Founded in 2015, this unconventional consultancy has been propelling businesses into social bravery. With trust as their compass, they’ve been able to unlock creativity to architect communities that redefine success. Read on…

Tell us a bit about your company…

We’re an unorthodox consultancy, founded in 2015. We support business teams, brands and institutions to be socially brave, commercially-innovative and widely recognised with creative growth strategy and social value projects.

We enable charities and social entrepreneurs to be expert evaluators, sought-after communicators and disruptive leaders, increasing investment in the change they make. We build ambitious and resilient engagement projects in cities and towns that transform social mobility, cultural placemaking, community regeneration and economic growth.

What problem do you solve or what difference do you make for your clients?

We help busy leaders to feel in control of their ideas. Using data, technology and analysis as tools – but actually helping with the human, messy, lack-of-confidence, finger-in-the-wind decision-making as trusted critical friends.

We spot things that people can’t when they are too far inside something. And we enable them to turn that into big opportunities.

How would you describe the culture within the business, and how does this contribute to its success?

We’re a loving, playful, group of grafters. Curious and open-minded. Insatiable sponges of data, information, observations and insights. Business weather-vanes. We’re repeatedly told that we’re the people our clients go to when everyone else will tell them what they already know and be too afraid to tell what them what they don’t want to hear. It’s all about trust, co-design, pragmatic learning.

How do you invest in the development and well-being of your employees? What makes your company a great place to work?

We just focus on trust, and if you get that right – between everybody – everything else falls into place. Flexibility x trust = people with autonomy, purpose and mastery.

Everyone collectively builds what we do, who we are and why we do it. Structures and rules are to protect people and to underpin confidence.

What are the top achievements and successes you’re most proud of?

We’ve engaged tens of thousands of people in practical conversations about the future of work, tech, society and opportunity since 2015. Our research has unlocked £millions in investment and funding for business, culture, health and education. Our clients have found new audiences, launched new products and increased their social impact by many multiples through co-designing methodologies with us.

We’ve been invited to global gatherings like the One Young World Summit to create platforms for young social entrepreneurs from across the globe. But the biggest achievement is that it is still fun, even in the most difficult of times.

Is there any other work you’re doing in the community that you’d like to share?

We work with around 20 Sussex-based and/or national charities each year on positioning, impact measurement and building influence. We do this as cheaply as we can, or pro bono, focusing on innovation and resilience.

The Brighton Paradox podcast seems to have had a big impact – on helping people better understand the challenges and opportunities in the city, and giving an equal platform to grassroots community representatives alongside established and well-known leadership voices.

Are there any upcoming projects, goals or ambitions that you are particularly excited about?

We are currently building Basildon’s first Creative Tech Festival in 2024 and 2025, working with the likes of Ford, Raspberry Pi, Faculty, Save The Children and many more. We’re developing leadership programmes for the hospitality sector, arts, female founders and engineering. We’re supporting a number of charities with strategy, positioning and impact measurement.

Brighton Paradox S2 will land in late spring, and we’re delighted to be working with Brighton & Hove Albion, Brighton Business School, EQ Investors and Midnight Communications on that. The rest of the year is looking exciting – but we’re always open to collaborations that help build the systems impact that busy leaders can have.

When did you first come across Silicon Brighton? What’s the relationship and how do you benefit?

Considering your involvement in Silicon Brighton and community-building, what does the concept of ‘community’ mean to you? How important is it for the tech industry?

Anything else you would like to promote to our community? (Hiring, socials, website)

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