{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Grow Good ","title":"Community as a Growth Strategy: Lara Dickinson, Co-Founder of One Step Closer","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2743,"description":"\nWhat does growth look like when the standard playbook no longer works?\nIn this episode of Grow Good, Anne Oudersluys sits down with Lara Dickinson, co-founder of One Step Closer (OSC), to discuss how founders can grow profitable businesses without sacrificing mission, values, or long-term resilience.\nDrawing from decades in the natural products industry, Lara explains why many traditional paths to scale—venture funding, acquisition, or bootstrapping alone—often create hidden costs. She shares how OSC was built as an alternative model: a peer network where purpose-driven CEOs collaborate on shared business challenges, tackle industry-wide problems like packaging and climate, and build trust as a competitive advantage.\n\nThey also explore why brand is created through lived experience, not just messaging; how regenerative thinking can improve decision-making; why multi-generational businesses may be today’s most overlooked innovators; and how founders should sequence purpose initiatives as they scale.\nA practical conversation for leaders trying to grow responsibly in complex markets.\nWHAT YOU’LL LEARN\nWhy many founders feel trapped between bad growth options: raise capital, sell, or struggle alone\nHow CEO peer communities can accelerate better decisions and reduce isolation\nWhy trust inside a business network creates real operating leverage\nThe shared challenges purpose-led companies face beyond direct competition\nHow OSC turned collaboration into action through packaging and climate initiatives\nWhat “regenerative thinking” means in practical business terms\nWhy the best strategic decisions often begin by returning to a company’s founding essence\nHow brand is shaped through experience, relationships, and consistency—not slogans\nWhy multi-generational companies may be better positioned for today’s volatility\nHow founders should sequence impact goals instead of trying to do everything at once\nWhy focus matters equally in growth strategy and purpose strategy\nHow...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/4_W9iNxov8TbmJi0hwOHIXG4gxg89YSz70tugMNyhMg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kZjEy/ZjJiMmJhNTdiZTI0/MGU1YzdmNzdmOGZk/ZjlhMS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}