Our communities are facing the fallout from the demise of vital industry, bankrupt economies, bad policy or policing, and political mismanagement. People are looking for answers, and the "same old" simply won't do.

In the Business of Change is a practical and inspirational guide that showcases how social entrepreneurs from places such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver, who are weary of waste, injustice, and government inaction, are using business savvy to tackle challenges in their communities.

Part story-telling, part lessons learned, coverage includes: Profiles of remarkable individuals and companies in such diverse sectors as employment, food, art, education, and social justiceAn overview of lessons learned and real impacts on the groundTips for getting started, connecting to the local community, and scaling up.

In the Business of Change is for everyone who wants to rebuild their communities and believes that business can be a powerful, positive force for change.

Elisa Birnbaum is editor-in-chief of SEE Change Magazine, a digital publication of social entrepreneurship and social change. Her journalistic portfolio includes articles published in the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, CBC.ca, Profit, Zoomer and Lifestyles Magazine. She's a regular contributor on social entrepreneurship for the National Post and covers issues in the non-profit sector as a freelance reporter for CharityVillage.com. President of Elle Communications, Elisa helps her clients tell their stories effectively and with impact. As a producer, she has worked on documentaries and current affairs programs at History Television, Discovery Health, TVO and the CBC. Elisa holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Concordia University and an LL.B degree from Université de Montréal and the University of Toronto's Osgoode Hall. She's a speaker on social entrepreneurship and was recently awarded an Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship at Cambridge University, UK, for her work with SEE Change Magazine. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Elisa Birnbaum's profile page