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Spring is on the way, and if you live in a cold climate, you may be eagerly awaiting the warmer temperatures that surely are right around the corner. (At least that’s what we keep telling ourselves every time we bundle up or stare at the barren trees — better days are ahead!)
It seems apt, then, that March is National Optimism Month, a time to reflect on how the power of positive thinking can shape our lives and the world. By believing that better futures are possible, we are better positioned to conquer our fears and be more inspired to take action and strive for positive change.
As Winston Churchill once said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
At Breaking Good, we admire those who see challenges in the world and refuse to be defeated by them — those who persevere through adversity and dedicate their lives to creating better futures. Believing you can make a difference is the first step toward impact, and we hope the stories we’ve gathered in this month’s issue inspire you to take an optimistic view, too.
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Celebrating the Original Muckraker
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March isn’t just about optimism; it’s also Women’s History Month, when we celebrate the women who broke barriers to pave the way for a more equitable society. One such trailblazer is Elizabeth Jane Cochran, who is more well-known by her pen name, Nellie Bly.
Born in 1864, Bly became a journalist for the Pittsburgh Dispatch in an era when women writers were few and far between. She was determined to tell stories that mattered and give a voice to the plight of working women, earning her a reputation as “the original muckraker.”
Eventually, Bly’s editor demoted her to cover fashion and social engagements, so she left for New York to cover more serious stories. When the editor of the New York World challenged her to investigate one of the city’s most notorious mental asylums, she not only accepted the challenge, she feigned mental illness to get admitted and expose how patients were treated.
During her stay in the Women’s Lunatic Asylum, Bly witnessed horrifying conditions of patient neglect and abuse, which she covered in a six-part story titled “Ten Days in the Madhouse.” Her courageous reporting shocked the public, leading to increased funding and much-needed reforms at the asylum.
Bly continued to write regular exposés on New York’s ills, from political corruption to the black market for buying infants. She also earned fame for reporting on her record-breaking 72-day journey around the world, inspired by Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days.
Bly’s fearlessness forever changed the field of journalism, inspiring more reporters to adopt her hands-on approach, now known as investigative journalism. |
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| How to Direct More Capital to Women Founders |
| Research shows that women-led startups generate more than twice the revenue per dollar invested compared to those led by men, yet women still face barriers when seeking funding. New research into this challenge offers insight into several ways investment firms could help create better outcomes for female founders. For example, elevating more women into decision-making roles and evolving the metrics they use to evaluate startup success could help level the playing field for women entrepreneurs. |
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Gradual but Growing Interest in Impact Investing
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| If there’s any truth to the adage “slow and steady wins the race,” the future looks bright for impact investing. A recent survey from global investment consultancy bfinance found that 27% of investors are engaged in impact strategies today, and 26% are planning to enter the space. While the overall pace of adoption has been slower than advocates may want, researchers found impact investing strategies continue to gain traction among some investor groups, including foundations and endowments. Meanwhile, another recent report projects that millennials will help expand the impact investing market to $1.3 trillion by 2029. |
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| INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP |
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Black Businesses Driving Economic Growth
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| A new report from The Brookings Institution finds that Black entrepreneurs drive significant economic growth in the U.S. They added $212 million in revenue to the economy in 2022 (the most recent year for which data is available). Additionally, black business owners launched more than half of the 132,000 new employer businesses – meaning businesses that provide workers with jobs – created between 2017 and 2022. While there is still a long way to go toward achieving equity, the researchers say this growth illustrates how Black entrepreneurs contribute to a more competitive and dynamic economy. |
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| Celebrities Supporting Underrepresented Founders |
| Increasingly, more household names are helping women and people of color to get a leg up in starting their businesses. Pharrell Williams’ nonprofit organization, Black Ambition, has distributed $13 million to underrepresented founders over the last five years and is preparing to launch its next prize competition. Meanwhile, several other celebrities have launched venture capital firms to support founders of color and women. Among startups backed by Serena Williams’ $111 billion venture fund, 79% are run by underrepresented founders. And Kevin Hart’s HartBeat Ventures, which has a mission to support minority and underrepresented founders, has invested in at least 14 companies. |
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The Meaning Behind Mardi Gras Traditions
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Today marks the end of Carnival season — a final day of revelry before Lent begins. People worldwide will celebrate with parades, parties, king cakes, paczkis, and other indulgences. If you’re curious why Mardi Gras is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday or what it means if you find a plastic baby in your slice of king cake, National Geographic has you covered.
Laissez les bons temps rouler! |
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