Time for the second installment of our interviews with the co-founders. Today I had the opportunity to sit down with Alex Birtles, co-founder and CEO to discuss all things conscious consumerism, ethical business and In Good Company.

From speaking on panels to headlining the Mail on Sunday, In Good Company have had some great successes so far, but Alex opened up about still feeling a sense of imposter syndrome. But as someone who never thought she would start her own business, she was thrilled to discover her love of entrepreneurship and the world of impact-led businesses.

Imagining In Good Company

As you may know, In Good Company is releasing an app to help connect you to all the amazing small businesses you don’t yet know about! (More on that soon.) But chances are you don’t know the unique story of its conception.

Pre-pandemic, Alex left her corporate job and took a short break before moving forwards in her career. In her three-month respite, she went backpacking in Asia. Travelling on her own she researched the best, authentic, independent places to eat instead of simply following the floods of tourists. It was on this trip that Alex began discovering amazing, cause-driven businesses.

She, like a lot of us when on holiday, used an app to download maps onto her phone and navigate unfamiliar areas. However, when doing so Alex wished she could search for ethical and sustainable businesses to support. And this was the light bulb moment.

She began research into whether it would be possible to build an app based on these features. There are apps for everything: ordering groceries, takeaways, public transport, video streaming and the list goes on. Yet it is still incredibly difficult to find purpose-driven businesses. And so began the mission…

Consumer Trends

Whilst e-commerce is gaining popularity, it still only accounts for roughly 30% of all shopping in the UK. This was an incredibly uplifting statistic for Alex as there is still a clear desire to shop in real life.

And although the pandemic did see a lot of online shopping, it also reminded us of how much we love the experience of going out, interacting with people, and shopping in real life. Of course you could order books on Amazon, or get groceries delivered to your house, but it is much more enjoyable to walk down the road to your local independent store.

Lockdowns proved that we took in-person interactions for granted – you couldn’t wander down to your local independent coffee shop for example. And it is these moments that people are making the most of now they have greater freedoms again.

More and more consumers are also moving towards a more conscious way of shopping and there are many reasons for this.

For one, the pandemic highlighted some of the social inequalities in the country – as the saying goes ‘we are all in the same storm but not in the same boat’. We are looking more at worker’s conditions and pay for example. For whilst you could buy a top from BooHoo for £1.50, we are also really starting to recognise that those who actually make it have appalling working conditions.

There is also general rising awareness about our impact on the planet (to be partly credited to David Attenborough!) People are increasingly realising that many changes need to be made and that this can partly be done by our day-to-day decisions about where we shop.

Favourite ‘good’ business

It seems neither of our co-founders were able to pick just one ‘good’ business with Alex also torn between her favourites! Alex’s favourite current restaurant is Native in Mayfair. With delicious food and the most ingenious solutions to reducing food waste, they have cultivated a wonderful atmosphere. From foraging for ingredients to sourcing repurposed wine bottles furniture, sustainability is always at the heart of Native.

Alex’s other top recommendation is Change Please. With incredible coffee, a great vibe, and super friendly staff it is one of the best places for a morning pick-me-up.

What’s next?

Despite all the success In Good Company has seen in such a short space of time, Alex still contends with imposter syndrome. She always saw herself filling the role of somebody else’s right-hand woman, or working in an already-established company. However, with the birth of In Good Company she quickly discovered a love and passion for entrepreneurship. The world of impact-led businesses has welcomed her with open arms, keen to support the work of In Good Company.

So, if you’re passionate about local business, the planet, impact-driven work, or just great-quality companies, watch this space. In Good Company is only growing and can’t wait to show you the incredible world of good business.

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