age. However many people living in remote areas of developing nations do not have access to the mass-produced glasses designed to alleviate the condition. Nor do they have the resources for proper diagnosis. Because of this many people are unable to continue working. They lose out on many precious years of income and are socially disempowered.

Kassalow's solution was to create a business, which met the needs of these people with cheap, standardized glasses. Today, Vision Spring serves tens of thousands of poor customers across the developing world with affordable eyeglasses. According to research done by Vision Spring 'investment in one pair of glasses can generate a greater than 27X return to the wearer, creating a ripple effect of economic improvement in the world's poorest communities.' The business plan did not stop here however. It's not hard for a company to sell essential products to the poor if the price is right. Vision Spring has ensured that the benefits of their business do not simply stop at their products. The social enterprise is committed to providing social investment within the communities that they supply to. They have done this by creating a social franchise.

Vision Spring has called its social franchising operation 'Business in a Bag'. Each 'Vision Entrepreneur' receives his or her own sales kit containing all the products and materials needed to market and sell eyeglasses. Vision Entrepreneurs undergo a three-day training course in basic eye care, referrals and business management and receive close, ongoing support from the social enterprise. Vision Spring loans entrepreneurs the Business in a Bag itself. The franchisees repay Vision Spring for the glasses once they have been sold. Vision Spring employs classical franchising techniques to create a strong brand. Vision Entrepreneurs wear branded Vision Spring uniforms and IDs, utilize professional eye charts, and carry letters of credibility from government and health officials.

Vision Spring has been recognized for its pioneering work in the field of social enterprise. It has won Fast Company's Social Capitalist Award on multiple occasions and has received coverage from The Economist, The International Herald Tribune, Foreign Affairs, and NBC Nightly News. Now Vision Spring and its Board of Directors will be meeting with Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek International editor and host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS later this month. They will be hosting a discussion looking at social enterprise and its impact at the base of the pyramid. Hopefully their shared ideas will contribute to the discussion on franchising for social enterprise and be able to offer guidance for other professionals in the same field.

Photo credit: E C Morgan