Can You Scale a Purpose-Driven Business Without Losing Control?

Posted on 18th April 2025 at 15:23

Comparing Three Founders Who Are Redefining How Small Businesses Scale in a Changing World

In this week’s ScaleUp Radio Shorts, we dive into three very different businesses, each tackling growth, leadership, and purpose on their own terms. From a PR agency focused on social justice, to a publishing service helping entrepreneurs tell their stories, to a changemaker coaching leaders in transformation Catherine Frankpitt, Danielle Hutchinson, and Simon Phillips are all scaling in unique ways. But are they really that different?

We found some surprising common ground and big lessons worth exploring.

How Do You Grow a Business Without Growing the Chaos?

Catherine Frankpitt – Strike Communications

Catherine built a lean team focused on “communications for good,” helping charities and social impact organisations amplify their message. Starting just before the pandemic, she faced the challenge of building client relationships without face-to-face contact. Her response? Investing in external support a bookkeeper, HR advisor, and non-exec to strengthen the business foundation while staying lean.

Her leadership lesson? You don’t have to do it all. But you do have to know your gaps.

“I recognised early on that I’m not a natural manager, so I needed to bring people in who could fill that gap for me.”

Danielle Hutchinson – Authors on a Mission

Danielle runs a remote-first business with 30+ core team members and an even larger freelance network. Her “buffet table” of services lets entrepreneurs publish their book without drowning in the process. But growth hasn’t been easy AI writing tools, global competitors, and maintaining culture across time zones all create pressure.

Her solution? Systems and human connection. Weekly check-ins and culture-first hiring keep the team on track and aligned with purpose.

Simon Phillips – The Change Maker Group

Simon’s challenge is the classic knowledge-based trap: how to scale when your product is you. His answer? Frameworks, tools like the GC Index, and what he calls a “team of AI helpers” to spread his impact further. His leadership model The LACE Way (Listening, Accountability, Collaboration, Empathy) supports leaders who want to inspire change from within.

“It’s not about knowing all the answers. It’s about creating the space for others to contribute their best.”

Common Themes in Scaling Up: What the Data Says

From the ScaleUp Challenge Report, we know that founders who invest in structure, support, and leadership development are the ones who grow faster:

43% of SmartBoards® members have more than doubled turnover in the past 3 years.

They also grew headcount by 31.6%, compared with just 7.5% in the control group.

That growth doesn’t happen by accident. Like Catherine, Danielle, and Simon, these founders build around purpose then back it up with real systems and accountability.

Practical Frameworks That Support Smart Growth

Each guest echoed a message from The Entrepreneurial ScaleUp System by Kevin Brent:

“If you’re still at the centre of every decision, your business can’t scale without you.”

All three guests addressed this in their own way:

Catherine built a flexible agency with strong outside support.

Danielle developed scalable, remote systems and trust-based hiring.

Simon codified his leadership into repeatable tools others can use.

This is exactly what our Smart90® and SmartBoards® frameworks are built to support giving leaders the clarity and structure to scale with less stress and more value.

Prefer a Quick, Actionable Recap?

For those who’d like an even deeper dive into the key takeaways, we’ve created a special AI-generated Podcast Shorts episode that summarises the insights from Catherine, Danielle, and Simon’s interviews.

🎧 Hosted by Kevin Brent, Director and Founder of BizSmart, and Granger Forson of BizSmart Gloucestershire, this episode distils the biggest lessons into a concise, powerful discussion.

🎙️ Listen now: