11 June 2026
Beyond the Myth of Sustainability: Lessons from Failure in Social Enterprise
By Kevin Robbie, Think Impact
This article, written by Kevin Robbie of Think Impact, challenges the idea that social enterprises should be fully self-sustaining. Drawing on sector-wide conversations about failure, it argues that many struggles reflect gaps in funding and policy, not poor leadership or weak execution.
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This article, written by Kevin Robbie of Think Impact, explores why so many social enterprises struggle despite doing valuable work. Drawing on two national webinars with practitioners and funders, held as part of the Social Enterprise Development Initiative, it argues that failure is often structural rather than personal, reflecting gaps in funding, markets and policy rather than poor leadership.
The article challenges some common assumptions: that growth always signals success, and that social enterprises should aim for full financial self-sustainability. It argues that resilience and honest, early conversations between funders and organisations matter more than scale, and that the real measure of a mature sector is whether it learns from failure rather than hides it.
It's a useful read for social enterprise leaders, funders and policymakers wanting a more realistic, systems-level view of what sustainable impact actually requires.
Related resources
Lessons from Failure: Shaping Social Enterprises | Part 1
WebinarsFailure is often where the most valuable learning happens. In this candid conversation, social enterprise leaders share personal stories of setbacks, tough decisions and unexpected lessons. Together they explore resilience, risk, leadership and how embracing failure can strengthen both impact and long-term sustainability.
Learn more
Lessons from Failure: A Funder's Perspective | Part 2
WebinarsFive funders sit down to talk about what failure actually looks like from their side of the table, and why the old joke that "funders are like mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed shit" still holds a grain of truth. From Westpac Foundation, DEInvestments, Ian Potter Foundation and Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation, they walk through the closures, the near-misses, and what they'd tell their earlier selves before backing another social enterprise.
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