Finding My Niche
When I first started out, there wasn’t really an “Optimo.” It was just me, trading under my limited company name and taking on project management work.
But something felt missing. I knew from my time in consulting that I felt most alive when I was working on projects that genuinely mattered — like supporting the NHS or working at StepChange Debt Charity. I remember thinking, I need my work to be meaningful.
Around that time, I was meeting other entrepreneurs through the NatWest Accelerator, many of them working on climate and sustainability challenges. They were incredible at their core mission, but when it came to operations, they struggled.
That was my lightbulb moment: this is where I can help.
I realised I could take what I can do standing on my head. Such as project management, systems, operations, and put it into these super interesting contexts. Not only did it excite me, it meant those businesses could become more efficient and have a bigger impact.”
Originally, I thought I might just focus on climate and environmental organisations. But I quickly noticed how climate and social issues are deeply connected. Over time, Optimo evolved into supporting any business trying to do good, whether environmental, social, or community-focused.
The common thread wasn’t the sector. It was values alignment. If a founder shared our ethos, we could build the trust needed to dive deep into their business operations. That’s when the work really flowed.
By 2022, I’d refined the offer, built a brand around Optimo, and started hiring. For the first time, it felt like a real company.
What We Do
At its core, Optimo is an operations consultancy.
We don’t often use that exact phrase because it can sound abstract, but that’s essentially what we do — we help organisations run more smoothly so they can grow their impact.
We use a simple but powerful framework: people, processes, technology, and information. Those four things need to function well individually, but also in harmony with each other.
ere’s what that looks like in practice:
Discovery
Every client engagement starts with discovery. Sometimes it’s light-touch. For example, a few workshops with senior stakeholders to validate their priorities and create clarity. Other times it’s a deep dive, where we interview team members, audit systems, and dig into the way information flows.
Often, this process uncovers challenges the client didn’t even realise were there.
Action Plan
We then deliver a prioritised plan. This highlights:
- Strengths they can leverage
- Weaknesses to address
- A roadmap of practical actions, ordered by what will make the biggest impact fastest
Implementation
Some clients take the plan and run with it internally. Others keep us on to deliver change. We do this in sprints, such as month-long projects where we tackle one or two initiatives at a time.
For example, a client might think they need a new CRM. But before recommending a system, we look at whether their team is even using their current one properly, whether training could fix the problem, and how that system fits into their wider processes. Buying new tech isn’t always the answer.
This approach makes sure businesses don’t just buy tools or chase quick fixes — instead, they build operational resilience that lasts.
We’re not sustainability consultants, but because we work with values-led businesses, sustainability and operations often overlap. Efficient processes usually mean less waste, less energy, and better use of resources.
That’s why our work naturally supports both growth and impact.
"The business depends on you, so you have to build those foundations before life throws curveballs."
– Danielle Heward, Optimo
Growth & Evolution
By 2022, Optimo had gone from just me to a small team. We’d launched the brand properly, hired staff, and my wife Vicki had joined the business. For the first time, it felt like more than a solo venture. Now it was a company with its own identity.
But growth came with lessons.
I’ve always been a bit of a workaholic. In consulting, I was the one saying yes to everything, moving fast, and piling my schedule high.
That didn’t stop when I started my own business. If anything, it got worse, because the passion I felt for helping purpose-driven organisations made it even harder to say no.
By 2023, it caught up with me. I lost one of my best friends, and at the same time I was already running on fumes. The resilience I needed just wasn’t there.
I knew rationally I was going too fast, saying yes too often, but it took hitting burnout to force me to slow down. As a founder, you can’t just go to the doctor and ask for a few months off. The business depends on you, so you have to build those foundations before life throws curveballs.
That experience reshaped how I think about growth. For me and Vicki, it’s no longer just about scaling revenue or headcount. It’s about creating a business that’s sustainable for us as people, not just for our clients.
Looking ahead, I do see Optimo returning to a team of 8–10 people, probably a mix of employees and associates. But this time, we’ll build it in a controlled way — not by scrambling to meet every new demand, but by being intentional about what we say yes to and how we resource it.
In short, I’ve learned that growth at all costs isn’t worth it. Sustainable growth, for the business and for me personally, is the goal.
Marketing
If I could go back, I’d get professional marketing help much earlier than I did.
In the beginning, I tried everything: Twitter, Instagram, virtual networking — but without a strategy.
It was very scattergun, and while it gave me some practice, it wasn’t where my clients were.
The biggest lesson has been to focus on the channels that actually work:
- LinkedIn. Once I got over myself and started posting regularly, it became the most consistent way of building my network and attracting clients.
People would reach out directly after seeing my posts, saying things like,
“I’ve been following what you share, I think you could help us.” - Networking. In the early days of lockdown, I was joining lots of virtual events.
They were useful for practice, but not necessarily the right rooms.
The real shift came when networks like the Better Business Network and the Good Business Club started appearing.
Suddenly I was meeting people who actually shared my values and wanted the same kind of impact. - Brand investment. In 2022, I brought in a small team: a strategist, a copywriter, a designer, and a web developer,
to build Optimo’s brand properly. Doing everything at once gave us a strong identity and a website that truly reflected who we are.
It was worth every penny.
And then there’s what didn’t work:
- Instagram. I spent time on it, especially because lots of sustainable construction companies seemed active there.
But I realised it was mostly their social media managers, not the decision-makers I needed to reach. - Twitter (now X). Same story — plenty of noise, very little real business value.
In hindsight, I wish I’d stopped spreading myself thin sooner and gone all in on LinkedIn and networking.
Those two things have consistently brought in the right kind of clients.
Becoming a B Corp
We officially became a B Corp in August 2023. And in the same year, I got married, so it’s easy to remember!
I’d first heard about B Corp years earlier, when it was still just me in the business. At the time I assumed it wasn’t really suitable for a solo founder, but the idea stuck with me. I remember opening the assessment, looking at all the questions, and thinking, bloody hell, that’s a lot, before quickly closing it again. I did that a few times.
By the time I had a couple of employees, we started working through it properly. It took us about 12–18 months of steady work before we even submitted. And then once we submitted, there was a six-month wait just to be assigned an analyst at B Lab, because of the backlog.
It wasn’t easy, but it also wasn’t unbearable, mainly because we treated it like a marathon, not a sprint. We built it into our weekly rhythm, chipping away at sections rather than trying to do it all at once.
Some of it was simply formalising things we were already doing — like writing down policies for practices that were already part of how we worked. Other parts pushed us to think bigger and adopt new ideas we might not have considered otherwise.
B Corp also gave us a useful framework. The five sections of the assessment became the standing agenda for our monthly director meetings. It meant we always had a reminder of what areas of the business needed attention — governance, workers, community, environment, and customers.
So while the process was demanding, it was also incredibly valuable. It forced us to build resilience into the business, and it gave clients and peers a clear signal that we’re serious about running Optimo responsibly.
Ripple Effects
One of the most rewarding parts of Optimo has been seeing the ripple effects of our work.
A good example is when we started working with purpose-driven creative agencies almost by accident. These were branding, design, and comms agencies who, like us, wanted to serve ethical and sustainable businesses. We’d meet as peers, but soon they were asking, “Can you help us with our systems and processes?”
The answer was yes. And what I love about that is by making those agencies more efficient, they can then serve more of the very clients we’d want to help ourselves.
It’s like a multiplier effect. Instead of just helping one brand directly, we’re improving an agency’s operations so they can go out and support dozens more.”
Beyond client work, we’ve tried to have a ripple effect locally too. We’ve been active in conversations about B Corp, responsible business, and sustainability through events and networks in Yorkshire. Whenever possible, I say yes if someone asks, “Can I pick your brain about this?”
I know how long it took me to go from that first spark of an idea to the point where I felt confident talking about impact and values. If I can help others shorten that journey and get them to a place of clarity faster, then that’s impact in itself.
These ripple effects, both through agencies and through our community, are some of the most meaningful outcomes of running Optimo.
Challenges
People often assume the hardest part of running a purpose-driven business is balancing values with profit. For me, that hasn’t been the case. From the beginning, I built Optimo around my values, so the clients we attract naturally share our ethos. I’ve never really had to choose between doing the right thing and running a viable business.
The real challenge has been boundaries.
I’m passionate about the organisations we work with, so it’s very hard to say no. If a client or peer comes to me with an exciting idea, my instinct is to help. The problem is that means I can quickly find myself with 25 hours of work to fit into a 24-hour day.
I’ve learned the hard way that passion without boundaries leads to burnout. Saying yes to everything isn’t sustainable, not for me, and not for the business.
That’s been my biggest ongoing lesson. Running a business in the sustainability and social impact space can be intoxicating because the work feels urgent and important. But if you don’t protect your own energy, you risk losing the very capacity you need to make that difference.
Advice for Founders
If you’re thinking about starting a purpose-driven business, my biggest advice is to start with your values.
That’s what I did, and it gave me a compass for every decision — who to work with, what kind of work to say yes to, even how to structure my business. When everything feels uncertain, values give you something solid to return to.
My second piece of advice is: talk to people. I had countless conversations with founders in different industries. Some were doing work I thought sounded fascinating, others were tackling problems I knew nothing about. Every conversation helped me shape my own direction and made me realise where my skills could make the biggest difference.
And finally: keep learning. Read about industries you’re interested in, join training programmes, sign up for accelerators if you can. Most importantly, follow your curiosity.
The real challenge has been boundaries.
I’m passionate about the organisations we work with, so it’s very hard to say no. If a client or peer comes to me with an exciting idea, my instinct is to help. The problem is that means I can quickly find myself with 25 hours of work to fit into a 24-hour day.
I’ve learned the hard way that passion without boundaries leads to burnout. Saying yes to everything isn’t sustainable, not for me, and not for the business.
That’s been my biggest ongoing lesson. Running a business in the sustainability and social impact space can be intoxicating because the work feels urgent and important. But if you don’t protect your own energy, you risk losing the very capacity you need to make that difference.
“We’ve used our values as a decision-making compass — they guide who we work with, how we build trust, and how we look after our team.”
– Danielle Heward, Optimo
Community & What’s Next
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the communities I’ve been part of.
The sustainability and better business networks have been invaluable, from the Better Business Network to the Yorkshire Eco Business Network. Through them, I’ve met founders who’ve become collaborators, supporters, and friends. My LinkedIn network has also been a huge source of connections. Some of the people I first interacted with online are now people I’d happily call real friends.
One person I always mention is Fiona Raz-Jones of Mission Works. During lockdown, I watched her speak on a panel about B Corp and business purpose. That session shaped some of my early decisions, and she’s continued to be an inspiration ever since.
As for the future, Optimo is in a season of rethinking. The past 12 months have been tough for many businesses, but it feels like things are moving again. Our focus now is to grow with intention — not just chasing every opportunity, but choosing the right ones, building capacity carefully, and keeping the business sustainable for us as founders.
I imagine we’ll grow back to a team of 8–10 people, probably a mix of employees and associates. But this time we’ll do it more deliberately, with the right foundations in place.”
Our north star is simple: keep helping purpose-driven organisations operate at their best, while making sure Optimo itself stays aligned with our values and with the life we want to live.
5 Key Takeaways from My Journey
- Start with your values. They become your compass for decisions, clients, and growth.
- Talk to people. Conversations with peers and mentors open doors you don’t even know exist.
- Don’t spread yourself too thin. Focus on the marketing channels that bring real results — for me, that was LinkedIn and purpose-driven networks.
- Growth isn’t everything. Sustainable growth matters more than scaling at all costs. Protect your energy, build solid foundations, and pace yourself.
- Look for ripple effects. Helping others (like agencies) to work more efficiently can multiply your impact far beyond your own direct work.