Learning from leaders - Emma Goss-Custard
Not all businesses are struggling in the current economic downturn: Honeybuns, a specialist bakery based in Dorset has had its best year ever since its founder, Emma Goss-Custard started cycling round Oxford and delivering her home made cakes in 1998. Now the business is turning over nearly half a million and sells yummy cakes to John Lewis, Morrison's and Sainsbury's.
So why has Emma Goss-Custard turned down numerous investment offers which would take her business to a higher level?
Because she's happy with life the way it is. Emma doesn't get up at 4am each morning to bake cakes as part of a long term plan to earn huge amounts of money: she does it because she loves baking, she loves being part of the small team which makes up the Honeybuns workforce, she loves seeing the smile on the faces of her local customers at the post office store (as well as the cheques from her big customers), and because she loves having the time to support local tree planting and hedgehog projects. For Emma it's not about leading a huge organisation – it's about well being for her, for her people and for her community.
You may not have as wonderful a name as Emma Goss-Custard, but what could you do to create more sustainable well being for yourself, your organisation and your community?