Stacy McCoy, Co-Founder of Give to Get Jobs

Stacy McCoy is the Co-Founder and CEO at Give to Get Jobs, a company that connects job seekers wanting to make a living doing good with the jobs that will fulfill those dreams.

After studying international development, Stacy began working in the non-profit space and uncovered a lot of roadblocks when it comes to fundraising and bureaucracy. When she gave the corporate sector a shot, a feeling that she wasn't contributing to society began to weigh on her. That's when she came up with her own solution and launched GiveToGetJobs.com.

In the interview below, this powerhouse shares her story of becoming a social entrepreneur, and even lets us in on the things that help spark her creativity.


4 Questions with Stacy McCoy, Co-Founder of Give to Get Jobs

1. How did the idea for the business model come about?

The idea for Give To Get Jobs came out of my own job search frustration. The gray area in between the for-profit and non-profit sector was the area in which I was really interested in working. But I found the job search process in the social enterprise sector to be overly tedious.

The sector is established but very young and it isn't streamlined. It also spans a big gray area. There wasn't a central place to find jobs that use a sustainable business model to address a social and/or environmental mission. I decided to change that.

I knew that if I didn't, someone else would, so I teamed up with my mom -- the best business partner I could ask for -- and we jumped right in!

The business model is a traditional job board model. Employers pay to post their jobs and job seekers get to search and apply for free. As a job seeker, you don't even have to register to apply for a job. We wanted to make it as easy as possible to find a job in this space.

As a social enterprise ourselves, we donate a portion of the proceeds from each job posting to fund job creation programs.


2. How did you decide to join the social enterprise sector?

My academic background is in international development and human rights. But, my senior year I started learning about corporate social responsibility and social enterprise as part of a Free Trade vs. Fair Trade course. I wrote papers on CSR and helped a group of locals in my college town create a business plan to set up a food co-operative.

I also got engaged the beginning of my senior year in college. I knew I would be spending the next 5-6 years in Southern California while my husband worked towards his PhD. My original plans of conducting research around the world and then working for the World Bank were not going to work out.

Los Angeles is severely lacking in the international development department so I had to switch directions. I spent time in academia, the non-profit sector, and a brief stint in the corporate sector. This experience only heightened my interest in social enterprise, and I knew the intersection of all those sectors was where I wanted to be.


3. How do you get your inspiration?

I read. A lot. Not as many books as I would like, but my Google Reader is always full. I have worked in a lot of sectors and I have a lot of interests. I try to stay up to date on social enterprise, CSR, economics, domestic politics, world politics, international development, human rights, design, social media, tech, travel, etc.

I also can't work in silence. There is always music playing in the background.


4. How do you reset yourself to be creative? Do you have any rituals?

I always keep a notebook with me so whenever something comes to me, I can write it down. If it's doable, I try to make Friday my creative day. I'll go sit at a coffee shop with just my notebook and a pen. I leave the computer at home and just brainstorm and write for a few hours.

A warm beverage or a glass of wine, depending on the time of day, helps the process along.