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Triple bottom line businesses don’t only focus on the profit, but their communities and people too. One local entrepreneur gives back through education; something he believes plays a vital part in the overall development of Philadelphia’s tech industry.

Steve Voudouris is a local entrepreneur who has started several successful companies throughout his career. He’s been the recipient of a Small Business Young Entrepreneur Award, and has a knack for building niche e-commerce sites from the ground up. As someone who often credits his teachers and mentors, Steve hopes to pay the deed forward by empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Steve currently serves as CEO of Turn5, which is the parent company for award-winning online retailers AmericanMuscle and ExtremeTerrain. While his forward-thinking has been recognized by the area’s business leaders, it is Steve’s efforts in technology implementation and local philanthropy that have recently caught our attention.

Watching the dot-com bubble of the early 2000’s as an impressionable high school student, Steve immediately was drawn to technology. In fact, some of his fondest memories revolve around the online catalog businesses he and his brother operated as teenagers. Today, that same enthusiasm for innovation has Steve implementing new digital marketing and training initiatives at Turn5. For the company as a whole, a top priority is to hire local experts who can push boundaries.

Giving Back

Philadelphia-based non-profit Coded by Kids is one group that has benefited from Steve’s vision. The organization provides free computer science education programs for children and teens, and works closely with Turn5 employees. Steve’s team is extremely active, coming up with games, mentorship activities and other skill development practices that have an impact. It’s all in an effort to provide career tools and grow the tech expert pipeline in Philly for years to come.

Steve has also made it his mission to ensure that Turn5 supports numerous charitable organizations in order to always give back to the community. Through company events, office competitions, and contests, Turn5 comes together and provides donations for charitable foundations within the area. Foundations the company has raised donations for include:

• Chester County Food Bank
• Make-A-Wish®
• Toys For Tots
• The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
• Movember Foundation
• Child’s Play
• Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure

Military foundations are also a point of emphasis for Steve and his team. Whether it’s donating to foundations such as Homes for Troops or the Wounded Warrior Project, Turn5 wants to ensure veterans are supported and getting the help they need. The company also provides a military discount and contributes to care packages delivered to troops overseas.

Turn5 Expansion

Steve is also dedicated to rethinking the obligations companies have toward the cities where they operate. Turn5 recently secured $611,000 in state credits to expand operations to an upcoming 90,000-square-foot headquarters. According to the company, the move will create 183 new jobs by 2020. This will further the company’s contribution to the economic well being of the commonwealth.

MaryFrances McGarrity, SVP for Business Development at the Chester County Economic Development Council, said, “As an ecommerce-based company, Turn5 has embraced technology and innovation to expand its business and provide significant job creation in Malvern.”

Steve Voudouris is not only a successful entrepreneur, but he is also contributing to the betterment of our country and those who live in it. He is ensuring that his companies give back to the communities that have treated them so well. By investing in companies that provide jobs, and in foundations that provide so much more, Steve is creating a legacy that will improve the lives of those he helps and inspire the next generation of tech enthusiasts to do the same.

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher