Whether it's during the holidays or on a regular weeknight, conversations between families and social entrepreneurs can be difficult. Remember these things as you interact with the entrepreneur in your life, and always remember to be supportive.

Be encouraging. Social entrepreneurship is hard. Your loved one is vested both professionally – and personally – in their daily work.

Ask questions. Social entrepreneurs are a passionate breed. Sometimes, nothing means more to us than asking questions about our organization, our progress or the social problem we're tackling.

Don't ask about the money. If you're a social impact warrior or tech entrepreneur, there's no money in entrepreneurship when you're first starting out. Not all family members understand this, and some might be confused why you quit your high-paying, full-time job to go help people. Don't walk into the situation with your family expecting them to understand this entrepreneurial risk.

Learn about the cause. It tells us you're interested, you're engaged, and you believe us when we say our work is important.

Don't call it a project. While some charitable endeavors truly are projects, many social entrepreneurs commit their lives to social good. Calling our work a "project" undervalues our efforts and makes us feel like you might view this time in our life as a "phase," or something that is merely temporary.

Read the full article about ways to support social entrepreneurs by Tori Utley at Forbes.