Benefit Corporation Blog Series – Blueprint for a Dream
Ojala Naeem • February 26, 2014
Next in our series of Social Enterprise Stories we feature Christopher Brechlin. Chris is the Principal and Founder of Blueprint for a Dream, a Connecticut based corporation that uses data to give the Social Sector a fresh perspective on society’s most pressing issues. Their custom blueprints are a way to rethink the problem, reboot your project, and scale it to meet the needs of the greater community.In this interview we look at the social impact being created through the work of Blueprint for a Dream.
Why are you operating in Connecticut?
Connecticut is a state with great opportunity for social enterprise. There are powerful emerging support systems for social entrepreneurs and one of the oldest and most established philanthropic sectors in the US, that can eventually become a valuable partner in using commerce to have social and economic impact on the state, the country, or even the world.
Why did you decide to start a Social Enterprise?
I have an inherited entrepreneurial spirit, and I want to use that energy to pursue social impact. However, it is challenging to start and maintain a nonprofit. Social enterprise allows me to compete with a product or service, as well as the impact that it can have on the community.
What is the community you’re trying to have an impact in?
I work with the Social Sector: nonprofits, government agencies, and social enterprises.
How do you/will you achieve that impact?
Blueprint for a Dream uses data to rethink, reboot, scale social impact, by partnering with nonprofit, government, and business leaders. We design interactive web applications that serve as blueprints for community programs and help our partners plan for and communicate their impact.
How do you balance purpose and profit?
We work to reduce the cost of our services, making them more affordable to our partners who often have restrictive budgets. All of our revenue is used to meet our mission, which over time will save money by making community programs more efficient and sustainable.
What have been your biggest challenges thus far?
Designing an effective business model and learning to communicate what Blueprint for a Dream does have been the biggest challenges.
What is the most rewarding thing to you about operating a social enterprise?
The most rewarding part about operating a social enterprise is the opportunity to augment the good work that nonprofits are doing without competing with them for funding or resources.
Why do you want to incorporate as a benefit corporation?
Becoming a benefit corporation would allow me to legally protect my social mission, while remaining a for profit company. It also opens up new avenues for impact investment, talent, and clientele that traditional corporate structures do not.
Dear reSET Community, The Board of Directors today announces the departure of Sarah Bodley as Executive Director of reSET in a planned transition later this year. The Board has immense gratitude for Sarah and all her contributions over the years. Over the last seven years, Sarah has built an amazing foundation for the organization and she leaves reSET in a strong position for continued growth and service. Sarah joined reSET in 2018 and over the past seven years has solidified and expanded reSET’s mission of supporting impact-driven entrepreneurs throughout Connecticut. Here are a few key highlights from Sarah’s time here: Facilitated the acquisition of Collab New Haven, expanding reSET’s footprint to a statewide geography and further enhancing our mission Developed and implemented new core programs including the award-winning Food Incubator, as well as the Food Accelerator, Retail Incubator, Measure What Matters, and Digital Marketing Mastermind Established reSET as a founding partner of the Hartford Culinary Collaborative, enabling greater connectivity and cooperation among food-centric support organizations in our region Doubled the organization’s budget to over 1 Million Dollars, securing multi-year State government grants Won the prestigious Neighborhood Builders Award from Bank of America, and the Leadership Greater Hartford Polaris Community Award in 2022 Established an endowment fund thanks to support from the Zachs Family Foundation to support the long term sustainability of reSET’s mission Over the coming months, we will be continuing our search to find reSET's next Executive Director. Sarah will stay onboard through June to ensure a smooth handoff to our next leader, and will be available as a resource throughout 2026. It is the Board of Directors’ priority, along with Sarah's, to make this transition as smooth as possible to continue the great work Sarah has helped us do over her tenure. The Executive Director’s Job Posting can be found at this link, and we invite you to keep in mind any potential candidates in your community or network that you think might be a great fit. The Board of Directors wishes Sarah the best of luck in her future endeavors. We are appreciative of the dedication and enthusiasm she has given to reSET over the last seven years, particularly navigating our organization seamlessly during the historic times of the pandemic, changes in administration, and an ever-evolving landscape of opportunity for entrepreneurs. We are confident that with Sarah’s support, this transition will be a smooth one for our Connecticut entrepreneurs, partners, and generous supporters. We look forward to continuing our growth and to serving our mission of supporting the social enterprise sector. If you have any questions or concerns during this transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out via contacting admin@resetco.org to get in touch with the board. Sincerely, Ali Lazowski + Dave Menard, co-chairs, reSET Board of Directors
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Listen in to the replay of John Voket of Connoisseur Media's interview of reSET Food Program Manager Katrice Claudio and Program Manager Ndubisi Okeke that aired on Sunday July 6, 2025. They talked about the reSET programs that are enrolling for the fall--the Food Accelerator for food businesses looking to scale, and the Retail Incubator for early stage product-based businesses looking to ramp up for holiday markets in Connecticut. Listen here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8745230-reset-fall-program-preview The interview aired on the award-winning "For the People" show on Sunday, July 6 on WEBE 108 FM, STAR 99.9, WPLR FM and THe VOICE of Connecticut and on the podcast.
Food Accelerator and Retail Incubator Offer Comprehensive Support, Mentorship, and Grant Opportunities for Growing Businesses
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Twelve Food Businesses to Present at Focus @ reSET on Monday April 14th in Hartford
