Leading with Purpose: Creating a profitable business from a strong focus on social value | #40

Unleash Your Impact, Unlock Others

In this Voices of Leadership conversation, Dave sits down with Daniel Walton, Founder and Managing Director of OLPRO, a certified B-Corp and one of the UK’s leading outdoor leisure brands. From growing up climbing in the Peak District to helping launch lastminute.com at the dawn of e-commerce, Daniel’s story is a rich blend of adventure, experimentation, and entrepreneurial courage.

He shares how OLPRO was founded on a desire to “do things differently”, creating striking, sustainable camping gear while building a business that genuinely values people and the planet. We explore how Daniel embeds social value into everyday decisions, how staff voices shape boardroom decisions, and why humble, inclusive leadership drives stronger results than command and control ever could.

A grounded, inspiring and practical conversation for leaders who want to grow their business with purpose. This is a real-life case study that demonstrates doing good and making money really can go hand in hand.

Key Talking Points

• How Daniel’s childhood love of adventure and technology shaped his entrepreneurial mindset
• Lessons from working with Brent Hoberman and Martha Lane Fox during the early days of lastminute.com
• The importance of planning ahead
• Action amid uncertainty: what OLPRO learned from the pandemic
• Building a purpose-driven brand and becoming a B-Corp
• Turning sustainability into a commercial advantage
• Embedding social value through culture, education, and employee involvement
• Why humility and collaboration are the true hallmarks of leadership