Designing for a Sector in Crisis

As the Founder and Creative Director of Cosmic, a U.S.-based creative studio working at the intersection of design and social change, Eric Ressler has spent years helping mission-driven organisations communicate with clarity and purpose. In this episode, he unpacks the mounting challenges facing the nonprofit sector—from shrinking federal funding to a digital culture that makes it harder to break through.

The pressures aren’t just affecting the organisations Cosmic supports, they’re reshaping the work itself. As funding dries up and uncertainty grows, Eric and his team are increasingly focused on helping clients cut through the noise, align their core mission, and communicate with conviction.

He brings a sharp perspective on what’s needed next: a shift in how we approach ‘Design Thinking,’ deeper coalition-building to reduce duplication, and a more intentional relationship with technology—one that helps us stay human while driving impact.

Eric Ressler

Rewriting the Rules of Women’s Health Tech

How can digital innovation serve millions of women, without selling their data or betraying their trust? Amber Vodegel, CEO of 28X, shares how she’s building a platform to transform how women engage with their health.

28X is a purpose-driven health tech company launching its first product later this year: a simple, accessible period tracker that does more than its competitors. Guided by three core principles—privacy, inclusivity, and no subscriptions—Amber’s team is creating a new kind of platform: one that educates, protects, and empowers.

In this episode, Amber discusses how to scale with purpose in a space often dominated by extractive models. She explores the ethical, strategic, and technical decisions behind 28X’s development, from refusing traditional VC funding to eliminating cloud-based data storage. She also reflects on the power of storytelling, the importance of external feedback, and the evolving definition of success in a sector that still too often fails its users.

Amber Vodegel

Ecosystems of Impact

Andrew Wordsworth, co-founder and CEO of Sustainable Ventures, returns to The Purposeful Strategist at a time of rapid growth and transformation for the climate tech sector. Having now supported over 1,000 startups, Sustainable Ventures has doubled down on its mission to expand its footprint across the UK and Northern Europe.

In this episode, Andrew shares how the firm is building a distributed ecosystem to serve climate entrepreneurs where they are, offering capital, community, and consulting support across the UK. He reflects on the shift from start-up to scale-up, the firm’s decision to bring on external investment, and why connecting regional stakeholders is critical for turning innovation into impact.

We also discuss the role of AI in accelerating climate tech, from operational efficiencies to strategic tools, and how Sustainable Ventures is keeping its purpose at the centre of a growing, customer-centric business model. For Andrew, climate isn’t just a challenge; it’s one of the greatest economic opportunities of our time.

Interested in Sustainable Venture’s workspaces? Check them out here: https://www.sustainableventures.co.uk/workspaces

Andrew Wordsworth

Relentlessly Getting Stuff Done

How can operational leaders shape strategy, culture, and growth? Matt Hotson, Group Chief Operating Officer at Mishcon de Reya, shares how a distinctive approach to leadership and execution is helping one of the UK’s most entrepreneurial law firms stay purposeful and future-focused. At Mishcon, he leads everything outside of the practice of law –building the foundations, systems, and culture that enable lawyers to deliver great work for their clients.

In this episode, Matt discusses the firm’s evolving strategy and its renewed five-year vision, the importance of codifying values with broad input, and how culture is seen as somewhat fluid and constantly shaped by the people who join. He also explores how the firm is responding to emerging technological risks and opportunities.

Reflecting on his own path, Matt shares why making bold decisions, acting on 70% certainty, and relentlessly executing the plan have all been essential to building momentum and purpose at such a high scale.

Matt Hotson

World-leading Non-drug Treatment for Dementia

How can a purpose-driven innovation scale without compromising care? Devika Wood, CEO of Brain+, shares how she’s helping pioneer the global expansion of Cognitive Simulation Therapy (CST) - the world-leading non-drug treatment for dementia.

Brain+ is a publicly listed health tech company championing Ayla, a proven digital CST intervention that can delay cognitive decline for up to six months. Devika discusses the opportunities and challenges of scaling CST through the UK’s care home sector while ensuring that ethics, clinical standards, and public trust remain central to the approach.

In this episode, Devika reflects on the strategic and emotional dimensions of leading a mission-led business in a high-regulation, high-stakes sector. She explains why raising awareness, building clinician and caregiver trust, and testing narratives are just as vital as product design. She also opens up about the balancing act between purpose and profit, the importance of board support, and the ongoing work of aligning commercial delivery with personal mission.

Devika Wood

Connection and Community

As the founder of The Unmistakables, a consultancy on a mission to make organisations more inclusive from the inside out, Asad Dhunna has long worked at the intersection of culture, inclusion, and brand. In this episode, he challenges conventional narratives around DEI, arguing that diversity is too often pigeonholed, when in fact it reflects deeper shifts in society and the economy.

Asad reflects on the insights from The Grow Up, The Unmistakables’ landmark survey of over 2,000 people in the UK. He shines light on the tension leaders face as they scale: the pull of familiarity versus the push towards true diversity, and why complexity demands dynamic responses.

Asad brings a clear-eyed view of what is driving inclusion forward—and what is holding it back. He also explores how the next generation is rethinking wealth, work, and leadership and why reputation, more than ever, is a key metric for growth.

Asad Dhunna

Scaling with Integrity

Dedication to your purpose need not be sacrificed during firm growth. For Dean Proctor, CEO of 7IM, keeping purpose, people, and performance aligned is the challenge—and opportunity—of leadership.

Since stepping into the role six years ago, Dean has helped grow 7IM into a nearly £30 billion firm with around 850 colleagues, blending organic expansion with the acquisition of high-quality advice businesses. Today, the firm serves both direct clients and advisers across the UK.

In this episode, Dean reflects on how 7IM’s dual B2B2C and direct-to-consumer model is something they are continually learning from and why preserving a ‘client-first’ culture is critical as the business scales. He shares how 7IM’s values are brought to life through storytelling and how 7IM’s purpose has taken shape through colleague-led sustainability and diversity initiatives. Dean also speaks candidly about industry consolidation, the need to attract a new generation of financial advisors, and the role of technology in broadening access to advice.

Dean Proctor

How to Learn and Grow With Purpose

How can leaders learn and grow while ensuring an organisation’s core purpose? Fiona Dunsire, the UK Government Actuary, shares her views and experience on how leaders can learn and grow together in teams, all while ensuring an organisation delivers its core purpose.

Fiona is the first woman to head the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), which provides actuarial analysis and advice across the public sector. With her team at GAD, Fiona unlocks value in her behind-the-scenes work advising the current government on big and long-term financial risk decisions.

In this episode, Fiona discusses the importance of voluntary inclusion by team members in organisational strategy planning and the impact of GAD’s public and transparent strategy on team culture. After a recent transition to the public sector, she touches on the differences in measuring success in the public versus private sector.  She also describes how they are capturing opportunities to use AI to streamline workflow and limit risk.

Fiona Dunsire