From Melinda Marcus:

Mindy's Top 5 Tips to Becoming a Local Social Entrepreneur (SE):

1. Passion. To become a SE, you must be full of passion for your organization and for your goals.

2. Do what it takes to start that organization. Even if that means giving up certain "rights" you think you have (sleep, money, and comfort).

3. Network. To really make a difference locally, it is really important to know the residents as well as the businesses here in the Roanoke and New River Valley. Thanks to theCRC, NCTC, and other organizations, networking is very easy and very fun. The resource of minds is very great here in the RNR Valley.  Make sure to use it.

4.  Have HUGE dreams - but remember it is one step at time. Many SEs have the desire to change the world.  Let's be honest.  That could takes years and years. But with each life you change and each view you challenge, you are starting to change the way people look at the world and that is so important.

5. Blog. In today's business world, much of the communication and following is done through blogs and having an online presence. Working with Handshake 2.0 has taught me a lot about working with the Internet and on staying up on a lot of information. Now that my eyes are open, I see how smart it is to really start a blog about your business. This not only helps gain attention, but can keep customers loyal and interested in your product or service.

The above 5 are just some of the lessons that  I have learned while being one the first interns with Handshake 2.0 this semester. I have learned more about myself then I ever thought I would. I know more about the business world, more about what I want to do with my life, and more about what my strengths and weaknesses are. Besides that, I have also had the opportunity to create something concrete that I can show future employers and improve my portfolio.

Thank you for reading this series and for being a part of my quest to find what it means to be a Social Entrepreneur. It was been an interesting ride that I don't see slowing down anytime soon!

Melinda Marcus wrote Defining the Local Social Entrepreneur series for Handshake 2.0 as intern at Virginia Tech during the fall of 2008.