The spark* blog
Thoughtful insights for socially responsible entrepreneurs who give a ****! Honest conversations about impact, wellbeing and creating sustainable change.
Three steps back
Most founder advice assumes you’ve got enough in reserve to act on it. Often you don’t. This piece follows three founders who worked out that their real task was building the conditions underneath the work - recovery time, a space of their own, people actually building something similar - the unglamorous layer everything else sits on.
Bold leaps don't work
Most of us don't fall dramatically off the top rung. We just decide the biggest version of change is the only one worth trying - then call it a failure of willpower when it doesn't stick. This piece looks at why the art of progress isn't boldness, it's sizing the rung correctly. From a client rebuilding after illness to a CEO who breaks his hardest conversations into granular steps, this is about the discipline of the stretch that builds, not the leap that breaks.
The choice was never between pressure and vanilla
Are you using pressure to drive yourself forward - or to prove you're not going backwards? A client recently told me that stopping the push would be 'like giving myself a lobotomy.' I knew exactly what she meant. This piece explores what high achievers get wrong about pressure, ambition, and the fear of going vanilla.
You're not stuck. You're thinking alone.
She'd been running her creative business for 14 years. She knew exactly what she wanted to do next. And for six months, she'd done absolutely nothing. Sound familiar? In this post, I explore why founders get caught in the spin cycle - and what actually breaks it. Spoiler: the answer isn't more thinking.
The power of AND: how to suck at stuff, be scared, feel unclear AND still get good shit done
Every founder faces moments where the choice feels binary: quit the day job or stay, launch now or wait, say yes or disappoint people. But what if you didn't have to choose? Discover how the power of AND can help you move forward even when you're scared, messy, and unclear - without waiting for perfect conditions.
Building founder resilience: when passion meets purpose
You started with a spark to change the world. But somewhere in the complex realities of building a business, that desire to create change can shift from motivation to frustration. Discover four foundations to help you reconnect with your purpose while creating lasting impact.
Building founder resilience: the emotional dimension
Discover why emotional wellbeing is crucial for entrepreneurial resilience and how purpose-driven founders can navigate their unique emotional challenges. Learn practical techniques across four key domains - stress management, emotional regulation, thought patterns, and mental energy management - that strengthen your leadership effectiveness while maintaining your wellbeing and sustaining your impact.
Building founder resilience: starting with the basics
Discover why physical wellbeing is the foundation of entrepreneurial resilience and how small, practical changes can significantly enhance your capacity to create positive change. Learn the four key pillars of physical resilience that every purpose-driven founder needs to navigate challenges while maintaining their impact and spark.