The Most Dangerous Phrase in Business

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you meet someone whose vision and energy perfectly align with your own. Recently, I had the privilege of meeting the spellbinding Annabel Thomas, Founder and CEO of Nc’nean Distillery – a different kind of distillery, one for the future. In every word she spoke, there was purpose, passion, and a deep-rooted belief in creating a better future—not just for her business but for people and the planet.

Her genuine enthusiasm, curiosity, and eloquence inspired this piece, as a number of her thoughts and phrases resonated perfectly with themes that run through both of our organisations. At Oxygen Conservation, like at Nc’nean, we’re unafraid to challenge the status quo. We share a culture of bold innovation, a commitment to sustainability from the ground up, and a relentless drive to shape a better future.

Here’s to exploring the features that define businesses like ours—and to recognising that progress doesn’t happen by doing things “the way they’ve always been done.”

Challenging Tradition: How Progress Begins

The phrase “the way we’ve always done things” is a horrific trap. In business and life, it’s a killer of innovation, progress, and purpose. Annabel described this eloquently in the context of whisky—a centuries-old industry resistant to change. Yet at Nc’nean, she’s flipped the script. From crafting organic, sustainable spirits to running the UK’s first certified net-zero distillery, she’s proven that tradition and innovation aren’t enemies—they’re dance partners to a changing beat.

At Oxygen Conservation, we’re challenging similarly entrenched systems. We actively sought to question every aspect of the status quo and challenged the traditional playbook. We’ve Scaled Conservation across 43,000 acres by using data, leveraging previously unheard-of private investment, and natural capital futures to fund restoration.

Like Annabel, we’ve seen that you can respect tradition while daring to do things differently. But it takes courage—and an unwavering belief in what’s possible.

The Next Generation of Stakeholders: A Conversation, Not a Campaign

One of the most striking points Annabel made was about engaging the next generation – and recognising that failure to do so was again a death sentence for a business. She spoke about their ability to spot authenticity and how they demand brands and businesses to align with their values. At Nc’nean, this means transparency, sustainability, and delivering more than just whisky—it’s about offering a mission to believe in.

“People can just tell when something isn’t authentic.”

At Oxygen Conservation, we feel that same invigorating pressure. For the young generations, conservation isn’t just about preserving the past; it’s about building a better future for people and wildlife. That’s why we embed transparency into everything we do, from sharing plans for tree planting and peatland restoration to openly discussing challenges and frustrations. It’s why we prioritise actions over promises, from restoring habitats to reinvigorating places by providing homes and jobs in rural communities.

This isn’t marketing. It’s culture. And it’s what drives trust, loyalty, and connection.

The Snowball Effect: Momentum Built by People

Nc’nean is living proof that momentum doesn’t happen by accident. Annabel spoke passionately about the power of culture—the way purpose spreads like waves when it’s deeply rooted in every team member.

At Oxygen Conservation, it’s the same. From our first land acquisition to becoming leaders in conservation finance, everything we’ve achieved has been carried forward by a team united by shared values focused on the environment, impact, adventure, and togetherness. The vision starts with leadership, not just mine but everyone’s and is amplified and sustained by the passion of every person involved. Our annual intern programme is perhaps when we see this momentum best as we’re humbled to receive literally thousands of applicants from people desperate to be part of our unusual, unexpected and unreasonable team.

Momentum doesn’t belong to one person—it belongs to the culture you create and live.

Sustainability From Day One: A Shared Mission

When I listened to Annabel describe how sustainability wasn’t something bolted onto Nc’nean but was bottled as its foundation, I felt the same truth about Oxygen Conservation. Sustainability isn’t a trend for us; it’s why we exist. It drives every decision we make, from restoring rivers to exploring renewable energy on our estates– that doesn’t mean it’s not complex nor that it doesn’t require us all to embrace contradictions and make compromises on an almost daily basis.

Both businesses prove that sustainability can be profitable. At Nc’nean, it’s about crafting incredible spirits without compromising the planet. For us, it’s about delivering positive environmental and social impact, and making a profit as a result of what we do, not the purpose.

What’s Next?

Meeting Annabel reminded me of the incredible potential we all have to reshape the future when we’re bold enough to challenge the past. At Oxygen Conservation, we’re not asking, “What can we save?” but “What can we create?” And it’s clear that Nc’nean is asking the same.

The path forward for businesses and environmentalists alike is to stop settling for tradition as a roadmap. Instead, let’s embrace purpose, passion, and the audacity to reimagine the rules. Because evolution doesn’t come from staying comfortable—it comes from daring to dream bigger.

And I, for one, can’t wait for Annabel to join us on the Shoot Room Sessions to share more of her insights. If her words can spark this much inspiration over a single conversation, just imagine the snowball she’ll set in motion for others.