This is a topic I plan to return to regularly because there
is nothing like a visit to a successful model to show how a program element can
work. Social
bike businesses rely on sustainable business practices in order to serve
disadvantaged people with bicycles for the long term. Today I’ve chosen two
program elements important to this principle—normal business hours and bicycle
careers—along with programs that are doing a particularly good job with each.
NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS:
Normal business hours establish a social bike business as
reputable in their community. While many bike programs survive with hours
convenient only to their volunteers, those that commit to opening at least six
days a week during the day like most bike shops will draw customers and
significant income beyond their small circle of friends and enthusiasts.
This requires hiring employees, because volunteers should
never be expected to perform duties that are critical to the success of the
program. This would put undue stress on volunteers who are justified in
prioritizing personal problems over the bike program’s needs. On the other
hand, an employee is expected to solve personal problems outside of work hours
if they expect to keep their job. Once normal business hours are set, employees
will have to open and close the shop on time to build trust in the community.
Today, I would like to highlight Bikes Not Bombs in Boston as a nice
example of a social bike program that has found that balance of good works
through bicycles while maintaining a professional and reliable bike shop.
CAREER TRAINING, JOBS & BUSINESSES
Comprehensive social bike programs always include career
training, job opportunities and guidance for disadvantaged people who want to
open their own business using bicycles.
Today I want to highlight Bicycling
Empowerment Network Namibia for doing all of that and more. BENN works with
partners all over the world to bring bikes and parts into Namibia that
become the start up capital for Namibians to launch their own bike shop. To
date BENN has helped these local business folks open and succeed with 32 bike
shops throughout the country.
They also work with the unique dreams of each entrepreneur.
Some prefer to open other sorts of businesses that can be transported with a
bicycle, perhaps a mobile fruit vendor or even a farmer desiring to transport harvests
to farther, better markets. BENN also offers ongoing bicycle mechanic training
so that graduates can either open their own bike shop, become a mobile mechanic
or find a job in an established bike shop. All of these program elements
combine to lift BENN to the top of the success stories we’ve learned about,
especially regarding career training and support of new bike businesses.
~ ~ ~
Have you benefited from the program services of either of
these or similar programs? Do you know of other programs that I should consider
highlighting in later posts? Please offer your thoughts in the comments
section.