VISION CONSULTING ANNOUNCES ENTRY INTO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONSULTING MARKET AS A NEW COMPETETIVE SOCIAL VENTURE
Richmond, Virginia – July 10, 2007 – VISION Consulting announced today that they have entered the professional services consulting market with plans to propagate a new business model for the industry in Richmond. The social entrepreneurship model, or competitive social venture, will have a powerful impact on the community it supports. All corporate profits, beyond operating costs, are donated to the partnered non-profit organization—which will allow the partner organization to devote the majority of resources to delivering their core competency to the community.
VISION Consulting’s business model corrects the main flaw in our nation’s current model of non-profit organizations. They are mainly supported by donations and grants and as much as half of their annual budgets, or more, are devoted to fund-raising or grant writing efforts – drastically reducing the potential impact they would otherwise have on the community they endeavor to support.
VISION Consulting has partnered with The Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton Hill. The resource center strengthens individuals and communities by providing opportunities for neighbors to build relationships, access resources, and develop the skills to enhance their lives and determine the fate of the community. Their mission dove-tails nicely with VISION’s mission to work with local non-profits focused on bridging the technological "digital-divide." Computer classes are among the many services the resource center supplies. The employees of VISION Consulting, as well as the professional services consultants they employ, are paid market wages and the firm’s clients pay market rates for their services. The profitable revenue generated is first utilized to compensate employees and support operations and growth. After taxes are paid, rather than simply making the potential owner of the consulting firm more wealthy or enriching the firm’s shareholders, the profits are utilized to enrich the community in which the firm’s clients, employees and consultants live and work each day. The Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton Hill, and additional Richmond non-profit organizations, will be more effective in supporting the needs of the community and will rely less on the community it serves to support their services.
VISION Consulting will be the second consulting firm operating in Richmond to utilize the public/private business model allowing such close participation with the community. They will also be one of only two firms in the private sector to give all their profits to our much needed non-profit organizations. Founder and President, Steve Wilson, said: "Having co-founded the first competitive social venture of this kind in the nation, here in Richmond, I am uniquely qualified to propagate the model and demonstrate, to both the business community and the non-profit sector, that social entrepreneurships can and do work."
The social entrepreneurship movement has gained momentum in recent years and has made new ventures like VISION Consulting possible. Co-founder and Vice President of Marketing, Ed Park, said: "Working with Steve on our first venture was an amazing experience. We showed the country that we could bring a firm to market that allows clients, employees, non-profit partners and our community to all benefit concurrently. Our new venture will lend much credence, to others in the business community, that utilizing our model can and will create a positive impact on the Richmond community." As VISION Consulting grows, as with the first venture, their Board of Directors will select additional local non-profit organizations to partner with and support in delivering more social services to the Richmond area.
Founded in July 2007, VISION Consulting is a non-stock, not-for-profit venture with headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. The company is focused on providing professional services consulting needs to the local, national and international business community.