Better Places

Better Places on leading with purpose

Jen Harrison and Jonny Pearce are turning bold ideas into positive action. Since founding their business, Better Places, the pair has worked with numerous forward-thinking organisations who want to make a lasting impact on society but need a little guidance on how to get there. We asked Jen and Johnny about their drive for social good, their dream jobs, and the people who inspire them most.

Photographs by Christopher Owens

Tell me about your background and career.

We founded Better Places because of our shared passion for social impact, bringing together the best of our expertise across business, charities and the public sector to help organisations transform their communities and the world around them. 

It works because our careers have taken different paths up to now, and we bring different perspectives. Jen’s always been passionate about social good, working across government, public services and the voluntary sector. Whether it’s health and wellbeing, social justice or empowering communities, she loves being at the heart of creating real, lasting change for people.

Jonny, on the other hand, has built a career as a marketing strategist, with plenty of experience in public and family-run businesses, as well as agencies. In recent years, he’s focused on using the skills he’s honed in the corporate world to make a positive social impact, driven by the belief that the best businesses lead with purpose.

What’s your favourite thing about your role or business right now? 

We love working with a variety of people and organisations – across all sectors - who want to work with purpose.  From exploring new possibilities for social and community impact, crafting exciting programmes and partnerships, to sharing success stories, we love being able to play our part. 

We’re especially passionate about projects that bring people together. We all benefit from thriving communities – and collaboration between business, communities and public services can help us get there.   

And the parts you’d rather leave behind?

The admin that comes with running a business!

Reality aside, what would be your dream jobs?

Jonny would escape the laptop and take up landscape gardening. Jen would write for a living.

“We’re especially passionate about projects that bring people together. We all benefit from thriving communities – and collaboration between business, communities and public services can help us get there.”

“We always start our team meetings with a ritual to check in on our ‘inner weather’. We aim for mostly sunny days!”

What are some of your daily rituals and why are they part of your routine?

We always start our team meetings with a ritual to check in on our ‘inner weather’. We aim for mostly sunny days! We also spend at least one day a week in co-working spaces. It’s a great way to connect with people and we’ve met so many inspiring entrepreneurs in the last few months who all share their experiences of running their own businesses. 

What would be your advice to anyone hoping to start a business or career in your industry?

Go for it! We all have a role to play in creating a positive social impact, bringing together the best of our ideas, energy and resources to build a better future. 

“We all have a role to play in creating a positive social impact, bringing together the best of our ideas, energy and resources to build a better future.”

Name some people who inspire you on a personal or professional level. What do you admire about them?

The author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, for her essay, We Should All Be Feminists, which has sparked global conversations on feminism, race, and the power of women’s voices.

The food writer and anti-poverty campaigner, Jack Monroe, who has done so much to highlight the struggles faced by people living with food insecurity and to advocate for families on low incomes.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the founders of Ben & Jerry’s, who have always been ahead of the game when it comes to using their business to speak out on big issues like climate change, racial justice, and fair trade. Plus the ice cream is delicious. 

Connect on social Johnny Pearce & Jen Harrison

Learn more Better Places