Micro-Meltdown

Vikram Akula founded SKS Microfinance with a clear mission: improve the lives of poor people in India by providing small loans. These small loans, used to start or expand businesses and generate earnings, were a proven path out of poverty for tens of thousands around the world. Vikram wasn’t the first person to bring microfinance to India, but his idea was to do it on a much larger scale, for millions. He would do this by making SKS Microfinance a unique for-profit institution. SKS flourished, distributing billions of dollars in loans. The company was applauded for blending philanthropy and capitalism, and Akula appeared on the covers of the Wall Street Journal and TIME magazine as one of the most influential people in the world. But just as he thought he was making a difference, a storm was brewing. In 2010, a fierce political backlash in India created an implosion. Politicians began attacking microfinance and telling those living in poverty not to repay loans. Soon, SKS had to write off $280 million in loans and lay off 10,000 employees. For decades, microfinance had been heralded as a key solution to global poverty, but, nearly overnight, it came to be viewed as a villain. One of the most exciting recent developments is the rise of new businesses and entrepreneurs committed to social good. Social enterprises have the potential to transform societies, but there are risks as well as benefits. Micro-Meltdown is the story of SKS’s tremendous success, the oversights that led to disaster, the eventual resurgence, and the lessons learned. It is essential reading for any would-be entrepreneur who wants to change the world for the better. It offers an insider’s account of both the keys to success and the risks that must be managed.