Now that the End Sex Trafficking campaign is over for 2013, I can begin to share some of the many lessons learned from this years successful campaign. It was a Friday morning, the first of our families day off together and I just happened to check my Twitter stream before leaving to go shopping for some baby boy decor. I noticed I had some new mentions and quickly clicked the @ button to see what the tweet was. I stopped in my tracks.
What the what?!! Someone had gone off on me, my cause and my intentions on Twitter. Although I knew one day it would come, I wasn’t quite prepared. I wanted to have a sit down, let them know what they were saying was ridiculous and why. My heart was racing, my cheeks were red and half of me (perhaps the pregnant hormonal part) wanted to go off.
How did I respond? I didn’t do either, and I’ll tell you how I handled it in just a minute.
If you’ve taken on a business model that gives back or if you’re desiring to you will want to read on because this WILL happen to you someday. Today, myself and 3 other social entrepreneurs are giving you tips on how they deal with the hate in a mature way WITHOUT starting an all out twitter or email war and how to continue on doing your work in the world and feel good about it.
Kimberly Riggins, Founder of the Watch Her Thrive Project says…”My advice is to put blinders on and keep moving forward with your mission. You are always going to have haters…that’s a good thing. That means what you are doing matters. And is making a difference. And those who don’t like it (in my opinion) are either jealous that they haven’t thought of it themselves or want someone to dump their unhappiness on. How can you hate anyone who is trying to give back?”
Michael Bungay Stanier, the Founder and Senior Partner of Box of Crayons and the man behind of End Malaria Day says, “People have accused me of doing good to further my business…and well, it’s in part the truth, at least for me. It’s not the main thing but it’s a thing. So I sometimes ignore it. And sometimes I write back and say:
Yes, you’re absolutely right – this does help me build my personal brand. But of course that’s a distant second to the impact I’m actually having, which is XX and YY and ZZ.
And maybe I’d add (with just a dash of maliciousness) And I’m curious to know what you’re working on, and if I can help promote it and you.”
Amy Clover, Creator of the 30×30 project says, “I half-expected to receive a negative email (while running my IndieGoGo campaign), as much as it did throw me for a loop. We just have to remember that there will always be a devil’s advocate, and there will always be someone who has something negative to say even if you’re trying to do the most positive thing in the world!”
And how did I deal with it?
Well, I ignored the tweets. I said a prayer of forgiveness and a blessing over the individual and knew without a shadow of a doubt even more so because of that tweet that what I was doing was not trying to get rich and famous doing the work I do with End Sex Trafficking Day. I don’t make a single dollar off of that aspect of my work and I always make sure to teach my clients that it’s not about cause marketing it’s about choosing something you’re passionate about to align your business with. Will they be blessed because they give back? Without a doubt absolutely…is that why I teach them to do it…no.
No matter what negativity is spewed your way when doing your work in the world, you can’t hold on to it, take it too seriously or feel the need to explain yourself to everyone who doubts why you do what you do.
Here’s to shimmying the haters off with class,
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