Building Business with Purpose: Reflections from Coffee & Connection with B Corp Founders

At Make The Change, we believe that meaningful change happens when people come together to share stories, ask honest questions, and learn from one another.

Recently, our Co-Founder and Community Development & Impact Director, Pedro Adrian Aguirre, was invited to speak at Coffee & Connection: Human Library with B Corp Founders, an event organised by B Lab Singapore and hosted at Swapaholic, Clarke Quay.

The session brought together founders, changemakers, professionals, and curious learners for a morning of conversation around business, sustainability, and social impact. Designed as a “human library”, the event created space for participants to engage directly with founders building businesses with purpose and impact at their core.

Sharing the Make The Change Journey

As one of the invited “human books”, Pedro shared Make The Change’s journey as a social enterprise and certified B Corporation, including how we continue to grow our work across education, community development, creative services, and impact consultancy.

The conversation explored what it means to build a business that balances purpose and sustainability, while staying true to its mission. For Make The Change, this means designing programmes that empower youths, persons with disabilities, seniors, and communities with the skills and confidence to participate meaningfully in society.

It also means continuously asking ourselves how our work can create value not only for clients and partners, but also for the communities we serve.

Learning Beyond the Panel

One of the most meaningful parts of the session was the opportunity for our Young Changemaker interns and Make The Change staff to attend and be part of the conversation.

For our interns, the event was a valuable opportunity to learn directly from B Corp founders and purpose-driven business leaders. They were able to hear first-hand about the realities of building a values-led organisation, from navigating challenges to making decisions that align with impact.

These learning moments are important to us. Through the Young Changemaker Internship, we aim to expose youths to real-world conversations about social impact, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Events like this show them that changemaking is not just an idea. It is a practice that requires courage, reflection, collaboration, and action.

The Power of Community in the B Corp Movement

As a certified B Corporation, Make The Change is proud to be part of a growing movement of businesses that believe in using business as a force for good.

The event was a reminder that the B Corp journey is not only about certification. It is also about community. It is about learning from others, sharing openly, and continually improving how we create impact through our work.

We were inspired by conversations with fellow founders across sectors, including retail, circularity, creative services, education, and consultancy. While each organisation has its own journey, we share a common belief that businesses can play a meaningful role in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Continuing the Conversation

We are grateful to B Lab Singapore and Swapaholic for creating such a warm and thoughtful space for connection, reflection, and learning.

Thank you also to everyone who attended, asked questions, and contributed to the conversation.

At Make The Change, we will continue to create opportunities for our team, interns, and community to learn from purpose-driven leaders and take part in conversations that inspire action.

Because building a better future requires more than good ideas. It requires people, community, and the willingness to keep learning together.