January/February 2009:  ”MICROFINANCE INSIGHTS” MAGAZINE  

HIP HIGHLIGHTS 3 WAYS TO GROW REVENUE FOR CORPORATES PARTNERING WITH MICROFINANCE GROUPS (MFI’S)

By R. Paul Herman and Tom Willis of HIP Investor Inc.

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have a large customer base of 100 million reliable entrepreneurs seeking to build the health and wealth of their family. These citizens also desire a cleaner environment and equal opportunities. By comparison, the 50 largest global companies comprise about 20 million workers. For forward-thinking MNCs partnerships with MFIs offer the opportunity to meet these “human needs” by generating both positive “human impact + profit” ““ or what we call “HIP”.

How does a Corporation Become More HIP ?   By partnering with MFIs (microfinance institutions), there are three ways to be HIP: generating results for the top-line and bottom-line, as well as society:

1.   Encourage products that make money for micro-entrepreneurs too.

2. Tap micro-entrepreneurs  to be leaders of sales networks.

3. Collect information about group demand – and purchasing power.

READ  THE FULL FEATURE, AND DETAILED CASE STUDIES  OF
HOW TO BUILD PROFIT – AND HUMAN IMPACT