Let's Get Down To Business

ED Hopkins is the owner of Dark Green PR, which he set up in 2020 in response to the climate crisis. He says that as the world grapples with the problem, the need for clear, incisive communications for green-focused businesses and NGOs as well as climate scientists is stronger than ever. Ed, 31, grew up in Henley, attending Trinity Primary School, Gillotts School and The Henley College. He still lives in Henley and commutes to London twice a week.

Describe your business

Our goal is to deliver genuine impact through publicity campaigns for brands and people working to improve the world around us and protect the planet’s delicate climate. From land regeneration, energy efficiency, natural carbon capture, renewable energy and sustainable food to tech and circular economy initiatives, we work with companies on a green mission by publicising their work and boosting their support.

How many people does it employ?

Eight, six here and two in America.

What did you do before you started this business?

I have always worked in the PR sector.

What was your objective in starting your business?

To create a public relations agency that would help turn the tide on media coverage of the climate crisis and help the green sector grow and thrive. We work closely with our clients to develop the best stories possible from their business and ensure these stories get the attention they deserve from the media, including the BBC, CNN, major newspapers and specialist publications. We only hire communications professionals with a proven passion for the environment.

Who or what influenced you?

The worsening climate crisis and the consistent lack of sufficient media coverage of the issue.

Do you have a mentor or role model?

Professor Mark Maslin at UCL, a leading climate scientist and communicator, Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist, author, and science communicator, and Sylvia Earle, a marine biologist and oceanographer.

What would you do differently if you could start again?

Act quicker on growth and hire more people sooner.

How has your business pivoted since the pandemic?

I set up the business during the first lockdown. As a result, we learnt to work from home as the norm. We now use an office space in London a couple of days a week as a team. We have been paperless since the start of the company.

How is your business doing compared with last year?

This has been our best year so far.

How do you market your business/service?

Marketing hasn’t really proved necessary. A lot of business comes through referrals, LinkedIn and social media or through networking.

What’s the best thing about running your own business?

The freedom to choose our own clients, control our direction and stay true to our mission.

What’s the most challenging aspect?

Managing the balance between delivering for clients, looking out for the team and looking after my own time. It was difficult for me to take time off but that has become easier as the team has grown and matured.

Where is your business headed?

Our current trajectory is towards growing the team and our client roster and enhancing our impact on the global media landscape.

Do you have a five-year plan?

Yes. We have a plan that takes into account a range of scenarios and keeps our mission at its heart.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned?

Get a good firm of accountants — if the finances are well-managed, you can focus on the core function of the business.

What would you advise someone starting a business?

Figure out your “why” first. Don’t start something purely for money. Consider your impact on the world, society, people and the environment. Will your business actually help anyone?

What three qualities are most important to success?

1. Shared values (the team needs to sing from the same hymn sheet).

2. Resilience (you have to be able to handle adversity with confidence).

3. Ethical grounding and transparency (never compromise your ethics).

What’s the secret of your success?

A relentless focus and commitment to our mission. Our team works as one towards a key goal. That drives us forward.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made?

I wish I had started on my own at least a couple of years earlier. I always knew I wanted to do it.

How organised are you?

My calendar is always up to date and runs my life. All meetings and tasks are diarised. It’s the only way I know how.

How do you dress for work?

Smart casual and occasionally suits.

What can’t you be without every day?

My Logitech computer mouse (about eight years old).

Lunch at your desk or going out?

A mixture. It’s either lunch with a journalist, client or colleague or at my desk while catching up on sporting highlights (usually squash, tennis or skiing).

Do you continue to study?

Informally yes. I am constantly reading the latest news, opinion and scientific research on the climate crisis and new technology.

What do you read?

Other than a wide range of news publications, I love history books and anything on climate science.

How are you planning for retirement?

I’m only 31, so haven’t thought about that much yet. I don’t expect to retire at 65 as the world will be very different in 2057. Hopefully, the world’s climate and economy won’t be in tatters.

Interview by Will Hamilton, intermediary and
global marketing consultant