Kickstart Coffee is fuelling education, one delicious cup at a time.When their founder, Hannah Nunn, visited Uganda on a student nursing trip in 2002, it planted a seed that later grew into a sustainable business empowering Ugandan children through education.How? Every penny of profits made from selling their ethically sourced Ugandan speciality coffee is poured into supporting the local community. They fund teachers’ salaries so children can attend The Early Learning School in Entebbe, which currently educates 270 children aged 3-13. Where possible, they fund school fees for older children too.Kickstart Coffee also provides food for the school and for families, further supporting the community by buying from local growers.Hannah’s passion is to foster a safe learning environment where children can thrive and fulfil their dreams.You can find out more about Kickstart Coffee’s great work here.Overview:In our inspirational conversation, Hannah: Explains what Kickstart Coffee is all about and how it works.Details their customer base.Delves into the sourcing and roasting process.Describes the varieties of coffee beans they use.Expands on the numbers side of the business.Discusses how the business came about and how it grew.Looks to plans for future expansion.Highlights the importance of self-sufficiency in the local Ugandan community.Pinpoints areas that she needs assistance in, including logistics, marketing, strategy and website design.Talks about how the 'quadruple bottom line': Purpose, Profit, People, Planet applies to Kickstart Coffee.Shares her learnings, including ‘just do it’.

Providing managed IT services and support to a variety of impact-driven SMEs, social impact businesses and charities, Fluid IT is dedicated to being affordable, transparent and accountable. Started by David Schluter in 2005, from the beginning Fluid IT has been motivated to release the potential of their team and their clients. They are proud to be a founding UK B Corp member; being a business that’s a force for good, and to have continued to grow and thrive throughout uncertain times.  B Corp recognised Fluid IT on their 2022 Best for the World for workers list, having demonstrated that they craft a business environment where employees have opportunities to build skills, shape company decisions, and access support that benefits their well-being, all of which reinforces the value of workers as stakeholders. Fluid IT loves seeing their staff and clients flourish, and are deeply committed to making that happen. They also aim to serve their community and protect their environment. You can find out more about Fluid IT’s services, and how they do business here. Overview: In our inspiring conversation, David:  Explains what Fluid IT does, expanding on its purpose and business model. Champions the value of introducing an advisory board. Highlights his excitement in exploring employee ownership, and the potential for social mobility that it offers. Describes the company’s revenue streams. Talks about his history in business and the path he’s taken. Pinpoints significant moments of success in Fluid IT’s journey, including being a founder B Corp. Explores the benefits of the RASCI process (Responsible, Accountable, Supported, Consulted, Informed.) Weighs up the balance between a focus on values and culture alongside the commercial side of the business. Looks to the future and what he’d love to see the business achieve. Stresses how important it is for him to be sure that his employees are happy at Fluid IT.Focuses on being disciplined about work life balance, maintaining a healthy relationship with family whilst running a business. Reveals some of his key learnings, including preventing burnout.

An award-winning entrepreneur, Darrel Sheinman had a successful career as a trader at the highest level, before founding, building and selling Pole Star Global, the world’s leading maritime electronic surveillance system. In his most recent venture, he’s turned his many talents to his passion for music, founding Gearbox Records Ltd, the UK’s leading vinyl record label. Gearbox is committed to the highest quality pressings and, under the mentorship of famed audio engineer Sean Davies, Darrel was inspired to build an all-analogue cutting and mastering studio, which gives the signature ‘Gearbox sound’. As a side project, Darrel has also created a revolutionary turntable, now recognised as a design icon. It was a joy to spend time with a fellow drumming enthusiast, going behind the scenes in the music production business and exploring the balance between head and heart. Overview: In our illuminating interview, Darrel: Gives an overview of the genres of music the label specialises in. Explains where the label’s recordings can be found. Stresses the importance of acquiring high quality equipment as recording quality is paramount. Details the processes involved in improving the audio quality of older recordings. Delves into the business side of the record industry and the similarities of a record label to a hedge fund. Talks about Gearbox Records’ beginnings. Shares his thoughts on the balance between making decisions with your head or your heart. Focuses on when he knew he was ‘onto something’ from a business perspective. Highlights some of the company’s key milestones and plans for the future. Discusses the importance of being able to be agile as a small business in the record industry. Expands on the early days of his business career. Debates the idea that a tough economic environment can be a good time to start a business. Summarises his learnings.

Pioneering a new way of thinking and how we drink beer, Small Beer Brew Co is a specialist lower alcohol beer brewery producing award winning, classic beer styles below 2.8% ABV. Their beer gives you all the enjoyment without the bleary-eyed consequences. London's first B Corp certified Brewery, they are rooted in history, brewed for today, regenerating this once common drink of the people so beer lovers can balance great taste with a healthier lifestyle.James Grundy, his Co-Founder, Felix James, and their team pride themselves on innovation, quality and the responsible manner in which they produce beer. Their beers are crafted with quality, packed with the finest ingredients and ‘long lagered’ for six weeks to maximise flavour. They are also naturally lower in carbs, calories and sugars. James’s passion for their business was awe-inspiring. He should be bottling that as well as the beer! I loved learning about the brewing process and hearing about James’s journey and values. You can find out more about Small Beer Brew Co’s refreshing take on doing business in beer  here. Overview: In our enlightening conversation, James:  Talks about the brewery's signature 'mid-strength' beers and gives a brief history of the term 'small beer' itself. Explains how their modern production methods differ from the past. Explores the current trend for lower ABV (alcohol by volume) beers and how Small Beer aims to maximise flavour. Summarises his history working in the drinks industry and how it’s informed his mindset with Small Beer. Gives an insight into the early days of the business, and challenges they faced. Talks about their first client being the Savoy Hotel bar, and how pivotal early deals with Majestic Wines and Waitrose were. Describes Small Beer’s B Corp journey, describing their pioneering water saving techniques and other energy saving measures. Discusses that becoming a ‘1% for the planet' partner means that 1% of the brewery's revenue goes to an environmental cause – in their case, Project Coral, a world leading coral restoration project based in South London. Details the range of beers produced by Small Beer. Focuses on the importance of having a passionate team, and the logistical details of the business. Looks to the brewery’s future plans and goals. Delves into why ‘contract’ brewing isn’t an option for international growth, due to the specialist equipment required.Shares his learnings, including the importance of always having a back-up plan.

Bates Wells is a truly purpose and impact-driven law firm; the first in the UK to be certified B Corp. The firm sees it as its purpose to create a positive impact on people, communities and the planet. The law firm that helped to launch the Better Business Act, fighting for workers’ rights, Bates Wells works with clients who are like-minded change-makers and leaders, and some of the world’s leading charities and social enterprises. Martin Bunch, the Managing Partner at Bates Wells, is passionate about walking the talk, successfully combining running a profitable business with a real social purpose - positive people making a positive impact. Bates Wells goes above and beyond the role of a traditional law firm, proactively and optimistically challenging conventional wisdom and seeking out opportunities to seize the initiative and champion better outcomes, believing that actions speak louder than words. It was a breath of fresh air talking with Martin and getting an insight into how Bates Wells’ values are pivotal; how the firm shapes its decisions and the way their team lives and works. You can find out more about Bates Wells’ forward-thinking way of doing business in the legal world here. In our inspirational conversation, Martin:  Summarises Bates Wells and its history, detailing its B Corp journey which led to it becoming the first law firm to be certified B Corp in the UK. Explains its climate programme and solicitor apprentice scheme. Highlights the significant pro bono work the firm did for Uber drivers, a case which was eventually heard in the Supreme Court. Talks about how the firm has adapted to hybrid/remote working. Expands on some of Bates Wells’ work, including how it successfully changed disability discrimination laws. Observes how having a clear direction attracts potential employees and clients, and why trying to be 'all things to all people' isn’t a successful approach.  Shares his thoughts on adding purpose to the concept of the 'triple bottom line', the concept of 'purpose-washing' and the nature of purpose for Bates Wells. Delves into the Better Business Act, which was drafted by Bates Wells, and the progress it’s making. Describes how bringing specific people in to run parts of the business has been very effective, despite the costs involved.   Outlines the firm’s pricing model and stresses the importance of transparency with clients when it comes to costs. Focuses on how helping people is part of the company’s culture. Examines lessons learned along the way, including what happens when you try to change things too quickly – evolution, not revolution, is key. Looks to the exciting times ahead and expresses the progress he’d like to see with the B Corp movement across other businesses.

Woolcool® is the multi-award winning pioneer and innovator of the Sustainable Packaging Revolution. Founded by the effervescent Angela Morris in 2009, they use natural materials – 100% wool - to change the world. How? By breaking down barriers and changing traditional perceptions of green options.  Their innovative insulated packaging is not only sustainable, biodegradable, recyclable and renewable, it hasn’t compromised its performance. Their range is trusted globally across the Pharmaceutical and Food Sectors for the shipment of temperature-sensitive products. ‘Created by Nature, Driven by Science’, Woolcool® is continually investing in R&D, committed to their tireless quest for a world where the most environmentally conscious materials are used from cradle to grave. Woolcool® is rightfully proud to be a certified B Corp, a UK-based manufacturer, a two-time winner of the Queens Award for Enterprise in Innovation & Sustainable Development categories, and a family-led business with strong values at their heart and soul. It was an honour to meet Angela, hearing her tireless passion to change the world in this tangible, practical way. You can find out more about Woolcool®’s trailblazing work here. In our enlightening conversation, Angela: Describes how wool is an effective insulating material, holding food and pharmaceutical items for up to five days with no further outside cooling required, and goes into detail about the manufacturing process. Talks about the scale of the business – c70 staff and a turnover of several million, with more companies’ consideration of sustainability driving a move towards wool packaging. Explains why, overall, Woolcool®’s packaging is competitively priced compared to polystyrene, and actually significantly cheaper for the pharmaceutical industry to use. Comments on the changing attitudes of the pharmaceutical industry towards packaging, and how her extensive experience in the packaging industry sparked her experimentation with wool. Identifies the key milestones at the start of Woolcool®’s success, as Abel & Cole then others started moving across to greener packaging. Expands on her experiences in the company’s first few years and how, after working on her own, she took on a business partner with complementary skills, (whom she later married!). Mentions the Innovation UK award, and how important the resulting funding was. Details Woolcool®’s business development through the early-mid 2010, which included two of her daughters joining the business. Shares anecdotes from the now King Charles’s visit, a keen wool enthusiast, after Woolcool® received The Queen’s Award in 2018. Observes that, because their brand is so strong, and their knowledge so significant, it makes it more difficult for potential competitors.  Talks about the B Corp process and the tangible benefits of being B Corp certified. Focuses on her future aspirations for the business and her desire to give back to their local area, Stone and Stoke-on-Trent. Highlights some key learnings, including how believing in yourself can help in difficult moments, and the importance of having investors that are on the same page as you.

Necessity breeds invention! When Eccie and her sister, Gini, struggled to find kitchen space to support their office lunch delivery company, Karma Cans, Karma Kitchen was born. They are growing dramatically, driven by the desire to help food businesses find spaces that suit their needs, without having to build their own kitchens. Karma Kitchen provides co-working and commercial kitchen spaces across London. Over the next five years, they are planning to open 50 new sites, supplying affordable workspace to over 5,000 startups and SMEs across Europe. It was fascinating talking to Eccie, shining a light on the world of ‘dark kitchens’. We learn about her dynamic journey to date and her ambitions for the future. You can find out more about Karma Kitchen’s great work here. Overview: In our illuminating conversation, Eccie: Describes the concept of ‘dark kitchens’, converting unused light industrial real estate into kitchen spaces used by food delivery and other food industry businesses. Talks through Karma Kitchen’s current locations, different sizes of kitchen space available, and their plans for expansion. Explains Karma Kitchen’s business model and how it all began. Shares the different stages of funding that allowed the business to grow from one site to multiple sites. Highlights the perils of diluting equity and espouses the virtues of Seed Legals, whose founder has single-handedly changed the face of legal work for early stage start-ups. Compares the very different experiences of running their first and second businesses. Discusses their future aspirations for both Karma Cans and for Karma Kitchens. Reflects on how her working relationship with her sister, who is also her business partner, has evolved and strengthened. Focuses on the lessons she’s learned in business so far.

Gregory is a natural born adventurer, serial entrepreneur and venture builder, led by a lifetime of experience across the continents.   This experience of the world, combined with a deep interest in sustainability, an acute insight into different cultures, and a love of wildlife and nature, have combined to form Atlas Accessories, grown from Gregory’s personal search for jewellery that combines meaning, durability and style. As well as producing distinct pieces with an aesthetic underscored by designs that place connection, depth of meaning and warmth at the fore, his brand is equally focused on the marking of meaningful experiences, empowering storytelling and using success to power change. Gregory wants to elevate and enrich people’s lives by changing the way we relate to jewellery and to the world around us.  He believes in being ethical and accountable and treating the planet like a stakeholder as he creates purposely designed jewellery pieces that connect people to feelings, meaning and memory and last a lifetime.  It was fascinating hearing Gregory speak with such passion, and an enlightening introduction to the world of storytelling through jewellery. Overview: In our enjoyable conversation, Gregory: Explains how Atlas Accessories began, and describes the visual identity of the brand. Explores the organic appearance of the jewellery, going into the detail and the stories behind particular collections. Gives an overview of the brand’s business model, the scale of the operation, and his views on online and high street presence. Highlights the importance of his networking strategy, and his plans to have more of a physical presence in future. Pinpoints the company’s pivotal moments of success. Talks about challenges Atlas has faced on their journey, and how they overcame their adversities. Delves into the separation of an owner's personal needs and the needs of a company, and the importance of getting the right balance between the two. Acknowledges being careful not to get so caught up in the creative rush you neglect more logical business matters, and realising you need to recognise your own weaknesses. Expresses his hopes for the company’s future, including how they can give their customers more opportunities to tell their own story through choosing and combining materials to make unique pieces of jewellery. Shares his many learnings, stressing that the most important by far has been to keep the right balance between head and heart – creative or business.

What does Happy mean to Henry? As his title at Happy embraces, happiness is something Henry thinks about a lot.  Named on the Thinkers50 list Guru Radar of the top 50 business thinkers worldwide, he loves speaking at events - sharing his enthusiasm about how to create great workplace cultures. Happy, the company Henry founded, focuses on helping organisations to shape happy workplaces, by working with their leadership to enable a culture of trust and freedom. They know that people don't like being micromanaged, being told what to do, and blame culture. What they do like, and what enables them to thrive, is doing something they are good at, having the freedom to do it well, a manager who coaches rather than dictates, and a culture that celebrates mistakes. What an uplifting and infectiously heartwarming experience it was talking with Henry. I hope you enjoy it too. In our uplifting and empowering conversation, Henry: Explains how Happy helps businesses to create positive workspaces, and his role as Chief Happiness Officer.Expands on how Happy delivers training, relevant to businesses at all stages of their business journey, and how their government funding works.Drills down into company facts – how and why Happy started, its size, its turnover and its pricing.Describes Happy’s recruitment philosophy, including why they interview people in groups of six.Talks about the moment Henry first realised a business like Happy could succeed.Highlights some of the unorthodox ways that Happy is structured, including having no managers, and empowering the staff to decide Henry’s salary.Discusses Happy’s B-Corp certification, the process they had to go through to get it and what they’ll need to do to keep it.Shares an overview of Happy’s early years, and how they work today – for example how they measure staff happiness, how amazing their staff retention rate is, and their core values including the number one: ‘make people feel good about themselves’.Opens up about future plans – working with as many people as possible to create more happy workspaces, and learnings he’s picked up along the way, including trusting people, letting yourself make mistakes, getting rid of middle management and letting people define their own roles.Explains the concept of psychological safety – the idea that anyone can speak up, and ways you can structure meetings to have more positive outcomes.

Holy Moly, guacamole! Tom and Gaz, with their team at Holy Moly Dips, are shaking up the chilled dips aisle, on their mission to bring us dips that taste great and make you feel good — by doing things the right way, not the easy way. Passionate about their range of products tasting great at the same time as being produced sustainably, and by only using the finest natural ingredients, they were tireless in their quest to achieve the convenience of ‘shop-bought’ with the wholesome deliciousness of ‘home-made’. No compromise. Their products caught my eye when they first hit the shelves, and their seemingly overnight success is intriguing, as is Tom and Gaz’s unconventional career path into food manufacturing. I was delighted to get this chance to interview Tom and Gaz and hear all about their story, which I’m excited to share with you too.

Mission NOT impossible. Jumptech is trailblazing their way through the world of electric vehicle (EV) charging points. Their smart-tech is taking the hassle out of the EV charge point installation process, making it easier for companies to quickly and efficiently install charge points and other low-carbon devices in the most compliant and scalable way possible. And it’s a premium end-user experience. Simply put, the greater the ease of installation, the greater the uptake – it’s good for the planet and good for everyone involved. It is exciting to see them accelerate the worldwide adoption of electric vehicles and green, clean technologies by streamlining installations and connecting stakeholders. Steering the ship of such a rapidly expanding business doesn’t come without its challenges, and I loved talking through Phil and Charlie’s experiences and insights in this brilliant interview.  In our dynamic and inspiring conversation, Phil and Charlie: Explain what Jumptech is all about and how they provide their customers with a frictionless experience. Describe the many types of customers and companies that use Jumptech, and how they win big contracts. Share Jumptech’s journey, from its founding moments to the present day, as well as their and their team’s backgrounds. Drill down into the specifics of the technology side of the business and how they resource that side of their operations. Highlight that they are a purpose-led business, why they feel this is important and how it impacts on their recruiting process. Explain how a young, unknown company like Jumptech managed to get some big hitting clients on board. Delve into the charge point sector, how it has expanded, and how competitive the market currently is. Share the learnings they gained from working together in the past, how they’ve worked out their roles as founder and CEO, and insights they have for other businesses to learn from. Discuss their plans for Jumptech’s future.

Their apt name evokes energy, activism and vitality, which Leap has in spades. Matt founded this eco-centred, change-making design agency in 2004. His passion for creativity, sustainability and designing for change formed Leap’s foundations. Leading Leap from the front, Matt sets the course and culture for the agency and enjoys generating new and exciting relationships. His effervescent enthusiasm is infectious, and his role as an ambassador for B Corp is inspirational. Leap was the first design agency in the UK to be awarded B Corp status. Matt is curious, values-driven and an everlasting optimist. He believes that creativity has more potential for environmental and social change than politicians, environmentalists and scientists combined. In this interview we find out why. Matt: Talks about his various pursuits in business, focusing on Leap, his planet-centred design agency, touching on other companies he’s set up in the past. Enlightens Alan about Goodfest, a festival that he co-founded, now in its fifth year. It curates 'creative conversations on the beach', with ecological issues at the core of its programme. Explains that he sits on the board of a range of B-Corp businesses, talking about 'Good F*cking Eco Advice', where he gives eco advice using strong language for impact. Shares his enthusiasm for everything he does, and how it gives him the energy to push forwards with his jam-packed schedule. Highlights the negative impact of digital design on the planet, and that it is important to Leap to always consider the planet as a client. Describes Leap’s company culture, their ethos, financial ecosystem, how important it is to take on good staff, and their excellent staff retention rate – one staff member even has a company logo tattoo. Covers how he advises similar businesses who want to be awarded B Corp status, and how he sees B Corp status as people using business as a force for good, comparing B Corp certification to Fair Trade. Gives an insight into his future dreams for Leap and talks about the importance of not being complacent, and not being distracted by things that are outside of your values and foundations.

Do wine and cans go together like strawberries and cream? Henry thinks so! England is now the most exciting sparkling wine region in the world. Causing some of that stir is The Uncommon, the revolutionary British winemaker. Their innovative choice to can, rather than bottle, their wines has a lighter environmental footprint, is brilliantly convenient and keeps their spritzy, aromatic wines fresher for longer. The Uncommon came to be in 2017, when Henry Connell and his partner, Alex Thraves, decided to make and market ‘unbelievably good bubbly’ in the South East of England. They are proud to be the first winemakers in the UK to be Certified B Corp, joining a global community that uses business as a force for good. And their quirky, distinctively designed packaging says a lot about their brand’s personality! In this interesting and motivational interview, Henry: Shares the story of how packaging their wine in cans came about, going on to talk about some of the benefits of canned wine, including sustainability and convenience for the customer. Talks about why a new business he’s developing is based in New Zealand, and his plans for starting similar businesses in Australia and North America in the future. Delves into how the stigma of new world wine and English wine has affected the perception of The Uncommon, and why England is excellent for sparkling wine production. Describes the wine varieties that they produce, the grapes that they use, and some of the locations in which they produce the wine. He also touches on the effects of global warming on grape growing. Gives an overview of what a B Corp is, including what The Uncommon had to do to be awarded the certification, and explores the mentality of balancing making money from a business versus sustainability in a business. Reminisces about how The Uncommon got off the ground as a business, and the early opportunities they embraced, before going on to outline his goals for the business over the next few years. Talks about having a pioneering spirit in business, and about educating the market by selling something that people don't yet realise that they want or need. Discusses his work life balance, especially considering potential extra travel to New Zealand in the near future, and the strain that the first few years of a start up can put on finding time to focus on things outside of work. Highlights some of the learnings from his time running The Uncommon, stressing the importance of partnership, hard work and passion, and not being too precious about equity or debt.

Their business might be all about managing wealth, but their purpose is all about family. Mike Aitken established Magus Wealth over 25 years ago. An independent, boutique Financial Planning and Investment Management business, they are proud to be a chartered firm - a status that only the UK’s best financial planning firms qualify for. I love the story behind their logo. It’s the ‘Dara knot’, meaning ‘everything back to family’. It’s a sentiment close to their heart, and it runs through their business like a stick of rock. For the Magus team, helping their clients to grow, protect and pass on their wealth is about more than money, it’s about building personal, lifelong relationships. Connecting, listening and understanding is at the heart of their business. In this refreshing and warm interview, Mike Reflects on how Magus Wealth has changed in the four years since I last interviewed him, and why they transformed the business's philosophy. Describes the changes they made in the company’s board and leadership team, and sheds light on some of the impacts that these changes had, especially on the company’s culture. Gives an in-depth explanation into the purpose of Magus Wealth’s ‘Academy’. Talks about some learnings from this period of change, including the advantages of being brave, being open minded, and having conviction in yourself and your company. Shares an insight into how his business partnership with Dante Peters functions, and how their different skills and approaches complement each other. Contemplates the structure and position of Magus Wealth now, relating it to the metaphor of a family. Discusses the importance of company culture in shaping the future growth and longevity of a company. Manifests his hopes and his visions for the next one, three, and 10 years of the business. Passes on some key learnings for entrepreneurs in the early stages of starting up a business.

What is this refreshing alchemy that successfully blends environmental, social and financial goals? Meet Rebalance Earth, helping companies to meet their Net Zero and nature-positive targets more efficiently and transparently. Capitalism can be a force for good in its sustainable form. That’s Rob Gardner’s passionate belief. He’s determined to make a real difference in the face of climate change challenges and biodiversity loss, using his experience from a successful career in banking and investment to develop a platform for natural assets that creates a biodiversity net gain, captures carbon and creates new job opportunities. Rob has a pioneering spirit, and embodies the power of having clear non-financial goals. In this enlightening and energising interview, Rob Talks about two of his companies: Redington, a pension fund management company with a strong corporate social responsibility ethos; and Mallowstreet, an online community that helps companies achieve financial security. Both are Certified B Corporations.Describes how his undergraduate dissertation on a glacier in the alps, and engagement in subjects around loss of biodiversity at COP26, led him to co-found his new start up, Rebalance Earth. It’s a Community Interest Company ‘CIC’ and their intent as they grow is to become a B-Corp.Explains how Rebalance Earth takes a market mechanism approach to tackling climate crisis issues through ‘nature credits’ and functions as a data source for natural capital.Discusses the lack of financial education in British culture and how living in Argentina as a child informed his attitude to money and his career in finance.Recalls the difficulties and successes of his first business, explaining the process of learning from mistakes and how you can enhance decision making.Expresses his hopes for Rebalance Earth, expanding on the positive impacts he wants to make for the planet and for people through his business.Shares his mantra ‘being with the end in mind’ and the process he takes in achieving success through long-term thinking.

How do you manage your mental health? Are you in touch with your moods day to day and aware of your feelings? Gareth Dauncey found a brilliant, visual way to manage his own wellbeing, which he went on to develop in an app to improve many people’s lives. Mood helps people to better manage their mental wellbeing with one tap a day, and share how they feel without the need for words. In this personal and revealing interview, Gareth Explains what Mood does and how he came to develop the app after difficult experiences with his mental health.Talks about his positive experiences at Frazzled Café, a space set up by Ruby Wax for strangers to talk about their feelings, which led him to transform his mood tracker idea into an app.Gives an insight into the process of developing the Mood app, including how one particular partnership encouraged him and supported him in areas he was previously unfamiliar with.Highlights the positives of not overcomplicating things.Describes some activities he finds helpful for positive mental health.Shares some of the realisations he has come to in his struggle with his mental health.Expresses the hopes he has for his app in helping others, and his ideas for how the app can de-stigmatise conversations around mental health.

Imagine a living in a beautiful place that is affordable and inclusive, where people thrive and economies flourish alongside stunning landscapes. Sounds too good to be true? My guest on this show doesn't think so. Jonathan Smales is the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Human Nature, a new generation sustainable developments business. Jonathan believes passionately that it’s time to create a new generation of places, homes and shared spaces that regenerate where we can live well in ways that respond to the crises of climate and nature. Human Nature’s unapologetically ambitious vision is to create remarkable living spaces, growing strong communities with architecture and landscapes that surprise and delight. In this fascinating and visionary interview, Jonathan: Gives insight into his background and how the shift in attitude towards the environment in the 1980s influenced his goals.Describes some of the built environment projects he and other members of the Human Nature team have been involved in, both with and before Human Nature.Relates the process of co-production and collaboration in Human Nature to Alan’s description of Steve Jobs' approach to innovation.Talks through how the Phoenix project in Lewes, East Sussex, UK started; its scale, the development and planning process, how they plan to make the project carbon negative, and the solutions and the resources that will be available on the estate to create a sustainable neighbourhood and a ‘living landscape’.Outlines the financial side of the project, revealing some of the challenges they have faced and how they have overcome them through different streams of funding and investment.Discusses aligned values and how, in the case of the Phoenix, this also includes residents, business owners, and investors.Shares his opinion on what factors currently prevent equitable projects that create a vibrant community.Reveals his background of business training as a civil servant and working for Greenpeace, recalling mistakes he made along his career and the lessons he learnt working with a friend.Expounds on some of his learnings from both Greenpeace and Human Nature, including mentality, values, and the power of doing good and surrounding yourself with good people.

How exhilarating to learn and to be inspired whilst on the wild and beautiful St. David’s peninsula. That’s exactly what the TYF Group provides with their leading sustainability, adventure and education business that helps people reconnect to nature, to possibility and to each other. They have been on a mission for over 35 years to inspire customers of all ages with low-carbon, eco-friendly outfitted adventures, training and education programmes, all nestled in nature’s best surroundings. We discussed how Andy’s passions have combined with business over the years. In this energising and inspirational interview, Andy Middleton Outlines the activities and services that the business provides, and how he manages a wide variety of revenue streams.Describes some of the fundamental issues he’s seen repeatedly in businesses over his long career.Talks through the early days of the business and when he first knew he was ‘on to something’, including some of its early successes in terms of impact on individuals.Discusses the process and funding behind turning a hotel into an organic adventure lodge in his 20s.Stresses the importance of the public and private sectors working together towards common goals.Recalls how introducing the ‘ambition design framework’ steered the trajectory of the business, and how this focus allowed the business to drill down into its wider impact, instead of being motivated by money.Reiterates the importance of finding and developing leaders, and of focusing on creating positive impact by involving people from all backgrounds.Explains what a company needs to do to become a certified B Corp, and some of the positive experiences that he has had in meeting with other B Corp businesses.Shares key learnings from his time in business including harnessing potential, asking yourself what the world needs you to do, and that ideas are worth little if your team isn't infused with your vision.

Did you find your vocation later in life? Shaun Russell certainly did. His belief that a more Scandinavian approach to life is better for all - a proven model of societal and environmental better practice that the world can truly benefit from - led to him founding Skandinavisk in 2012 to spread the word. We discussed his motivation in starting the business ‘later in life’ and the many valuable learnings he’s picked up along the way, whilst building and adapting the business over the past 10 years. In this educational and insightful interview, Shaun Explains the origins of the brand, focusing on the history and importance of candles in Scandinavian culture, and why Skandinavisk moved away from producing a range of regular candles to concentrate on home fragrance and body care to reach a wider audience.Describes the many issues he faced when he launched his brand, such as trying to sell products that spanned a range of categories including textiles, ceramics and fragrances.Expands on two key mistakes he made: 1) assuming that the brand would sell poorly in Scandinavia and 2) planning to focus on selling direct to consumers rather than via wholesale.Discusses the importance of 'pivoting' or changing course in a business when current methods aren't successful.recalls how close the business came to failing because of issues presented by Covid-19, and the streams of revenue that kept the business going.Talks through the ethical reasons which led Skandinavisk to replace its entire product line.Gives a detailed overview of the experience and process of becoming B Corp certified, what it means, and what the ongoing responsibilities are.Outlines the scale and purpose of the B Corp Beauty Coalition, of which he Chairs the Supervisory Board.Recounts his earlier career history and why he was happy to walk away from corporate life aged 40, as well as explaining the skills he had to learn in his new business life and the importance of mental health and clarity helping you to ‘stay sane’ as you run a business.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about pain? Nothing too positive, I’m guessing. Richmond Stace is a pioneer in his attitude to pain management. We talked about how he applies his extensive experience in nursing, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, coaching and neuroscience to help individuals manage and improve chronic pain, embracing people’s strengths and the potential to improve their lives. He runs his business from the heart, prioritising his clients’ wellbeing over his balance sheet. In this refreshing interview, Richmond Describes how he helps people with persistent pain issues, and subsequently looks at ways in which they can move forward.Explains why he has a holistic approach, applying his skills with elements of science, psychology and philosophy.Illustrates how broad ranging in background and lifestyle his client base is, as pain is indiscriminate.Highlights how he communicates his service to his clients who sometimes come with pre-existing perceptions.Stresses the importance of his clients understanding the relationship between their bodies and their external environment.Talks about his education and career path, how he got started in business, how he values his work-life balance highly, and is motivated by the reward of helping his clients.Reveals his lightbulb moment in his understanding of the pain field.Expounds on his future plans, including publishing his upcoming book, and his hope of doing more talks and tours, with the aim of helping as much of society as possible to understand pain, and change their attitudes towards pain, as well as issues with funding and social/gender biases.Shares his learnings from his experience in business, stressing the importance of putting yourself ‘out there’ to create the space for new opportunities, of continuous self-improvement and learning from your mistakes.