Social Enterprise Services
Whether your social enterprise is in the start-up, development or growth stage, I offer personalised services, tailored to your social enterprise’s business and impact needs.
With 25 years of business experience, 15 of which have been in the for-purpose sector, I have a finely tuned ability to know what needs to be done to start, run or grow an impactful and financially sustainable social enterprise.
I offer personalised services, tailored to your social enterprise’s business and impact needs. Think of me as your plug-in Strategy Consultant, Chief Operating Officer, Commercial Manager, or Advisory Board Member.
I’m flexible in how I can work with you: it could be as a one-off or ongoing advisor, on a specific growth strategy project, or on a short-term contract agreement as an interim manager where you need it. If you’ve got an idea for a gap you need filled, let’s chat.
Depending on your social enterprise’s stage of development, scroll down to learn more about what I can offer.
What stage is your social enterprise at?
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Start-up stage
Whether you’re in the ideation phase or have been trading for a little while, I can help you lay the groundwork for your social enterprise, refine your ideas and get on your way to leading a sustainable and impactful social enterprises.
There are a myriad of free support options available for social entrepreneurs, but if you don’t have the patience (or will) for a start-up accelerator, or you’re tired of being paired with mentors that don’t actually get what it takes to balance purpose and profit, then I can help.
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Developing stage
If your social enterprise is established, but needs help to stabilise your finances, get the house in order or plan for the future, I can help.
Perhaps you’re overly reliant on grants and philanthropy and need to diversify your income streams. Or maybe your operations aren’t running smoothly—your organisational structure needs adjusting, or you’re missing key resources and things aren’t getting done. Your P&L might not be giving you the insights you need to understand what's really happening, or you're stretched too thin, risking mission creep and team burnout. I can help.
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Growth stage
Your social enterprise is well established, financially sustainable, achieving solid impact and now you’re ready to make some decisions about the next stage of your growth. You’ve got some ideas for new products/services or new markets, but would like some external support to help you flesh things out and build the business case.
You need someone who understands firsthand the challenges associated with balancing purpose and profit and the considerations that come when scaling for impact.
Case studies
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Unravelling the challenge
After 15 years of organic growth, The Social Studio (TSS)—a social enterprise working with people from Melbourne’s refugee and new migrant communities—faced a changing external environment: shifts in consumer behaviour, rising operating costs, increased competition, and evolving expectations from funders. With limited resources and a heavy reliance on external funding, TSS needed to clarify its purpose, refocus its strategy and build a more self-sufficient future by increasing its own-earned income.
Stitching together a new approach
Brought in to support the CEO and Board, I led a strategic reset focused on aligning business operations with social impact, while also identifying opportunities for innovation, new revenue streams and long-term sustainability. This included a deep dive into data and financials, revealing—for the first time—insights into product performance, margins, and operating efficiency. I introduced new costing and margin tools in manufacturing and repairs, implemented team debriefing processes, and built capacity to use student outcomes data for decision-making.
I facilitated strategic planning workshops to evaluate current performance, sharpen purpose, generate ideas and explore new priorities. From this, I developed a strategic proposal that reorients manufacturing towards a vertically integrated TSS label and repair business, embeds trainee designers and makers into the product lifecycle, and invests in brand development and digital growth.
Weaving a stronger future
TSS is now on a clearer path to sustainability and impact. Manufacturing has been repositioned to prioritise high-margin, purpose-aligned internal work. A new Brand & Design Manager role will strengthen the in-house label while deepening training outcomes. The growing TSS Mend business is poised for scale, supported by operational improvements and new systems. A revitalised digital strategy will boost reach and revenue—unlocking more paid opportunities for young people from refugee and new migrant backgrounds.
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From Disjointed Stores to a Cohesive Retail Strategy
When I joined Australian Red Cross as General Manager of its national retail division, the organisation had a bold vision: to transform its sprawling network of op shops into a modern, vibrant social enterprise that blended mission with retail excellence. But realising that vision meant addressing some deeply embedded challenges.
The division, while one of Australia’s largest social enterprises, had inherited a legacy of fragmented operations. Stores were still operating under a state-based model, despite a national restructure. There was no consistent strategy, branding or approach. Most stores were concentrated in outer suburban, regional and rural areas, with little to no metro presence. Many sites were tired, cluttered and difficult to shop in, with outdated systems—some stores still used cash tins instead of registers—and aging inventory that no longer resonated with customers.
That’s where I came in.
My approach
As General Manager, I led a multi-year transformation across 164 stores, 100+ staff and 4,500 volunteers, focused on improving financial performance, operational consistency and social impact. Key initiatives included:
Strategic & Financial Transformation
Drew on best practice from global retail to develop national retail and merchandise strategies that aligned commercial performance with humanitarian goals, setting a clear direction for growth and impact
Led cost-reduction initiatives that decreased cost of goods sold from 19% to 5% of revenue within two years—without compromising income
Introduced scenario planning and financial modelling to support strategic, forward-looking decision making and shift teams from reactive to proactive resource management
Organisational Design & Capability Building
Restructured teams and optimised workforce mix to reduce paid staff costs while increasing volunteer engagement and store-level support
Implemented annual planning processes to align day-to-day operations with broader strategic objectives and improve accountability
Store Innovation & Brand Positioning
Opened a number of new stores as part of the national growth strategy, including flagship vintage concept stores and boutique recycled fashion outlets in premium locations
Used these launches to reposition Red Cross retail as a modern, mission-aligned brand in the sustainable fashion space
Launched the Fashion Trade partnership with Country Road, securing national media coverage and in-kind donations that elevated brand visibility
Attracted a younger, more values-aligned customer base and generated over $2.5 million in earned media coverage, elevating visibility and broadening public engagement
What was achieved
This transformation helped turn a fragmented and outdated retail operation into a nationally recognised social enterprise brand—financially sustainable, operationally resilient, and mission-aligned.
By the end of my tenure, the business had shifted from loss-making to delivering a significant surplus, directly contributing to the funding of Red Cross’ humanitarian programs and strengthening the organisation’s overall financial sustainability.
It’s this blend of strategic thinking, operational pragmatism and deep understanding of purpose-driven business that I bring to my consulting work today—particularly with social enterprises and not-for-profits looking to scale impact while staying true to their values.
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When Organic Growth Isn’t Enough
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) had built a strong, values-led social enterprise in ASRC Cleaning—delivering both reliable income and meaningful employment for people seeking asylum. But after several years of organic growth, the business had reached a critical inflection point: it was well-established, delivering impact, and operating sustainably, but needed investment to scale further.
With strong internal capability already in place, the ASRC team sought external support to guide the next stage of their journey—developing a clear, evidence-based business case for board and funder investment, without losing sight of their social mission.
My approach
I led a structured, collaborative consulting process to help ASRC Cleaning chart a strategic path forward, focused on balancing commercial growth with social impact. Key components included:
Impact Alignment
Facilitated key strategic conversations—through stakeholder interviews and participation in a Theory of Change workshop—to clarify the social impact goals that would guide all business decisions
Opportunity Mapping
Designed and facilitated social procurement and ideation workshops to identify and prioritise growth opportunities aligned to ASRC’s mission and operational strengths
Viability Assessment
Conducted customer research and market testing to validate growth ideas
Developed a detailed financial model to evaluate the commercial and impact potential of different scale pathways
Strategic Planning
Synthesised insights into a practical, phased three-year roadmap
Ensured all strategic choices were backed by data and aligned with ASRC Cleaning’s dual goals of economic sustainability and employment impact
What was achieved
The resulting growth strategy projected:
30% revenue growth
4% increase in net profit
8 new employment opportunities for people seeking asylum
This project demonstrates my ability to support social enterprises as they navigate the shift from stability to scale—building strategies that are commercially viable, grounded in impact, and ready for investment.
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Finding Their Feet in the Early Days
Back in 2016, HoMie was a passionate startup with a bold vision: to use streetwear as a vehicle to support young people affected by homelessness. But like many early-stage social enterprises, they were still figuring out how to translate that vision into a sustainable, high-impact business model.
That year, HoMie joined ST Crunch—the social enterprise startup accelerator I was managing. They had the energy, creativity and values. What they needed was structured support to validate their business model, clarify their social purpose, and build the foundations for long-term growth.
My approach
During the four-month accelerator, I guided HoMie through a focused business model validation process, including:
Refining their social impact goals and defining how success would be measured
Conducting market research to understand their audience and sharpen their value proposition
Strengthening their operating model to support growth and day-to-day delivery
After the accelerator, I continued supporting HoMie’s CEO 1:1 through the Crunch Grow program. This next phase included:
Refining their organisational structure and preparing for Board formation
Providing strategic guidance on increasing sales and operational efficiency
Supporting the design and launch of their first employment program for young people experiencing homelessness
What was achieved
HoMie is now a nationally recognised streetwear label and social enterprise, known not only for its clothing but for the real-world impact it delivers. The employment pathways created for young people experiencing homelessness are a direct reflection of the mission-first mindset the team built early on.
It’s been a privilege to play a small part in laying the strategic and operational foundations for what HoMie has become—a values-led brand with community at its core.
