Stuart Cook on impact entrepreneurship: Making sustainable businesses...actually sustainable

Having overseen the global expansion of Mexican food chain Zambrero as its CEO and scaling its Plate 4 Plate initiative to new heights, Stuart Cook has a keen sense of the genuine impact that thoughtful entrepreneurship and investment can have on thousands of lives, if not more.

It is a business niche he has occupied since his 20s, branching out into new industries and ventures that have seen him co-found TWIYO Capital & Advisory whose motto is "Reimagine, influence, change", and put his money where his mouth is on helping to cut emissions while satiating palates with plant-based restaurant Flave, established with his wife Samantha. 

And that's not to mention his chairmanship of For Purpose Co, which is currently in the process of a rebrand to become OzHarvest Ventures. 

Cook will be sharing his philosophy and experience in the areas of impact entrepreneurship and investing at the upcoming E2E Summit, to be held on 16-17 February at the ivy in Sydney.

"Often the news shows a bleak picture, but we are living in a world of opportunity to do amazing things and really make a lot of money in the world of impact investing," Stuart tells Business News Australia.

"The old adage that you have to sacrifice some financial returns to do some good in this world is an outdated mentality.

"On a daily basis people are waking up, leaving corporate high-flying roles to go start companies to solve the world's greatest problems."

Aside from sharing the story of his wild ride with the for-purpose brand of business, Cook will also delve into themes around certifications, greenwashing, how current trends are shaping investors and CEOs, the impacts on adjacent companies, industries or charities, and the importance of retaining fundamental business principles despite the hype around all things environmentally or socially friendly.

"I don’t like the ‘G’ in ESG. Governance has always been in play regardless in a good business, so that to me is a bit of a moot point because it’s almost saying there wasn’t strong governance in the past," he explains.

"It has to be sustainable and not just relying on raising capital forever. How is this business sustainable for the world around it, but also sustainable by producing profits, cashflow, and returns for investors, so that it doesn't rely on outsourced sources of income in order to survive?"

He will also be focusing on the key questions entrepreneurs need to ask themselves about what 'doing good for the world' actually means, and impart his excitement and belief about what can be achieved in society and for the planet by entrepreneurs and investors who are motivated by those questions.

Stuart will be one of several inspirational entrepreneurs giving their insights at the inaugural, intimate event with plenty of opportunities for networking and Q&As. Other founders set to speak include Equalution and Big Uppetite co-founder Jade Spooner, Flora & Fauna founder Julie Mathers, Ampersand co-founder Alex Bottomley, and VentureCrowd founder Steve Maarbani. Click here for the agenda with all the speakers and session topics.

The entrepreneur will be giving his take on the following topics:

1. How effective impact entrepreneurship and investing can make an immense difference to people’s lives and the planet;
2. How to embed your personal values in a business in a way that resonates with consumers and stakeholders; and
3. Advisory for reporting, structures and financial frameworks to maximise value and growth opportunities for businesses making positive change.

So what are you waiting for? Click here to join us at this two-day summit where Jade will be one of many amazing founders giving their insights to help rocket your business forward in 2023 and beyond.