A Different Kind of Growth
We’ve been sold a story.
That business is a race.
That speed equals success.
That scale is the goal.
But what if growth meant something else entirely?
Across the UK, in workshops, woodlands, kitchens and co-working spaces, something quieter is unfolding. Businesses are choosing to grow with care. They’re slowing down, deepening their roots, and putting people, place and purpose before profit.
They’re not waiting for permission.
They’re not asking for applause.
And they’re not following the old maps.
These are the businesses behind the Good Growth Guide. They’re not trying to change the world through disruption. They’re changing it through dedication — to craft, to ethics, to regeneration.
This isn’t alternative. It’s normal. Or it should be.
The Pillars of Good Growth
Good Growth isn’t a framework you can download. It’s a mindset. A shift in what we value, and how we choose to build.
Here’s what it looks like in practice:
Regeneration over Extraction
Helen Richardson of Make It Wild doesn’t just run a business — she stewards land. What started as a tree planting project on a single site has now grown to over 100,000 trees across Yorkshire.
“We wanted to do something real. You can’t just watch the planet decline and not act.”
People before Scale
Isabel Mack could have turned Party Kit Network into a tech platform or franchise. Instead, it’s a loose-knit network of volunteers, each running their own local kits with full autonomy.
“We didn’t have a business plan — just a Facebook group and a feeling something needed to change.”
Transparency over Performance
Emma Semper-Hopkins speaks candidly about the choice to stop selling furniture she didn’t enjoy making, even though it brought in money. Her shift to teaching upholstery workshops was values-led — and slower to pay off.
“There were months where I didn’t take a salary. But I knew what I wanted to build.”
Slowness as Strategy
James Gill at EcoSend knows they could grow faster by adding more features or pushing carbon metrics harder. But they’re focused on doing one thing well: making ethical email marketing software for climate-conscious businesses.
“We’re not trying to be everything. We’re trying to be excellent.”
Community as Currency
Harrison Ward built Fell Foodie by simply sharing his story. From addiction recovery to cooking on hilltops, his authenticity sparked invitations, partnerships and a growing audience.
“People connect with people. That’s the only marketing that’s ever really worked for me.”
Why This Should Be the Norm and Not the Niche
For too long, we’ve been taught that business is about winning. Beating the competition. Blitzscaling. Dominating your market.
But the businesses in the Good Growth Guide aren’t playing that game. They’re choosing collaboration over conquest, enough over endless, and depth over breadth.
They’re not niche. They’re necessary.
What they reveal is this: the old story of business is narrow and tired. It leaves out the full richness of what business can be — a tool for repair, for belonging, for joy.
This isn’t about “doing good on the side.”
It’s about redefining what good business looks like at the core.
And it works. These businesses are earning trust, building resilience, and creating real, measurable impact. They’re not propped up by VC money or scale-at-all-costs strategy. They’re standing on something solid: values, relationships, community.
It’s time we stopped treating this as alternative. It’s just a better normal.
What You Can Do
Good Growth isn’t reserved for certain industries or perfect people. It’s a choice — and one you can start making right where you are.
If you’re building a business:
Ask what enough looks like. Growth for growth’s sake is a trap. Define your version of success — it might be time, trust, or creative freedom.
Be honest in public. Share your trade-offs, your learning curve, your unfinished thoughts. That’s where trust begins.
Slow down. Urgency can be a sign you’re following someone else’s map. Take time to reflect before reacting.
Start with community. Before you build a product or service, build relationships. The people who care will show you the way.
Let values lead, even when it’s hard. Say no when something doesn’t feel right. Long-term alignment matters more than short-term gain.
If you’re supporting this kind of work:
Buy from businesses who care. Your everyday choices fund the future. Spend with intention.
Tell their stories. A single share or recommendation can spark something big for a small, values-led business.
Invest your skills. If you’re a designer, writer, strategist — offer time or advice to someone building something better.
Challenge the “normal.” When growth, profit or speed are assumed as goals, ask why. Make space for better definitions.
A Quiet Shift Is Underway
You won’t always see these businesses in the headlines.
But they’re here — planting, teaching, repairing, reimagining.
They’re proof that another way is not only possible. It’s already happening.
Right now. In small towns and city corners. At kitchen tables and in coworking hubs.
They’re building businesses that heal, not harm. That grow slowly, not recklessly.
And they’re showing us that success doesn’t have to mean scale, dominance or speed.
It can mean integrity.
Joy.
Enough.
We call it Good Growth.
And it’s only just beginning.