Running a small business like Hen's Tooth in 2026 is very different to when I first became self employed with a writing and consultancy business in 2015.
The business ecosystem has changed so much in this post Covid, rise of AI, world.
Back then, I started to really pay attention to sustainability in business. To being better at business.
I read and wrote extensively on the subject. I committed to year without shopping in supermarkets in 2022. Took on an allotment in 2023. Studied a Sustainability Bootcamp in 2023 and completed the Grow Leader course with Avon Wildlife Trust on 2025.
It's a thread that hasn’t changed: the belief that a business should exist for more than making money.
That business can (and should be) a force for good in the world.
At Hen’s Tooth, I’ve always felt that the real measure of success isn’t how much you extract, but how much you contribute. The impact I (and my slow business) have on people, the planet, and the everyday prosperity that comes from living and working with intention.
That's why I'm embracing the quiet rebellion of being a values-led business.
🌱 Rethinking the “cost” of doing business
The traditional model tells us that the purpose of business is profit. Growth at all costs. Efficiency above humanity. Extraction over care.
In a finite system, endless growth is fundamentally unsustainable. And while the billionaire oligarch class set their sights on spreading that cancer beyond our planetary boundaries, surely we should be cleaning up our own backyard first?
When you look at the world around us, it’s clear that this mindset of endless growth has consequences. The climate crisis. Ecosystem collapse. Growing poverty. Endless waste. Widening Inequality. Prejudice and Social Injustice. Homelessness. Burnout. Disposable everything (including people).
The Triple Bottom Line was one of the first frameworks to challenge this. Instead of measuring success purely in financial terms, it asks us to consider:
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People
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Planet
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Profit
But I think the word “profit” still gives businesses the excuse to prioritise the acquisition of wealth, while paying lip service to the other two measures.
The real metrics that matter are People, Planet, and Prosperity.
✨ From Profit to Prosperity
To be clear, I'm not saying "making money is bad".
Every business must make money, no matter how they are constituted - Charities, CICs, still need money to make a difference - businesses need the resources to be able to do better.
But too often the focus on 'Profit' is about excess. It’s the leftovers after everyone and everything else has been squeezed. And when profit becomes the priority, people and planet inevitably pay the price.
Prosperity, on the other hand, is about enough. Enough to live well. Enough to pay people fairly. Enough to invest in sustainable choices. Enough to grow thoughtfully, not relentlessly.
Prosperity is shared. It’s circular. It’s rooted in care. It’s the opposite of austerity and the antidote to greed.
This is the lens I use to run Hen’s Tooth today.
My little business is not about chasing endless growth. I only want enough for our household, and to grow to the point where I can actively give back and participate in causes I care about. I don't have ambitions to employ others, but I will work with other small business that share these values. It's important for me to nurture a business that feels good, does good, and leaves a gentle footprint.
🌍 Why this matters for small businesses
Choosing prosperity over profit isn’t just ethical, it’s practical.
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It reduces risk, by encouraging long-term thinking instead of short-term wins.
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It attracts the right people, customers, collaborators, and the team I work with around me.
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It builds trust and reputation, especially in a world where greenwashing is everywhere.
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It future‑proofs your business, because sustainability is about long term survival instead of short term gains.
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It cuts costs, by reducing waste and relying less on finite resources.
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keeps you ahead of legislation, which is only moving in one direction: more responsibility, not less.
But most importantly: It stops us treating people and the planet like they’re disposable. That itself is enough reason.
💛 How Hen’s Tooth puts this into practice
Hen’s Tooth is deliberately small. That gives me the freedom to choose suppliers carefully, minimise waste, pay fairly, curate and create meaningful products and content, rather than mass‑produced crap.
It also means I can be transparent about the things I’m still working on. Sustainability is a journey, not a badge.
If you’re curious about the practical steps I’m taking I’ve put it all together in a clear, evolving statement.
Read the Hen’s Tooth Ethics & Sustainability Policy
It’s a living document, updated as I learn, grow, and improve.
You can read it here: Ethics & Sustainability Policy
Because a kinder Kind of Commerce is how I want How Hen’s Tooth Measures Success.