The CEO Years

When I became a CEO, I quickly discovered that the organisation I'd joined was in a far worse state than I'd been told. The mission was one I believed in deeply - reducing inequality, ensuring that the people most at risk of being left behind were seen and supported. It was a direct expression of the driving purpose that had formed during my trip to Kenya and run through every role since.

What I walked into was a classic glass cliff - a leadership role handed over at the point when things were already failing. Services were being delivered on a shoestring, underfunded to the point where they were genuinely unsafe. The finances were precarious. The team was stretched and demoralised. The relationships with stakeholders and partners that should have been holding the organisation together had been neglected or had broken down. There was no strategic support to help me figure out how to turn things around. If you've ever stepped into a situation where the scale of what needs fixing feels overwhelming and the resources to fix it feel completely inadequate - you'll have some sense of what those first weeks were like.

So I cleared my diary and spent a few days assessing the current reality. I went to the public library - because that was the quiet space available to me - and worked on a new future for the organisation. The situation was serious enough that it would have been easy to conclude things couldn't improve. And I'd be lying if I said the thought didn't cross my mind. But giving up on the mission wasn't something I was willing to do.

I captured a vision on paper and set about selling it to my team and making the changes that were needed. Because the strategy was aligned with our purpose - because the team could see where we were heading and why it mattered - I was able to lead the organisation through an economic recession and deliver results more quickly than I'd thought possible.

Within three years, we had tripled both revenue and the number of employees. We earned Investors in People accreditation by embedding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our governance, employment practices, business relationships, and decision-making. We were accredited by the forerunners of the Financial Conduct Authority and the Care Quality Commission, which meant adhering to rigorous standards across everything we did. The organisation that had been unsafe and underfunded became one that met the highest standards in its sector.

It was the hardest and most rewarding work of my career. And I learned things during those years that I carry into every conversation I have with a founder today.

I learned that when the purpose is clear, finding the way forward is always possible - even when the path looks blocked from every angle. I learned that a vision people believe in is the most powerful strategic tool you have. I learned that confidence builds through the accumulation of evidence and action, not through reassurance alone. And I learned the value of having someone alongside you who understands the weight of the decisions you're making. I worked with an Executive Coach who helped me keep my vision intact and develop the skills I needed to succeed. That support made a genuine difference - and it's a significant part of why I now provide it for others.

The strategic approach I developed during those eight years - the combination of clear vision, practical pathways, and confidence built through the accumulation of evidence - is the foundation of everything I bring to The Purpose Company, a full-service strategic agency helping you and your organisation become what your purpose requires you to be. When I sit with a founder who is facing something that feels overwhelming, I understand. I've been there. And I know that the way through starts with the same things: a vision worth building toward, pathways you can act on, and the belief - built through doing - that your efforts will lead somewhere meaningful.

If you'd like to know more about who I am and where this comes from, read on. Or explore my services, my case studies, or book a call whenever you're ready. There's no rush. The right moment is yours to choose.