An Interview with Pollyanna Durbin, founder of Growfish.co
Welcome! Tell me a little about yourself. I’m a marketer originally from Somerset and I currently live in the beating heart of London. I have a beautiful dog named Otto and we share many of the same interests, though he’s not a big reader. What inspired you to start Growfish.co? I was fortunate enough to live in Spain in my early thirties and I found myself surrounded by many incredibly innovative and sustainable brands. A lot of artisans live in Barcelona and they really understand the conscious consumer mindset. I saw first hand how products made with integrity and in an environmentally respectful way become timeless. I started to realize that progress means nothing for us humans if it doesn’t come with a sense of purpose. Having worked in big tech and start ups I've gained an invaluable sense of how different businesses — from seed to established, scale up, and I wanted to see whether it was possible to take this ethos of sustainability and create a purpose-led business using design and tech for good and along came growfish.co.
What does sustainability mean to you, and why does sustainability matter? Sustainability to me is a shared philosophy as well as a way of life. The climate crisis, social justice, single-use plastics, and supply chain transparency influence all industries including marketing. To live sustainably means to operate with respect for the environment as well as the people around you. To make smarter, kinder choices. I think we are in the future proofing phase and that means supporting an economy that nourishes and sustains the planet we live in.
What does Growfish.co offer to sustainable brands? After working in marketing for over a decade and witnessing the many evolutions within digital, I firmly believe that all industries have a responsibility to be greener and make a positive impact. Our scalable sustainable strategies at growfish have been honed over years of work to generate consistent results, with a fresh, purpose-driven and integrated approach. We bring intention to everything we do. Simple, honest, sustainable marketing. We’ve all been affected by the changes that 2020 has brought to our world. How do you see this affecting sustainability in business? I think 2020 taught us that we all need to hold a space for change. Making compromises that still bring us joy, allow for self expression and satisfy our ongoing needs, but without the damage that our current lifestyles are doing to the planet. What are your goals and what changes do you hope to bring about through Growfish.co? We hope to help more small sustainable eco brands be empowered to craft their authentic narrative and to maximize their potential in a mindful and considered way. There are so many inspiring handcrafted, fair-trade, cruelty free products out there created by people who genuinely want to follow best sustainable practices. We aim to continue to share our passion, creativity and knowledge in a compassionate and inclusive way while promoting greener consumer habits, tools and services that create a positive and lasting impact for both people and the planet.
Thanks so much Pollyanna! Be sure to check out Growfish.co if you are in need of marketing services. They also provide valuable and informative content on their blog regarding becoming more sustainable and mindful as a consumer!