Is Sizzle sizzling?

Two years ago, I stepped away from being the Founder and CEO of Hubbub to create Sizzle. I felt the time was right to hand over to a new leadership team and decided on a clean break, as I didn’t wish to hang around like a bad smell in the room scrutinising the decisions of the new regime. I also wanted to return to my real passion which was the creation of new collaborative initiatives creating systemic change. So how has it gone? 

The good 

I have felt re-energised by the change. In retrospect I realised that I had got stuck into a reactive mindset at Hubbub. Being forced to step back into the unknown and create something fresh from scratch has been challenging and rewarding. 

Sizzle’s first major collaborative initiative, Enrich the Earth, has resulted in having to learn and understand an entirely new sector. It has been a fast-track dive into the world of soils, sustainable growing, regenerative agriculture and green waste. I have come to understand how important these fundamental issues are in the transition to a more sustainable future and feel lucky to have been give the space to learn from amazing experts. 

Not having to look after the well-being of over 50 staff has been liberating and I need to ensure that I retain the freedom to explore new areas. 

The bad 

Over the seven years I was at Hubbub, I built some substantial corporate partnerships which provided the organisation with a strong financial base. Starting again from scratch has been a frustrating change as I can see many opportunities but don’t have the luxury of taking potentially risky financial decisions. Overtime, I have realised that I need to scale back some of my ambitions so that they better fit with the new circumstances. 

Hubbub grew rapidly by focussing on highly topical issues that were in the public mainstream. It is fair to say that the world of composting and sustainable growing isn’t top of mind for the majority and it has been a struggle to secure interest in something that is in the ‘important but not essential’ bucket. 

 I have missed working closely with a team of passionate employees who constantly challenged and stimulated new thinking. I have realised how essential this is and have responded by organising small dinners with groups of people who I respect and provide different perspectives. 

The surprising 

The biggest surprise has been the realisation that I must be completely proactive and structured in setting out my workload. At Hubbub the days fell into a regular pattern of meetings and events and much of my work was pre-determined. Now, if I don’t plan what I want to achieve nothing happens. 

This change has been liberating as I can be much more focussed on delivering specific things and can instantly see whether they have gone well or badly. I also have control over my work life balance which has given me the chance to go to galleries, long walks and reconnect with friends. At Hubbub, I would have felt guilty about not dedicating my entire working time to the organisation, but I have come to realise that these leisure activities are beneficial not just for myself but also my understanding of how Sizzle can fit with the wider world. I realised that at Hubbub my world view had got slightly myopic. 

The future 

The fundamental ambition of Sizzle is to create systemic change so that people have more sustainable options which work, are convenient and at no extra cost. I feel increasingly confident that this ambition will be realised over the next twelve months. We are on the cusp of launching a new social enterprise that will shake up the slightly staid world of horticulture. Behind the scenes we will also be working with suppliers on substantially changing agricultural growing practices. 

Planning is in place to float Enrich the Earth off to become a standalone enterprise, giving me the space to use Sizzle to explore a new area. A corporate partner is already on board for this new exploration. 

The learnings 

I was trepidatious about leaving Hubbub. It felt weird to leave an organisation that I had created when it was flourishing. Inevitably there are things I miss, but overall, it was completely the right decision. I feel reinvigorated, have learned a huge amount and believe that, in a small way, I will help to create some positive fundamental systemic change through Sizzle. 

My biggest takeaway is that it is easy to fall into a routine which may be largely good but doesn’t fully stimulate or utilise your skills in the best way. Stepping away from the routine is difficult but can ultimately be hugely rewarding.