Veronica D’Souza leverages her diverse experiences to empower communities through social entrepreneurship. In this interview, she shares insights from founding Ruby Cup and Carcel–innovative businesses that also address basic needs for women and girls. D’Souza delves into the importance of co-designing with communities, experimenting with inclusive business models, and reconnecting with creativity to find joy amid challenges.
Innovation
Co-design and community engagement
Veronica D'Souza explores the challenges and joys of building social enterprises
Barrak AlzaidDecember 11, 2024
You can't build anything without understanding or listening to what people actually want, no matter where you are in the world or what you're trying to do. The fundamental to anything is asking people what they want—and letting them talk.Veronica D'Souza
Working within broken systems isn’t easy or purely good. It’s complicated. My perspective was to enter the broken system, listen to what the women wanted, and create the best possible options within it together.Veronica D'Souza
Interview Summary
1:07
Creating spaces of belonging
Veronica reflects on her multicultural upbringing, its impact on her worldview, and how it shaped her approach to creating inclusive, mission-driven businesses like Ruby Cup and Carcel.
4:30
Experimenting with social enterprise models
Veronica shares lessons from Ruby Cup’s pivot to a buy-one-give-one model and Carcel’s innovative community pricing, highlighting the importance of co-designing solutions with the target community.
10:00
The role of design in driving social change
Veronica explores how design intersects with social entrepreneurship, viewing it as a collaborative strategy for impact rather than just aesthetic outcomes.
23:00
Intuitive community-building
Veronica critiques overcomplicated community-building strategies, advocating for emotional connection and intuitive design to foster belonging and engagement.
Working within broken systems isn’t easy or purely good. It’s complicated. My perspective was to enter the broken system, listen to what the women wanted, and create the best possible options within it.Veronica D'Souza
Share
Barrak Alzaid
Barrak Alzaid has over 15 years of experience in communications strategy, helping mission-driven organizations across the globe increase their impact. As Managing Editor of Digital Entrepreneur, he's always looking for contributors with lessons that will improve the lives and businesses of entrepreneurs in the Digital E community. His passion is creative writing, and his work ranges from poetry to memoir.