FAQ

There is no longer a membership requirement. Because of the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the U.S. and countries around the world, we decided in March 2020 to eliminate the membership requirement and provide all WIIN Learning Platform content free of charge to women and HeForShe entrepreneurs, business owners, investors, and advocates. Our world changed dramatically in 2020 and we want to do our part to help.

In addition, we used the Stay-at-Home order in Washington state to simplify and streamline our WordPress website. Contact Mark Livingston if you have any questions about getting started or finding the right programs and resources on the WIIN Learning Platform.

We created this online learning platform for four reasons:

1. It supports our private family foundation’s mission (improve the health, wealth, and wellbeing of women) and vision (a world that is greener, healthier, and more educated and equitable).
2. Our smart and talented daughter, Sarah Ellis, helped us to understand what it means to be a feminist. Thanks to Sarah and other strong and powerful women we know, we’re proud to call ourselves feminists and join the fight for equal rights and social justice.
3. We have been influenced by the HeForShe campaign of the United Nations. We’ve accepted their challenge to become HeForShe advocates and take tangible and concrete action to further gender equality.
4. While pay inequities get the most media attention, we believe the gender funding and asset gaps women experience are not being addressed in a systemic or sustainable manner.

There is also a “bigger picture” for why we invested in developing the 3X-in-10™ Revenue Sharing Model and WIIN Learning Platform. Review Is the Pain Great Enough? for a glimpse into the “why” and “so what” driving our work at The Social Impact Foundation.

Over the next twenty years, The Social Impact Foundation (TSIF) aims to assist 1,000+ impact-driven enterprises in raising an estimated $250 million of flexible revenue-based growth capital. If women and HeForShe advocates are able to raise this capital through successful crowdfund investment campaigns, then we will have fulfilled our mission and helped to close the gender wealth gaps.

Here are two documents that explain TSIF’s Direct Charitable Activities (DCA) strategy:

Yes, all men who are HeForShe advocates are welcome. There are several ways men can get involved and help close the gender wealth gaps:

1. If you are a business owner or entrepreneur looking to create a more profitable and impactful business model, then we invite you to adopt a gender lens focus and use Business Impact Accelerator© to build a sustainable business that positively impacts women in a measurable way.
2. If you are a business owner or entrepreneur seeking to raise flexible revenue-based growth capital on your terms and you have a business model that positively impacts women, we’ll be happy to feature your Revenue Sharing Offer to investors in the 10X Impact Community Forum (provided your enterprise completes the Investment Readiness Check outlined in Module 6 of Business Impact Accelerator©).
3. If you are an impact investor looking for pre-vetted and high-quality Revenue Sharing Offers, we will introduce and connect you to business or social enterprises that are ready for investment and ready to deliver sustainable results.

First, let’s clarify the definition. Positive impact is a new business and investment strategy focused on the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We do not believe there is anything enduring or sustainable about the short-term profit focus on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley or Wall Street-related firms. There certainly is nothing sustainable about the “10X exit in 5–7 years” strategy used by angel, venture capital, private equity investors, and investment funds (as explained in the full Gender Wealth Strategy learning program).

This “build-to-flip” expectation and model is not investing. It’s gambling (e.g., 70% of these investments fail on average). Combined with the casino-like mindset on Wall Street, these are biased and broken systems that erode financial security and wealth. If you endured a drop in retirement savings of 40%+ during the 2008-2009 Financial Crisis and/or 2000 Technology Bubble, then you will appreciate our focus on sustainable businesses and investments.

No, there is no requirement to be in capital raising mode. That is completely up to you and the stage of your enterprises’ growth and development. Business Impact Accelerator© is designed, first and foremost, to help entrepreneurial teams create a more repeatable, profitable, and impactful business model and build a sustainable, high-impact enterprise.

However, if you are planning to scale the positive impact of your business or social enterprise (now or in the future), then Business Impact Accelerator© will show you how to create a high-quality 3X in 10™ Revenue Sharing Offer, prepare a winning 3X-in-10™ Growth Capital Campaign, and raise flexible capital on a crowdfund investment platform.

Yes. We designed this team-based business development platform for new startups, young ventures with less than three years of operating history, and established enterprises of any size, type, and industry. You can even use Business Impact Accelerator© to generate new ideas for starting and/or expanding a business or social enterprise.

The key requirement focuses on your Vision of Sustainable 10X Impact. That is, what positive impact do you want your enterprise to create in the world? Our platform will help you to answer this question in a very measurable way by designing and testing new impact-driven business models, developing a Sustainable 10X Impact Business Plan, and if desired, creating a high-quality 3X-in-10™ Revenue Sharing Offer and raising flexible revenue based growth capital on a crowdfund investment platform.

No, far from it. We validated our revenue-based crowdfund investing model with assistance from two finance experts (one a former angel/venture capital investor with 30+ years experience in Silicon Valley, the second an international business consultant in Vancouver, British Columbia with 25+ years of finance experience). Both experts confirmed the validity and potential economic return of 3X-in-10™ Revenue Sharing.

Plus, as you will learn in the full Gender Wealth Strategy learning program, Arthur Lipper and Arthur Fox endorse and use revenue royalties (another term for revenue sharing). These influential experts, who started their careers on Wall Street, have almost 100 years of experience between them. That’s a pretty solid testimonial for revenue-based finance and investment.

And, there is Michael “Luni” Libes and Fledge, his conscious company accelerator in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Libes is one of the pioneers in using revenue-based finance to make impact investments in companies with a mission-driven purpose. We highly recommend his book, Revenue-based Finance, if you want to learn more about this innovative approach to finance and investment.

Yes, we developed our 3X-in-10™ Revenue Sharing Model and learning platform for women and HeForShe advocates around the world. The gender wealth gaps women experience are an issue in every country, although some nations are moving toward gender equality faster than others.

The only qualification to this statement is the need for investors, entrepreneurs, and business owners to check the investing rules and securities regulations of their own countries (e.g., you may or may not be able to make a Regulation CF investment in the U.S). Every nation has slightly different set of rules and regulations for raising capital or making investments on funding portals or other online platforms. Our learning materials have been written from a U.S. point-of-view.

At The Social Impact Foundation (TSIF), we value transparency. As a result, we need to provide this disclaimer.

WIIN, the Women’s Impact Investing Network, is an online learning and education product of TSIF, a 501(c)(3) private family foundation implementing a Direct Charitable Activities strategy to improve the health, wealth, and wellbeing of women. TSIF is not a registered funding portal or investment club. Mark Livingston, President of TSIF and creator/author of WIIN, is not a licensed financial or investment advisor.

Enterprises may advertise their revenue-based growth capital campaigns subject to securities regulations in the U.S. and Canada. All prospective investors will be directed to the enterprises’ funding platform-of-choice. In addition, we are not compensated nor is there an implied endorsement of any Revenue Sharing Offers featured on the 10X Impact Community Forum. Prospective investors are responsible for conducting their own due diligence and making their own investment decisions.

Yes, content on this website created by The Social Impact Foundation is protected under U.S. copyright laws (e.g., Gender Wealth Strategy©, Business Impact Accelerator©, 3X-in-10™, etc.). In addition, there are websites, books, assessments, software, and programs from third party organizations referenced throughout our site and platform. Just as we have done, we ask that you respect and communicate the rightful ownership of this intellectual property.

We have taken steps to comply with all requirements of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This includes making our Privacy and Cookie Policy and Terms of Service available for your review.