Yep, I said it but not because of what you probably think.

It’s great to bring in people to your mailing list, clients to your roster and money to your business but I want to shed some light on giving back to others.

All around the world are other women who want to start their own businesses for various reasons.  Some might be looking for alternative work solutions to be home with family members, others just don’t fit into the box and many are in third world countries who have a dream.  I was fortunate when I started my business that the start-up costs were minimal.  Other future entrepreneurs are not as lucky.

Below are a couple of fabulous sites that you can visit to help other entrepreneurs make their dreams become reality.

Kickstarter.com

The first website I would love to share with you is Kickstarter.com.  This is a fabulous website that allows you to help give projects a financial kickstart.  I love to check it out weekly to see what new projects have been added.  I recently supported a project in my state for a gentleman who has written a book for the Columbus, Ohio area.  I received an email last week that he is including all of our names in the first printing.  Now that is pretty cool. It is totally worth the $20 investment.  I also receive a first-edition print of the book.

Such a cool concept!  You can search projects by category, city or popularity.  Most projects offer you perks at the different donation levels.  Often if you support a product or book, you will receive it in the mail once production is complete.

Kiva.org Loans that change lives.

Have you ever felt so blessed and wondered how you could give back?  Kiva.org is the perfect way to spend some extra cash because it continues to pay you back and allows you to continue reinvesting it.  It is a microloan website that allows you to help change people’s lives for as little as $25.  Seriously.

Kiva.org allows you to search through business owners and choose who you want to loan your money to.  So far over $250 million dollars has been loaned out with a 98.89% repayment rate.  That’s pretty awesome.

I think the most incredible feature of Kiva.org is that your money is paid back to your account, allowing you to reinvest it into another business.  You can continue to do this over and over and over.  Okay, I think you get the idea.  Last year, I wanted to give something different for Christmas gifts to my clients and VAs, so I sent them Kiva Gift Certificates.  Truly the gift that keeps on giving.

GirlEffect.org

Lastly, this is a fabulous foundation and movement. From their website:

The Girl Effect is a movement. It’s about the unique and indisputable potential of adolescent girls to end poverty for themselves and the world. It was created by people at the Nike Foundation, the NoVo Foundation, the United Nations Foundation and the Coalition for Adolescent Girls, but it’s about you using your voice, your talents, and your community to help girls help themselves—and, as a result, everybody else. It’s about giving you the tools and the network you need to spread the word about what girls can do and, with a little elbow grease, change the world.  Girleffect.org

Want to participate in the movement?  Click here.

Do you have a website that you love that helps give back to others?  Please share below.