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How Purposeful GrowthCo Is Helping Companies Unlock New Frontiers For Growth
Philipp Reker & Helen Trickey, Co-Founders
In an era of mounting pressures and diminishing returns, business leaders across industries are confronting a pivotal question: Where will new growth come from?
For two of the brightest minds in the consultancy world, Helen Trickey and Philipp Reker, co-founders of the answer is not in the latest trend or tactic — but in a company's very reason for being. Drawing from their experiences leading global transformations — from Reker's time at Mattel during Barbie's resurgence to Trickey's work producing the most-watched speech in United Nations history — the duo is on a mission to make 'Purpose' not just a slogan, but a serious strategy for business success.
started with one central insight: businesses face mounting pressures to grow, but leaders are running out of options — and their organizations can't keep up. Investor demands, intense global competition, AI disruption, rising supply chain costs, tariffs, and the green transition all require major investments.
CEOs must create new growth to meet these challenges, and this pressure cascades across their organizations. CMOs need fresh growth levers for their brands. Product teams need to find new energy to innovate. ESG and DEI leaders are being asked to link impact to business outcomes. And HR must build high-performing cultures that can make all this happen.
With most growth levers exhausted — and the needs of the world fast-changing — leaders are grappling with a central question: Where will this new growth and energy come from?
'Businesses face mounting pressures to grow, but leaders are running out of options, and their organizations can't keep up,' says Trickey.
Purpose, Reframed
At the heart of their work is a conviction: Purpose is under-leveraged as a driver of new growth.
'There is a misconception that Purpose is just about social justice, sustainability or DEI,' says Reker. 'These definitions aren't helpful for most leaders who are trying to find new growth.'
Trickey and Reker define Purpose as a leadership principle that is central to the business. It starts with a clear articulation of why an organization or brand exists — and what value it can create by solving a problem or unmet need in society, which is where the societal piece comes in.
Mattel's Purpose — 'to empower the next generation to reach their full potential through play' — and IKEA's focus on 'creating a better everyday life for the many people' are prime examples. These ideas express an ambition that is larger, more timeless, and more meaningful than strategic goals or profit alone. As such, they have enormous potential to motivate all stakeholders.
'Unleashing a company's full growth potential is ultimately an exercise in inspiring and motivating people to act, whether that's employees, investors or consumers,' says Trickey.
Three Ways Purpose Unlocks Growth
To make Purposeful Growth tangible, Trickey and Reker have identified three key areas where Purpose can help overcome common growth barriers:
The Antidote to Chaos
In today's volatile and fast-moving environment, clarity is more important than ever. That's why Trickey and Reker believe that Purpose is the antidote to chaos and confusion. 'The key insight here is that a distracted and confused organization cannot grow,' says Reker. 'Knowing your Purpose means being focused on what you are solving for.'
He points to Microsoft's Purpose — 'empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more' — as an example of how a clear, meaningful signal can inform strategy and help organizations stay aligned amid complexity.
Vision Series
The Vision Series: Seeing the Road Ahead
To help leaders turn Purpose into action, has launched the Vision Series — a toolkit of insights for creating clear, future-focused roadmaps.
'It explores how a compelling Vision, one that helps people visualise where they need to get to, can provide clarity, direction, and motivation amid chaos,' explains Trickey.
Based on fieldwork and insights from companies like Google, H&M, Apple, and LEGO, the series helps leaders define long-term strategy, align their teams, and accelerate decision-making — all with a clear north star in sight.
Advice for Leaders in Turbulent Times
In today's landscape, where change is constant and expectations are high, Trickey and Reker offer a bold but practical directive:
'Focus on creating growth for your business by creating value for society. And the best way to do that is by making Purpose your guiding star,' says Trickey. 'Use it to inspire and focus your people, fuel innovation, and build brands that create new value where the world needs it most.'
'Purpose isn't some 'feel-good' ornament or marketing ploy; it's a sharp, strategic advantage,' adds Reker.
And for leaders looking ahead, the time to act is now.
'Now more than ever, with the world changing at speed around us, it's time to know why your company exists in response to what the world needs, which direction you want to head in, and exactly how this supercharges growth,' concludes Trickey.
