--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to reverse three centuries of…" description: "\"We need to reverse three centuries of walling the for-profit and non-profit sectors off from one another. When you think for-profit and non-profit, you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/bill-drayton-12716_areas_we-need-to-reverse-three-centuries-of-wa_2379790.jpg" --- # We need to reverse three centuries of walling the… ![“We need to reverse three centuries of walling the for-profit and non-profit sectors off from one another. When you think for-profit and non-profit, you most often think of entities with either zero social return or zero return on capital and zero social return. Clearly, there's some opportunity in…” quote by Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/bill-drayton-12716_areas_we-need-to-reverse-three-centuries-of-wa_2379790.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/bill-drayton-12716_areas_we-need-to-reverse-three-centuries-of-wa_2379790.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/bill-drayton-12716_areas_we-need-to-reverse-three-centuries-of-wa_2379790.jpg) > “We need to reverse three centuries of walling the for-profit and non-profit sectors off from one another. When you think for-profit and non-profit, you most often think of entities with either zero social return or zero return on capital and zero social return. Clearly, there's some opportunity in the spectrum between those extremes. What's missing is the for-profit finance industry coming in to that area. Look at the enormous diversity of the for-profit financial industry as opposed to monolithic nature of the non-profit world; it's quite astonishing.” [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bridging the gap between profit-driven finance and mission-driven nonprofits can unlock new impact opportunities. **In simple terms:** Combine profit and purpose for greater impact. Key Takeaway Integrate for‑profit finance into nonprofit sectors. Themes social impact finance collaboration innovation sector blending Mood optimistic determined forward‑looking Type strategic visionary When to use this quote - impact investing - social enterprises - philanthropic funding - public‑private collaborations Key Concepts blended finance social return on investment cross‑sector partnerships Questions to Reflect On - How can profit incentives be aligned with social missions? - What safeguards ensure mission integrity? A Different Perspective Profit motives may conflict with mission goals, requiring careful governance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Non profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-profit/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-entrepreneurship/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“The first - the most obvious (test of a true social entrepreneur) - is are they possessed, really possessed by an idea... The idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-first-the-most-obvious-test-of-a-true-social-entrepreneur-is-are-2/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [“Entrepreneurial quality - is by far the toughest (criterion for a social entrepreneur).. For every one thousand people who are creative and altruistic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/entrepreneurial-quality-is-by-far-the-toughest-criterion-for-a-social/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [Social entrepreneurs are married to a vision of, for example, a better way of helping young people grow up or of delivering global healthcare.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/social-entrepreneurs-are-married-to-a-vision-of-for-example-a-better/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/social-entrepreneurs-are-not-content-just-to-give-a-fish-or-teach-how/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [Obviously, consideration of costs is key, including opportunity costs. Of course capital isn't free. It's easy to figure out your cost of borrowing, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/obviously-consideration-of-costs-is-key-including-opportunity-costs/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [The big picture is: the main thing you should be concerned about in the future are incremental returns on capital going forward. As it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-greenblatt/the-big-picture-is-the-main-thing-you-should-be-concerned-about-in/) [Joel Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-greenblatt/) > [“α = r × β where r is the rate of return on capital. 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Otherwise the play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bornstein/an-idea-is-like-a-play-it-needs-a-good-producer-and-a-good-promoter/) [David Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bornstein/) > [My daughter has no interest in succeeding me in the business. She is going towards social entrepreneurship, an area she is interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-nadar/my-daughter-has-no-interest-in-succeeding-me-in-the-business-she-is/) [Shiv Nadar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-nadar/) > [Fundly is at the dynamic intersection of high-growth technology startups, social entrepreneurship, and the exploding world of social media. Kapor Capital is proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/fundly-is-at-the-dynamic-intersection-of-high-growth-technology/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [What are you doing for others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-are-you-doing-for-others/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More by Bill Drayton > [Imagine a world where everyone is really a change maker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/imagine-a-world-where-everyone-is-really-a-change-maker/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [An entrepreneur is someone who brings a pattern change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/an-entrepreneur-is-someone-who-brings-a-pattern-change/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [White House cultures inevitably reflect the president's character. Jimmy Carter is a thoroughly honest, good person. So was his White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/white-house-cultures-inevitably-reflect-the-president-s-character/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [The most powerful force in the world is a big idea- if it is the hands of a great entrepreneur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-most-powerful-force-in-the-world-is-a-big-idea-if-it-is-the-hands/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [What is our job as entrepreneurs if not to change things that are crazy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/what-is-our-job-as-entrepreneurs-if-not-to-change-things-that-are/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [What is the most powerful lever you can imagine? A big idea, but only if it's in the hands of a truly outstanding entrepreneur.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/what-is-the-most-powerful-lever-you-can-imagine-a-big-idea-but-only/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [In 1962, when I was 19, I visited India. With introductions from people involved in the U.S. civil rights movement, I was able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/in-1962-when-i-was-19-i-visited-india-with-introductions-from-people/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [You can't be a change-maker by reading a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/you-can-t-be-a-change-maker-by-reading-a-book/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [What does an entrepreneur do? The first thing is they've given themselves permission to see a problem. Most people don't want to see problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/what-does-an-entrepreneur-do-the-first-thing-is-they-ve-given/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [The biggest problem is getting beyond the "you can't" syndrome. The moment you figure that out, you're on your way to flying. Anyone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-biggest-problem-is-getting-beyond-the-you-can-t-syndrome-the/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [The first - the most obvious test of a true social entrepreneur - is are they possessed, really possessed by an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-first-the-most-obvious-test-of-a-true-social-entrepreneur-is-are/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. 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