18 months after On Purpose: where are they now? With Laura Allen

Can you tell us about your background and your career prior to On Purpose?

Before joining the Associate Programme, I worked at Xynteo, a boutique impact advisory firm. One of the most fulfilling parts of my role there was leading the in-person elements of The Leadership Vanguard programme, which brought together incumbent C-suite leaders from major corporations to co-create people- and planet-positive business interventions within complex global systems.

My career hasn’t taken the most obvious trajectory. Before Xynteo, I worked with a start-up developing 'air-to-water' technology, and earlier still, in financial advertising. Along the way, I also completed a yoga teacher training and an MBA. I was certainly still on the quest to find work where I could make a real difference — and feel passionate about what I was doing.

Why did you join the On Purpose Associate Programme?

While Xynteo offered incredible opportunities – especially the chance to collaborate with senior leaders from some of the world’s largest companies – I occasionally questioned the true intention and depth of impact behind certain projects. At times, I felt disconnected from the real-world change we aimed to deliver. This made me increasingly want to work within a mission that genuinely aligned with my values, and where I could feel more closely connected to the outcomes.

Through The Leadership Vanguard, I met many inspiring entrepreneurs and social enterprises doing meaningful work at the grassroots level. It intensified the gut feeling that I wasn’t in the right place — and that I needed a change. While organising a panel for the programme, I met an On Purpose Fellow. We got chatting, and he told me about the Associate Programme. I was immediately curious, applied soon after, and was thrilled to be accepted.

It's been eighteen months since you completed the Associate Programme. What are you doing now?

Until recently I worked with Accelar, a green finance consultancy, where I project managed UK landscape recovery initiatives. Working on projects focused on restoring nature felt both meaningful and important. However, the nature of consultancy, managing multiple initiatives at once - made me feel like I couldn’t really get my teeth into a particular project and its impact. Over time, I realised the role wasn’t the right fit for me.

Alongside my work, I am studying to become a herbalist and naturopath. Balancing both was challenging, and I found I wasn't able to dedicate as much time and energy to my studies as I wanted. I’m now seeking part-time work that aligns more closely with my studies, ideally within the intersection of agriculture, food production, and human health — an area I'm passionate about contributing to.

Can you tell us more about your placements?

My first placement was with Better Society Capital (BSC), which I fondly came to think of as the ‘mother hen’ of impact investing. I worked across several projects, including supporting due diligence for a new venture fund BSC was considering investing in. It was a steep learning curve, with a wide variety of work to get my teeth into, and I felt I was in the best possible place — surrounded by incredibly experienced people — to really get to know the sector.

My second placement was with Visa, as part of their Sustainable Solutions Team, which aims to accelerate sustainable consumption and support Visa’s banking, fintech, and merchant clients in transitioning to net zero. I helped develop a sustainable spend strategy, identifying priority areas such as ‘recommerce’ and ‘green homes and utilities’. I also supported the product team on a number of live projects, including a bank card carbon calculator solution, and contributed to a Paris Olympics initiative that aimed to incentivise tourists to spend with social enterprises across the city. It was a fantastic team to be part of, and I really enjoyed my time at Visa.

Both placements gave me valuable insight into how large institutions — from impact-first investors to global financial institutions — are contributing to the transition, and reinforced my interest in purpose-driven innovation.

What’s the most important thing you learnt during your year as an Associate?

One of the biggest lessons I learnt was to trust my gut. The Associate year exposes you to so many different projects, people, topics, and perspectives — and through that, you start to notice what truly energises you. For me, the cohort and our weekly Friday trainings played a huge role in that journey. Both helped me get to know myself better and begin to trust my instincts, rather than relying solely on my ‘logic brain’.

What support did you get along the way?

There was a lot of support throughout the year, but what stood out most to me was the mentoring. One of my mentors was particularly enlightening. We met in person rather than online, and our conversations went far beyond placements or day-to-day work, which I really valued.

She encouraged me to reflect on what truly energised me, where I could step into leadership, what mattered most to me in both work and life, and how I could align my values with my career choices. That space for deeper reflection was hugely impactful.

How did you approach finding a job after the programme?

It was a combination of things, but I quickly realised that in a world of algorithms — especially when your career path hasn’t followed the most obvious trajectory, or you don’t tick all the right LinkedIn boxes — it becomes even more important to lean on your network. People are incredibly willing to help, particularly within the wider On Purpose community, and those personal connections made a real difference in my search.

What do you miss about your old career, and what don’t you miss?

I do miss the thrill of working on big, ambitious initiatives, often alongside very influential people, that had the potential to create large-scale impact. From my most recent role at Accelar, I’m particularly excited to see how the Landscape Recovery projects in Norfolk develop, especially as it’s now a place I’m lucky enough to call home.

What I don’t miss is the often siloed nature of the work, and frequently working behind a screen from home, which left me craving more regular connection with others. I’m someone who gets a lot of energy from being around people and out in the world — even better if it’s somewhere wild and green.

What advice would you give to others in a similar situation?

If you’re at the stage of exploring different options and unsure what’s next, there’s no better place than the Associate Programme. It gives you the time and space to try out new opportunities in a unique and supported way.

Once you’re an Associate, my advice would be to enjoy the journey. Take the time to reflect on what you're learning, and don’t feel pressure to jump at the first job opportunity that comes along. Sit with your gut and trust what feels right for you. If it turns out not to be the right fit, changing direction — or even stepping away — isn’t failure. It’s a brave and self-aware decision.