There’s a quiet revolution unfolding in the heart of digital communication.
At first glance, EcoSend might look like just another email marketing platform. But look a little closer, and something different emerges – a reimagining of what it means to send, receive, and relate online. In a world where the internet feels weightless, EcoSend asks: What’s the unseen cost of our clicks and campaigns?
For James Gill and his team, that question became impossible to ignore. What began as a moment of curiosity through a conversation on the hottest day in London, sparked by a statistic about email’s carbon footprint. Soon grew into something deeper. Not just a product pivot, but a purpose-led journey into climate-conscious technology.
This isn’t just about cutting emissions or planting trees, though EcoSend does both. It’s about reshaping the tools we use every day, so that doing business better becomes the default, not the exception.
At its heart, EcoSend is a story of quiet conviction. Of a small team choosing to do more, not because they had to, but because they could. And of a vision for a digital world that treads more lightly, communicates more intentionally, and grows with care.
The Spark
The spark came not with a grand revelation, but a conversation, warm weather, open laptops, and a team reflecting together on their place in a rapidly changing world.
It was the summer of 2022, and the GoSquared team, James Gill and his long-time collaborator JT were gathered in London. It happened to be the hottest day on record. The kind of heat that makes climate change feel suddenly, viscerally close.
Someone shared a statistic about the carbon footprint of digital tools. Another stumbled across a figure that even a single email can emit carbon. It was anywhere from a fraction of a gram to several grams of CO₂. The room fell quiet.
“You don’t see smoke coming out of your laptop,” James recalls. “So we’d never stopped to think about it. But suddenly it hit us – all these emails, all this infrastructure, all this power. It adds up.”
The more they looked, the more unsettling it became. The cloud, it turned out, wasn’t so light after all. Data centres consume vast amounts of energy and water. Major email platforms had no mention of sustainability, not even a single page. And for a tool so widely used, the conversation around its impact was virtually non-existent.
They could’ve left it at that, a surprising insight, quickly forgotten. But something about that moment stuck.
“We weren’t trying to start a new company,” James says. “We just couldn’t unsee it. And we realised – if we’re going to keep building things, they need to do better.”
From that point, the question shifted from Can this be done? to Why isn’t anyone doing this already? And slowly, the idea for EcoSend began to take shape – not just as a product, but as a quiet challenge to business-as-usual in the tech world.
The Model
EcoSend looks, on the surface, like many other email platforms. But beneath its familiar interface is a model built with intention. One that balances technical excellence with ecological awareness, and ethical clarity with practical utility.
At its core, EcoSend is an email marketing tool designed to help purpose-led businesses communicate better and more responsibly. But unlike most platforms in the space, it’s not just about open rates and automation. It’s about integrity, impact, and reducing harm at every layer.
Here’s how it works:
- Planet-first infrastructure
EcoSend runs on renewable-powered servers and is engineered to be lightweight, energy-efficient, and low-impact – reducing the carbon emissions associated with every email sent. - Transparent sustainability metrics
Users can see estimated emissions from their campaigns and understand the environmental cost of their digital footprint. A quiet invitation to send more mindfully. - Tree planting and beyond
For every customer, EcoSend plants trees through verified partners. As of now, over 13,500 trees have been planted. It’s tangible, visible, and symbolic. It builds a bridge between digital action and real-world repair. - Clear ethical boundaries
EcoSend won’t work with clients in industries like gambling, weapons, tobacco, or fast fashion. They’ve also made the intentional decision not to build advanced features for high-volume e-commerce, drawing a line between growth and excess. - CRM-light functionality
While it integrates with many CRMs, EcoSend also offers simple customer relationship tools for organisations that don’t need complex systems, making it ideal for charities, community groups, and small values-driven businesses. - Content and community
Through their podcast, blog, and upcoming feature set, EcoSend is growing not just as a product, but as a platform that helps amplify other ethical brands and deepen a shared culture of responsibility.
As James puts it, “We’re not just building email software. We’re building the infrastructure for good businesses to grow – in a way that doesn’t cost the earth.”
“We’re not just building email software. We’re building the infrastructure for good businesses to grow – in a way that doesn’t cost the earth.”
– James Gill, Founder, EcoSend
The Impact
EcoSend’s impact is measured not just in metrics, but in meaning.
Yes, there are numbers: over 13,500 trees planted, thousands of campaigns sent using renewably powered infrastructure, and a growing community of organisations choosing purpose over convenience. But what truly sets EcoSend apart is how it helps others amplify their missions, without compromising their values.
“We’re the bridge,” James says. “Between a brand and its audience. That message has to get there. And it has to carry integrity.”
Some of the most values-aligned organisations in the digital space now trust EcoSend to carry their voice. Wholegrain Digital, the agency that literally wrote the book on digital sustainability – was one of the platform’s earliest adopters. Their endorsement wasn’t just a milestone. It was a moment of deep affirmation.
“If they’re willing to use us,” James reflects, “then maybe we’re not crazy.”
Other mission-driven clients have followed. From progressive agencies to B Corps to ethical product makers. Each one extending EcoSend’s reach not just through volume, but through alignment.
There’s also a subtler ripple effect. Every email sent through EcoSend carries a quiet message: there is another way. Not just a greener checkbox, but a different ethos of doing digital. Less extractive. More intentional.
Internally, the team’s impact extends into the communities around them too. Through volunteer days at community orchards, tree nurseries, and food banks, they’re bridging the gap between screen and soil – a rare move in the software world.
Perhaps the most profound shift, though, is in mindset.
By naming and confronting the invisible emissions of digital infrastructure, EcoSend is helping reshape what responsibility looks like online, not as an afterthought, but as a foundation.
The Marketing
EcoSend doesn’t trade in hyperbole or hustle. Its growth is rooted in something slower – trust, alignment, and the kind of word-of-mouth that spreads when people feel truly seen.
“We’re not here to shout the loudest,” James shares. “We just want to be found by the right people – and support them well when they arrive.”
That quiet clarity has shaped the company’s entire approach to marketing:
- Community-first storytelling
From their in-house podcast, which spotlights purpose-driven founders to thoughtful blog posts and newsletters. EcoSend focuses on sharing stories, not selling features. It’s less about lead generation, more about resonance. - Values-aligned visibility
Rather than casting a wide net, EcoSend shows up where it matters: sustainable business directories, ethical tech communities, and low-carbon design forums. They’re present in the circles where their values are shared – and that’s where the strongest connections form. - Partnership and referrals
Much of EcoSend’s growth has come from client referrals and partner introductions. When organisations switch from traditional platforms to EcoSend, they often bring others with them – amplifying impact through their own networks. - Product as marketing
Every email sent via EcoSend carries a quiet signal of alignment. Whether it’s the lightweight code, the renewable infrastructure, or a nod to their mission in the footer. Each campaign becomes a subtle invitation for others to explore a better way.
There are no billboards. No paid ads blitz. Just a consistent presence, rooted in care and a belief that good tools, well built, will find their way into the right hands.
The Finances
EcoSend wasn’t built with venture capital or aggressive growth targets. It emerged slowly, almost cautiously – seeded inside GoSquared, and nurtured with care.
“For the first year,” James admits, “it barely made enough to justify one person working on it full-time.” But they kept going – not because the numbers made sense, but because the mission did.
That patience is now paying off.
- Steady, compounding growth
After a quiet start, EcoSend began to double its customer base quarter over quarter. In Q4 of 2023, they doubled from the previous quarter. Then again in Q1 of 2024. It’s a trajectory that, while still modest in scale, signals real momentum. - Independent and bootstrapped
EcoSend has no outside investors. It’s funded entirely through customer revenue and shared resources from its parent company. This independence allows the team to stay closely aligned with its ethics – free from pressure to scale at the cost of integrity. - Profitable by design
Profit isn’t the end goal, but it matters – because it ensures sustainability. “We want to be around in five years, in ten years,” James says. “And that means building a business that pays its way.” Every new feature is weighed not just for usefulness, but for maintainability. Every hire is made with long-term stability in mind. - Intentionally narrow market
While many platforms chase e-commerce clients for growth, EcoSend has deliberately chosen not to serve industries that clash with its purpose. Gambling, weapons, fast fashion and even high-volume consumer brands are politely turned away. That decision costs revenue. But it protects the soul of the business.
EcoSend’s financial model is simple, transparent, and quietly resilient. It grows when its customers grow – and only if their growth aligns with values worth backing.
The Vision
EcoSend isn’t trying to dominate the market, it’s trying to reshape it.
The team’s vision is clear: to be the default email platform for businesses that want to do good. Not just environmentally, but ethically, relationally, and structurally. It’s about creating tools that help values-led organisations thrive, without having to compromise on functionality or integrity.
“We want to build the tools that help the good guys grow,” James says. “There are so many platforms out there for businesses that don’t care. We want to be the platform for those that do.”
Looking ahead, EcoSend is exploring ways to deepen and broaden its impact:
- Growing the ecosystem
While email remains the core, there’s potential to expand into adjacent tools, CRMs, customer service, or even sustainable analytics – if and when the time is right. But the focus, for now, is on doing one thing exceptionally well. - Fostering community
EcoSend is increasingly positioning itself as a hub, not just a tool. By connecting its customers to one another, spotlighting their stories, and building collective momentum, it aims to fuel a broader movement of regenerative business. - Supporting systemic change
The team is also interested in engaging more directly with the wider sustainability space, from biodiversity restoration to alternative carbon strategies and forming partnerships with organisations working on the ground. - Staying true to purpose
Above all, the goal is to remain aligned. “The minute we start building things we don’t believe in,” James reflects, “is the minute we’ve lost what makes EcoSend special.”
This is not a vision of hyper-scale or quick exits. It’s a vision of endurance – of becoming part of the long-term infrastructure for a better kind of business. Quietly, patiently, and on purpose.
“You don’t see smoke coming out of your laptop,” James recalls. “So we’d never stopped to think about it. But suddenly it hit us – all these emails, all this infrastructure, all this power. It adds up.”
– James Gill, Founder, EcoSend
The Challenges
Building a values-driven tech company inside a crowded, profit-chasing market is never straightforward. For EcoSend, the hardest part hasn’t been the technology – it’s been the courage to hold the line.
“Almost every day, we wrestle with the tension between what we could build and what we should build,” James shares.
The email marketing world is shaped by scale. Features are often optimised for conversion at any cost. And many platforms serve industries that push high-volume, high-waste consumerism. Choosing a different path comes with trade-offs.
Some of the most pressing challenges include:
- Saying no to lucrative clients
EcoSend has turned away entire sectors – from fast fashion to gambling- to stay aligned with its ethics. While that’s been essential to the brand’s integrity, it’s also meant slower financial growth in the short term. - Navigating feature gaps
Competing with giants like Mailchimp means dealing with inevitable comparisons. EcoSend doesn’t yet offer all the bells and whistles, particularly for e-commerce. But every feature added is weighed carefully against its impact, both technical and ethical. - Balancing growth and clarity
As the platform grows, so does the pressure to appeal to broader markets. But broadening too far risks diluting what makes EcoSend distinct. It’s a delicate balance: expanding reach without losing soul. - Facing internal contradictions
Even sending emails, the very service EcoSend offers – has an environmental cost. “It’s a bit like being a sustainable fashion brand,” James reflects. “You’re still making stuff. So the question becomes: how do we help people do this better, not just more?” - Bootstrapping with intention
Without external funding, everything takes longer. But that constraint has become a strength, forcing discipline, creativity, and a deep focus on what really matters.
Through it all, the team remains anchored by a simple principle: do less harm, and do more good. It’s not always easy. But it’s always worth it.
The Mindset
Behind EcoSend is a quiet, deliberate way of thinking, one shaped by care, curiosity, and the steady courage to ask uncomfortable questions.
James and his team aren’t chasing disruption for its own sake. They’re building from a place of responsibility, to their customers, to the planet, and to their own internal compass.
A few principles guide their work:
- Build a company you don’t want to sell
“We always said with GoSquared that we wanted to build something so good, we’d never want to sell it,” James shares. That same ethos carries through at EcoSend – a commitment to long-term stewardship over short-term gains. - Do better with what you already have
The shift to EcoSend didn’t require a brand-new idea – just a fresh lens. “We were already building software,” James says. “We just hadn’t realised the impact of what we were making. Once we knew, we had to act.” - Put purpose before features
While it’s tempting to chase every customer request, the team stays grounded by asking: does this align with our mission? Is this useful and ethical? If not, they let it go – even if it costs sales. - Let impact be an invitation
EcoSend doesn’t use guilt or shame to make its case. Instead, it invites reflection. Transparency about digital emissions becomes a gentle nudge toward mindful communication. Education, not fear, is the path. - Hold space for complexity
There’s no perfection here – only progress. “We’re constantly learning,” James says. “This isn’t about being the most virtuous. It’s about doing our best, and helping others do the same.”
In a space often dominated by speed and scale, EcoSend’s mindset is refreshingly different. Grounded. Curious. Courageous. Less about being first – more about being faithful to the work.
The Wisdom
What lessons can others take from EcoSend’s journey? For those building purpose-led businesses – especially in complex, saturated markets – James offers a mix of practical advice and deeper reflections:
- Start small, but start aligned
“You don’t need to have it all figured out. Just begin from a place of honesty and care. Build something you’d be proud to use.” - Expect it to take longer
“I’m an optimist, and even I underestimated the time it takes. Good growth is slow growth. That’s okay – just don’t stop showing up.” - Your values won’t sell your product – your product will
“Being ethical is not a marketing strategy. You still need to make something great. People won’t switch just because you’re doing the right thing – but they might if you’re doing the right thing and it works better.” - Say no with confidence
“Every no protects your yes. Be clear about who you serve and who you don’t. That clarity becomes your strength.” - Trust your community
“Our best growth came through word-of-mouth. Focus on serving your early believers deeply. They’ll bring others.” - Measure what matters to you
“Revenue is important – but so is trust, alignment, and how many people you’re helping do things better. Track those things too.” - Don’t build alone
“Find your peers. Speak to people further ahead. It can feel lonely doing things differently – but you’re not the only one.”
At its core, EcoSend’s wisdom is simple: build from love, act with integrity, and believe that better business is not only possible – it’s already happening.
And if you’re still searching for where to start? James says: “Just pick one thing, and do it better.”
Try This
Inspired by EcoSend’s values-led journey? Here are five quiet actions you can take to centre sustainability in your digital business:
- Start with your tools
Audit your digital stack. Are your servers powered by renewables? Are your marketing platforms optimised for low energy use? Begin where you are – small shifts compound. - Find your Chris
Every team has someone who cares deeply. Make space for them to lead. Listen to what excites them, and back their ideas for community engagement. - Plant something tangible
Trees helped EcoSend turn values into action. Whether it’s a partnership, a project, or a plot of land, find something physical your digital business can support. - Measure what matters to you
Beyond revenue, track metrics that reflect your impact – like number of emails sent with purpose, or causes amplified through your product. - Hold your ground
Say no to the wrong clients. Publish your criteria. Let your values guide who you serve – and who you won’t.