Paths/Social Entrepreneurship: Building Ventures for Impact/Business Models for Impact (Without Selling Your Soul)
Module 3.285 min

Unit Economics + Ethical Pricing

If the numbers don’t work, the mission becomes a hobby.

Learning Outcome

Model basic unit economics (CAC, LTV, gross margin) and design pricing that balances access and sustainability.

Core Teachings

Key concepts with source texts

Key: - CAC (customer acquisition cost) - Gross margin - Retention - LTV - Payback period

For social ventures, add: - Cost-to-serve per beneficiary - Subsidy per unit (who covers it?) - Impact per unit (what changes per unit delivered?)

Practice This

Build a 1-page model: best case / base case / worst case.

Study Materials

Primary sources with guided reading

Additional Resources

Intro to unit economics (startup basics)optional

Use as a practical reference for CAC/LTV thinking. Keep it simple.

Reflection & Critical Thinking

Write your thoughts before revealing answers

Your Thoughts

Writing your thoughts first will deepen your understanding

AI Bridge Notes

Bridge notes help connect the resources and show how they relate to the learning outcome.

AI-generated notes synthesize the lesson outcome and resource summaries. Human-reviewed before publishing.

Knowledge CheckTest your understanding

What’s a common failure mode in ethical pricing?