Impact-driven courses and resources designed to help you build, scale, and lead your social enterprise. (All free).
Welcome
This space is exclusively for you – our All Good social entrepreneurs – as part of our Muscle offering. We’ve scoured the web and curated a collection of free, top-quality resources; from online courses and templates, to tools and can’t-miss reads and listens - all handpicked and designed to help you grow your social enterprise with confidence.
Using this hub...
Explore this page at your own pace, in whatever order suits you. There’s no set schedule, and no expected reporting - just pick what fits your needs as they arise.
If you do enjoy something, feel free to share it with your mentor or in your cohort's WhatsApp group. You might just inspire someone else.
Ready? Let's get learning!
Section 1: Free online courses
Courses can be a game-changer when you’re building something big. We’ve done a deep-dive into what's available and carefully selected free, self-paced courses from trusted providers - all chosen with early-stage social entrepreneurs in mind. Whether you’ve got a couple of hours or a few weeks, you’ll find something that fits your time and goals. Courses are grouped by topic, so it’s easy to dive into what matters most to you.*
Building a startup
Y Startup School – by Y Combinator
Get essential advice for building a startup, taught by Y Combinator partners and industry leaders.
Duration: Self paced. Approximately 7 weeks if you spend 1-2 hours per week | FREE
Social enterprise foundations
Social Entrepreneurship 101 – by Acumen Academy
Explore the fundamentals of launching and growing a social enterprise that creates real impact.
Duration: 5 weeks | FREEBusiness Models for Social Enterprise – by Acumen Academy
Design a sustainable business model that that drives financial sustainability and social impact.
Duration: 4 weeks | FREE
Marketing and social media
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing – by Google Skillshop
Master the essentials of SEO, email marketing, social media and more. Topics covered include video, mobile, search, social media, email, and pretty much anything a business can use to promote itself online.
Duration: 40 hours | FREESocial Media Marketing Certification – by HubSpot Academy
Build a social media strategy that works, from one of the best in the biz.
Duration: 5 hrs 19 mins | FREE
Social Impact
Social Impact Analysis – by Acumen Academy
Learn how to measure and communicate the change your enterprise is making.
Duration: 4 weeks | FREE
Finance and accounting
Financial Statements 101 – by Acumen Academy
Basic principles of accounting to understand your enterprise’s financial health.
Duration: 2.5 hours | FREE
Leadership and personal development
Adaptive Leadership – by Acumen Academy
Learn how to tackle leadership challenges in your life, team, or community.
Duration: 4 weeks | FREEEthical Leadership – by Alison
Explore traits of strong, ethical leaders — from courage to creative thinking.
Duration: 1.5–3 hours | FREE
Pitching and impact investing
Storytelling for Change – by Acumen Academy
Craft powerful stories that connect and inspire action.
Duration: 6 weeks | FREE
*Heads up: Some courses may ask you to sign up for a free account to get started.
Section 2:
Where to find more courses
Looking for more courses beyond our recommendations above? These popular course platforms are bursting with options. Free or paid, short or long, beginner or advanced - there’s something here for every kind of learner. Go ahead, have a browse and see what grabs you!*
*Once again: Some courses may ask you to sign up for a free account to get started.
Surprise! Here's something for you.
As part of your Muscle support, you’ve got a $200 NZD learning allowance to spend on any paid course - whether it’s from one of the platforms we’ve shared or something else you discover.
Found a course you’d like to take? Click the link to complete the form. We’ll get in touch to sort the bank transfer.
Section 3: Downloadable templates
These handy files are here to save you time and effort. They give you ready-made formats for important business documents like plans, budgets, invoices, and presentations. Just download to your device, and fill in the blanks! You’ll complete the first two with Rod during mentoring - the rest are yours to use whenever you need.
One Page Strategic Plan
(by All Good Ventures)
Complete this template with Rod during mentoring to plan your business strategy.
Budget
(by All Good Ventures)
Use this budget template with Rod to help you track income & expenses.
Basic Invoice
(by Hubspot)
A simple but professional invoice template to help you get paid on time.
Social Media Content Calendar
(by Hubspot)
Use this template to plan your social posts ahead of time, keeping content steady.
Brand Style Guide
(by Hubspot)
Keep your branding consistent across all materials with this style guide template.
Pitchdeck Slides
(by SlidesCarnival)
These easy-to-edit slides help you tell your business story & attract support or investment.
Section 4:
Online tools
There’s a lot to keep track of when running a social enterprise - but these online tools make it easier (and even a bit fun). They’re websites and apps (each with free and paid plans), that you can use straight from your browser to stay organised, create great-looking content, and keep your comms sharp. Some might take a little learning, but they’re well worth it - and we’ve picked ones that are user-friendly and widely trusted!
Create stunning graphics for social media, presentations, flyers, or reports using easy drag-and-drop templates. 💡 Tip: See if you qualify for Canva for Nonprofits to get premium features free. If not, the free account still offers lots of great templates and tools.
Send newsletters, event invites, or campaign updates to your supporters with easy email templates and audience management.💡 Tip: Start with the free plan (up to 500 contacts) and segment your list for targeted messages.
Section 5:
Recommended reading & listening
Below are growing lists of books, online publications, and podcasts we think you’ll find especially helpful as early-stage social entrepreneurs. We’ll keep adding more over time - so if you come across something brilliant, we’d love to hear about it!
Reading
Title | Author | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Verne Harnish | Book | Explores strategies for scaling businesses successfully. | |
Eric Ries | Book | A guide to building a sustainable startup through validated learning and iterative product releases. | |
Various | Online Publication | Social enterprise news, insights, and resources. | |
Various | Online Publication | Research and articles on social innovation, impact investing, and nonprofit management. | |
Varous | Online Publication | Articles on business strategies and social impact case studies. | |
Acumen Academy | In Depth Guide | From crowdfunding to venture capital - discover the advantages and disadvantages of types of funding to scale your enterprise. | |
Acumen Academy | In Depth Guide | Step into the shoes of an impact investor to stand out from the crowd, pitch with confidence, and close the deal to fund your social venture. | |
Acumen Academy | In Depth Guide | Simplify social impact measurement to collect insights for actionable change. |
Listening
Podcast Name | Host(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|
Guy Raz | Interviews with the world’s best-known entrepreneurs to learn how they built their iconic brands. | |
Adam Pike and Rafi Addlestone | Conversations with leaders reshaping our world - from social entrepreneurs tackling global challenges to tech pioneers revolutionizing entire industries. | |
Causeartist | Conversations with changemakers focused on social impact and innovation. | |
Brené Brown | Exploring leadership with courage, vulnerability, and empathy. | |
Alberto Lidji | Listen to 300+ interviews on philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. | |
Impact Boom | People, stories and inspiration to help you create maximum positive impact. | |
TDM Growth Partners | Tells the scaling stories of great growth companies from around the world, as experienced by their founders and CEOs. |
Your turn!
Know a great resource or want to tell us what you'd like to see on this page? Drop us an email, we'd love to hear from you: beth@allgood.ventures
Disclaimer: Most of the resources in this Learning Hub are created and hosted by third-party providers. While we’ve done our best to curate high-quality, relevant, and reputable tools and content, All Good Ventures is not responsible for the accuracy, availability, or views expressed in these external resources. Some may require you to create a free account or agree to separate terms of use. Resources may change or be updated over time - let us know if you spot a broken link or an issue.