The desire for a beautiful home and garden could lead to decisions that are not as eco-conscious as they could be. With Willow Alexander, this is not a compromise any home renovator would need to make. 2019 saw the start of this climate-friendly home and garden service company, whose mission is to provide its customers with a greener life and exceptional customer care. In this interview, we sit down with CEO Samuel Collett to discuss his leadership style, the future of the business and more!
What strategies have driven your company's sustained growth and success?
From the very start, I have always been enthusiastic about our brand C’s and use them as the starting point of everything we do:
- Care with everything we do.
- Conscious of our impact on the world around us.
- Climate First in our approach.
- Connect authentically to our customers.
- Convenience in how we deliver all we do.
- Craftsmanship, what we do, we do well.
By using this as our core foundation, it has allowed us to create an internal culture of authentic collaboration and integrity, which we hope is reflected in everything we do.
How do you predict and adapt to industry changes and technological advancements?
Coming from a communications background, I have always believed that you need an integrated comms team sitting at the heart of any organisation, aiding in making the decisions that affect the future of the business. Without a finger on the pulse of your customer, the economic climate, and the general mood of sociality, you can very quickly fall short of your goals. Your property’s landscape has the potential to be something special – you just need help bringing it to life. And that’s where Michaelangelo’s landscaping comes in.
Can you discuss your leadership approach and its impact on company culture?
I am a firm believer in an adult work culture. Allowing people to self-regulate and focus on output. The best work comes from people doing what brings them joy, so I have always allowed an environment where creativity and collaboration take precedence.
What steps has your company taken to promote diversity and inclusion, and how do they affect business outcomes?
As a proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated company, diversity and inclusion are part of our DNA. We believe every human has the right to express their authentic self, and as a company, we strive to create an open dialogue with our team to ensure everyone feels validated.
Could you share a challenging decision you have made, and the lessons learned?
Being certified carbon neutral and honouring our sustainability pledge creates constant challenges when it comes to growth. It can be so easy to focus on scaling rather than impact, so when it comes to making our online store as sustainable as possible, we have learnt that following the supply chain back to production can create dead ends with product innovation. Being more sustainable in your approach is forever evolving so you are learning every day.
How does your company integrate sustainability and social responsibility into its strategy?
Sustainability sits at the core of what we do. We are certified carbon neutral and are about to embark on Bcorp, as well as being members of the United Nations ‘Climate Neutral Now Initiative’. We believe when you are conscious of your impact and genuinely care about what you do, being sustainable in every part of the business comes as second nature.
What are your key priorities and goals for the company in the next five years, considering emerging opportunities and challenges?
We are in an exciting period of growth with the launch of our carbon-offsetting membership and the national expansion of our Partner network. In the next five years, we aim to become a leading voice in sustainable home and garden care and educate a new wave of trade professionals on how to do what they love more sustainably.
To discover more about Willow Alexander or to take advantage of their services, from dog walking to stylish home and garden products, go to the website to learn more about sustainable living for your peace of mind and body.
