Style -- 8 hours ago
Words: Gentleman's Journal
If the Shoe Fits…
“Every journey begins with a single step,” is a clanging cliché of entrepreneurship. It’s also, like most clichés, completely and utterly true. The quickest and most reliable way to fail in any enterprise is by never starting, that first mental (and sometimes physical) hurdle that so many would-be founders never quite leap over. These founders took that step together, venturing into an uncertain and complex field with shared purpose, courage and conviction. Here, they discuss their approach to creativity, what keeps them optimistic about the future, and what progress truly means.
Introducing Nick Doman and Will Pearson
Nick Doman and Will Pearson founded Ocean Bottle, a B Corp-certified reusable water bottle brand, in 2018, after meeting at London Business School. With the sale of every Ocean Bottle, the company collects the equivalent of 1,000 ocean-bound plastic bottles in weight.
What was the initial inspiration behind Ocean Bottle?
Will: I spent a year working at sea as a deckhand and the contrast was hard to forget – sailing through turquoise waters in the Maldives, I saw an island in the distance smouldering with plastic waste. That moment in particular stuck with me and I felt determined to do something about plastic pollution.
Nick: Will’s experience resonated with me. At London Business School, where we first met, we both had this shared desire: to tackle a major environmental challenge while proving that business and impact could go hand in hand. That’s where Ocean Bottle was born.
What has been the most surprising part of your entrepreneurial journey?
Nick: The scale of collective action has blown us away. We’ve now funded the collection of almost 2 billion single-use bottles as a community – enough to circle the planet 10 times if you put them end to end. Having achieved this as a start-up is something that gives us a lot of hope for the future, when considering the possible impact of more businesses joining us and taking on this kind of business model.
How do you maintain positive environmental impact while scaling your company and making profit?
Nick: From day one, impact was never a side goal, it was the operating model. Every product sold funds plastic collection, and transparency is built into our system through our traceability platform. Growing our company means more reusable bottles sold, more plastic avoided, more ocean-bound plastic collected and more lives impacted. These objectives are rarely at odds, which means we don’t need to pick and choose.
What does sustainability mean to you?
Will: True sustainability, to me, is about giving more than you take. It’s about ensuring that our generation enables future generations to have access to the same resources as we did. In more practical terms this means companies need to start adopting net positive business models – reducing any negative externalities they’re creating in the world like carbon emissions and pollution, while maximising the positive environmental and social impact they make through their supply chain or in supporting regenerative projects.
Nick: It’s about durability and design. We don’t want to add more things to the world – we want to create fewer, better things that last, while driving systemic change in how we deal with waste. We’re still improving here and continuously innovating to make our products even more durable and sustainable.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Will: “Don’t wait until you’re ready.” If we had, Ocean Bottle might not exist today. Sometimes you just have to start and get cracking, even if you’re learning on the go.
Nick: “Clarity over complexity.” In impact work, the problems are huge and messy, but if you can communicate a simple, credible and tangible solution, people tend to get behind it.
What is the worst piece of advice you’ve been given?
Will: That purpose and profit can’t coexist. It’s outdated thinking, and it ignores the opportunity we have to redefine business. Purpose isn’t niche anymore, it’s expected.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve encountered so far in launching and leading Ocean Bottle?
Will: Keeping the faith. The scale of the plastic crisis is overwhelming, and there are days our progress feels like a drop in the ocean when looking at the problem. But then I see what our small team and community has achieved and it puts it all into perspective and gives me hope.
Nick: Balancing speed with integrity. There’s always pressure to move fast, especially as we’ve grown globally. But for us, it’s important to not compromise trust and transparency.
What’s your advice for maintaining a healthy working relationship with a business partner?
Nick: Shared values are everything. If your foundation is aligned, disagreements become productive rather than divisive. Making sure you have proper founder time and doing some trips away is a great way of looking after your relationship and ensuring that you’re enjoying the journey together through the tough stuff.
Will: Respect the differences. While we share many things in common – from our passion for the ocean to our love of a good party – Nick is measured and I’m more impulsive. We’ve learned to see that as complementary rather than conflicting. Ensuring that you try to see things from your business partner’s perspective helps create openness and understanding.
How do you nurture a thoughtful working environment for your team?
Will: Culture is everything. We try to create a space where people can bring their full selves – not just their job titles. Our culture is about energy, honesty, and getting stuck into the mission!
Nick: We prioritise transparency and purpose. Everyone at Ocean Bottle knows the impact they’re creating – and that clarity builds motivation and trust. We also recognise that we have big and ambitious goals that require dedication as a team. One of our principles is to give a shit and go all-in on the mission.
What is your ultimate goal for Ocean Bottle?
Will: A future where the next generation doesn’t inherit oceans filled with plastic. Where refill and reuse are the norm, and people feel connected to the choices they make every day. If Ocean Bottle can inspire that cultural shift, then we’ve done our job.
Nick: To stop 7 billion plastic bottles from entering the ocean is our immediate target, but the bigger picture is building a legacy for future generations. Our mission is to protect the ocean, because when we protect the ocean, we protect everything. The ultimate goal is a cleaner, healthier planet that can support the born and the unborn.
