Spotlight on: Borago Insights
Tell us a bit about you! How did your organisation come about? What’s your story?
Before Borago came into being I was just another run of the mill analytics consultancy. During one of my kennel shifts at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home a couple of years or so ago I had a Jack Russell fast asleep in my lap and I suddenly realised I wanted this warm fuzzy feeling in my work life as well as my personal life and the reason I’d gone out on my own in the first place was to be able to make that happen.
I decided to completely reposition myself to focus on working with social impact organisations and try to use data to do some good. Cue a number of workshops to nail down the identity and while trying to think of a name I was wondering what in nature helped other things flourish and discovered the Borago plant, which repels pests, attracts pollinators and was considered in Roman times to give people courage. It just felt like the right match. About a year after the initial idea Borago launched in July 2020.
What is your mission and what are your values?
Our mission is to help those already doing good do it better, by making their decision making more informed and quicker with data that’s easy to access, understand and use. The values we work by to achieve that are honesty, growth, integrity and balance.
What are you most proud of about your organisation/work so far? What’s your biggest achievement?
I think our biggest achievement so far is launching during a pandemic and being able to build new relationships and our reputation remotely, leading to new and now repeat clients.
What are the biggest challenges you’re facing?
We’re still very much a new kid on the block so building a reputation as trusted experts in the sector is still our biggest hurdle and I also think our biggest win if we get it right.
What support or expertise could you do with getting right now?
The two main areas of focus are building up the team of analysts so I can spend more time on the business. In line with that I want to start putting together an actual marketing strategy as although it’s great getting projects through word of mouth we can’t take it for granted.
What are you doing when you’re not running Borago
Once a week I still volunteer at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, it’s the perfect antidote to being in front of the computer all week and dogs never fail to brighten my day. I also like to go swimming and watch heaps of sport on TV.
What advice would you give to future impact entrepreneurs/ What do you wish you knew when you started your business?
Build a trusted network of fellow impact entrepreneurs that you feel you can turn to for advice and support. It makes such a difference knowing other people who will be honest with you while at the same time completely getting where you’re coming from.
How can you see Better Space helping your business?
The community being built at Better Space will be a huge help to my business in terms of expertise, support, potential clients and the overall culture of it being a positive and inspiring physical space to be in.
Thanks Emma!
Find out more at https://www.boragoinsights.com/