Frequently Asked Questions
What is a social impact organization?
Our role as the SJL is to create low-stress, high-impact opportunities for all of our partners by driving social impact initiatives end-to-end from design through value delivery & capture. We connect with the communities we serve, activate & uplift local organizations, and contribute as much additional value in products, services, volunteers & connections as we can to multiply the overall impact that we create together for those in need.
Where are you located?
We are headquartered in Los Angeles, CA but work with businesses and organizations all over the country.
Why are you an LLC and not a non-profit?
The SJL is structured as an LLC, not for the purpose of profiting on social impact, but with the mission of channeling new for-profit funding & resources into social impact. Our services are designed to deliver value worth paying for, so we can transform budgets & contracts into investments in impact. We are not seeking donations, we are selling deliverables, and still, we are 100% committed to the guiding principles that have brought us this far: Listen with Empathy. Learn with Passion. Lead with Action. Live with Purpose. Leave a Legacy.
Overall, Non-Profits operations are more restricted by their mission statement. Like consulting, our service model is broad so we have the freedom to align to the highest value opportunities. Our SJL structure allows us to access budgets that otherwise wouldn’t have been used to invest in communities, then work with communities and our partners to channel each investment into impact. See below for two examples of situations where being an LLC helped us create value for the communities we serve:
i. A non-profit partner wanted to purchase $25k of turkeys from a Grocery Outlet, but couldn’t spend $1 because their mission is “food recovery” not “food provider”.
ii. Our first contracted initiative, the Memphis Holiday Drive, was funded by a marketing budget that a major music label had allocated for one of their artists. Working with the label, our team was able to channel that budget into a holiday initiative in support of LITE Memphis families and student businesses and to capture and create marketable deliverables that were beneficial to building both the artist and label's brand. Watch the highlight video here.
Why do you market the work you do for those in need?
We prioritize media production in everything we do because we believe it is critical in creating a culture around doing good. We always work to ensure our approach & content never exploits the challenges faced by anyone in the communities we serve. Instead, we actively focus on capturing the partners, sponsors, volunteers, and hosts who all come together to do good, with hopes of inspiring others to do the same.
Further, our principle—"We are not the spotlight, we are the stage"—applies not only to our initiative partners but also to the local organizations, brands, and individuals we will continue to connect with. We have designed our platform to be shared with others via social media, monthly spotlights, brand collaborations, and program/initiative promotion. As we build energy and attention on the SJL, we will also amplify those we work with and serve, so together we can build an inclusive culture around social impact.
Stay tuned for our first official SJL merch collab with LITE MEMPHIS student Jaylon McCarley and his brand, Greatness Gang.
Why should the SJL profit off of community initiatives?
One fact that has been proven throughout history: Changing the world doesn't happen overnight; it requires significant investment both in funding and resources. Currently, 95% of GDP is in For-Profit Industries, and today's wealth gap separates the top 1% from the remaining 99%.
We do not aim to place ourselves within the 95% GDP or 1% wealth margins to separate ourselves from the rest. Our objective is to structure our business to access those industries so we can earn investments from corporations & individuals who have the wealth & resources required to fund significant & scalable social impact.
In his Ted Talk, activist and fundraiser Dan Pallotta, calls out the double standard that drives our broken relationship to charities. Too many nonprofits, he says, are rewarded for how little they spend -- not for what they get done. Instead of equating frugality with morality, he asks us to start rewarding charities for their big goals and big accomplishments (even if that comes with big expenses). In this bold talk, he says: Let's change the way we think about changing the world.
Click to watch the Ted Talk: The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong || Dan Pallotta
What is the SJL's relationship working with Non-Profit organizations?
We recognize the amazing impact that non-profits have on a daily basis. Our focus is to connect with local & national organizations, understand each of their unique objectives, challenges, and opportunities, and work with them to align our services & resources to their needs. We never aim to replace or replicate the work being done by non-profits; our mission is to do everything we can to help position each of our organization partners to operate at their highest potential.
Click to see recaps on some of our recent social impact initiatives, including non-profit partner highlights & testimonials.
Just Us & Peace: Holiday Hookup || Just Us & Peace: National Hunger Relief || Just Us & Peace: Census 2020
Still have questions?
Reach out by email or give us a call.
contact@sjl4all.com
(424) 260-5959