Written by Ethan Lyon, Senior Writer

Sparxoo had a chance to speak with Jared Koch, the founder of Clean Plates—a healthy, sustainability focused NYC restaurant and education guide. Jared Koch, a nutrition and wellness coach, was inspired by his clients’ love for his restaurant referrals. He wanted to pair his passion for nutrition and talents in business to form a company that would inspire cultural change. Researching over 300 candidates in Manhattan, Jared Koch and food critic Alex Van Buren journeyed to 125 restaurants and selected the top 75 to review in their book, Clean Plates NYC (May, 2009).  Clean Plates NYC is the only publication that fuses food critic and nutritionist perspectives to guide vegetarians and carnivores to the healthiest and tastiest restaurants in Manhattan.

1. What led you to become a social entrepreneur and start Clean Plates? What does social entrepreneurship mean to you?

There has to be an inherent, personal need to start a social mission. Whether it’s a spiritual quest or pivotal moment in ones life, the desire to make a social impact usually comes from a deep place of emotion. That said, a social mission cannot be driven with a focus on monetary gain. A significant part of social entrepreneurship is inspired by making a positive social impact and typically, financial profits are a vehicle to create a deeper, more sustainable change. Asking, “How will I change the world?” often leads to an answer that stretches beyond personal wealth to mean something more to a greater community.  Changing the conventional thinking about restaurant dining from a time to gorge and satisfy a “guilty pleasure” to a healthy, fulfilling, enjoyable experience is the way Clean Plates is going to change cultural norms.

2. How do you balance the need to generate financial returns with your social mission to do good?

Consider financial returns as a vehicle to spread your message. Passion is ultimately what fuels social enterprise. Traditional business focuses on monetary gains, which often narrows business leaders’ ability to see into the long term and understand multiple perspectives. Those businesses with a strong social mission-focus, look at business through completely different lens. Unlike conventional companies, social entrepreneurs look deep into the future and view multiple perspectives to see the measure of sustainable impact. If you have a clear mission, throughout the business life cycle, you will maintain your integrity. Though financial gain is one measure of success, for social business, “it’s not the end all be all goal.”

3. Like all small businesses, there are challenges of getting off the ground with limited resources. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Depending on what industry you enter there are different barriers and obstacles you must overcome. For self-publishing, it’s, “How do pricing decisions affect the brand image, where can I find a distributor and a designer?”

However, there are shared challenges every entrepreneur must face. It’s decisions. Though some might be scary to make, it’s essential to look into the long-term future of the company. How does “a” connect to “b” and how does that affect “c?” Considering the possible outcomes and relying on intellectual thought as well as intuition are two key tools every entrepreneur must have. And learning how to manage all of your decisions, or “manage the chaos,” is essential to thrive.

4. If you could give one piece of advice for entrepreneurs what would it be?
At the end of the day you’re your biggest advocate. It is your energy and creativity that’s fueling your business. If you’re not willing to pour your life into your business, who will? Your business becomes your life, so why not make it fun, enjoyable and engaging?

Further, have strategic planning and vision in the early stages of the process. Understanding how your business is going to be successful and knowing each contributing factor will give you the big picture while working out some of the details.

5. How have you maintained a life balance between business and personal?
Passionate entrepreneurs don’t work, they live. It’s all one life. The distinction between business and personal is seamless. Prioritizing and time management are essential to both grow a successful business and have a meaningful personal life. Ignoring one will ultimately ruin the other. “All we have is time,” he says. As a small business owner, you’re sacrificing a lot on a personal level. However, there are incredible rewards. To see the countless hours you’re poured into your business impact others is tremendously rewarding. Making positive impact makes all of your efforts worth it.