This Might Just Work - Ideas for a Tired Planet

Rob Wreglesworth

We are all tired of environmental doom, guilt, and greenwash. But tired is not the end. It is the moment to wake up and build something better. Hosted by Rob Wreglesworth, This Might Just Work explores bold, practical ideas for fixing a tired planet. Each episode shares honest conversations with founders, innovators, scientists, and creators who are turning environmental concern into real-world action. If you care about climate innovation, sustainability, regenerative business, or nature-based solutions, this podcast will give you hope, energy, and ideas you can use.

  1. 46 - Turning a Wild Idea Into a Real Business: What Rewilding Can Teach Us About Starting Up Differently - Jon Conradi, Wild Mosaic

    30 JUL

    46 - Turning a Wild Idea Into a Real Business: What Rewilding Can Teach Us About Starting Up Differently - Jon Conradi, Wild Mosaic

    This week I’m joined by Jon Conradi, founder of Wild Mosaic, a nature startup on a mission to make rewilding something everyone can be part of, not just landowners or ecologists. Jon’s journey into entrepreneurship is one I think a lot of aspiring ecopreneurs will relate to. He didn’t start out in conservation or business. In fact, for a long time he completely switched off from environmental news. But through a mix of rediscovering wonder, a career shake-up, and a push from the Year Here programme, he slowly built an idea that turned into a real business and a hopeful vision of what rewilding can be. In this conversation, we talk about: What made Jon feel like an outsider in the nature world (and why that became his strength) How he turned redundancy + new parenthood into a startup launchpad What rewilding has taught him about building businesses differently The hard truths about funding, identity shifts, and learning to sell your mission Whether you're working on your own planet-positive idea or still figuring out where to start, Jon's honest, thoughtful reflections will give you something to hold onto and hopefully, a nudge to take your next step. 🔗 Learn more or get involved: 🌱 wildmosaic.eco 📬 Contact Jon directly: jon@wildmosaic.eco 📚 Book mentioned: How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell 🎧 Bonus reading: Jon’s blog on the 3 Horizons model 📷 Also worth following his journey on LinkedIn And if you enjoy this episode, don't forget to share it with someone else trying to build something meaningful. This one’s all about starting small, thinking big, and staying human. Do head to www.nolongerknown.com to find out what I am building too.

    1 h y 7 min
  2. 43 - From Marketing to Marshlands: How a Climate Startup Raised €1M to Restore Wetlands - Alex Kornelsen, Mission to Marsh

    11 MAY

    43 - From Marketing to Marshlands: How a Climate Startup Raised €1M to Restore Wetlands - Alex Kornelsen, Mission to Marsh

    In this episode, I speak with Alex Kornelsen — a former startup and innovation strategist who left the corporate world to co-found Mission to Marsh, a storytelling-led non-profit restoring wetlands and rebranding peatlands as climate heroes. We talk about how it all started with a Tinder date and a one-sentence peatland pitch, and go deep into what it takes to launch a mission-driven organisation from scratch — from faking a film to raise €50K, to securing Patagonia support, to building a community using marketing, humour, and open storytelling. Whether you’re looking to launch something planet-positive or just curious about how skills from marketing and innovation can be redirected for nature — this episode is packed with insights, honesty, and energy. 00:00 Intro01:00 From Tinder to Peatlands — how it all began04:00 The one-sentence pitch that changed everything06:45 Why a documentary came before the non-profit09:30 How they raised €1M and got Patagonia’s support13:00 Behind the scenes of making the film16:40 The power of storytelling in conservation20:10 “Fake it till you make it” — lessons from launching25:30 From GoFundMe to corporate partnerships30:00 AI + grant writing: how they raised €20K in 30 minutes32:00 Why LinkedIn beat Instagram for traction36:45 Personal branding in nature restoration40:15 Disrupting the non-profit model44:00 Co-founding with your life partner — the real talk50:00 Starting a for-profit arm with peatland tech57:00 Final thoughts on optimism, failure, and what nature teaches us01:00:45 The billboard quote, book recommendation & business idea 👉 Connect with Alex Kornelsen on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/k0rnelsen/ 👉 Explore Mission to Marsh and watch the filmhttps://missiontomarsh.org/ 📷 Follow the Mission on Instagram and LinkedIn to see where the film is touring next. 🛠️ Interested in building your own planet-positive venture?Check out The Startup Diaries episodes — where I document the behind-the-scenes journey of building No Longer Known, a new nature-led brand from scratch. Subscribe on your favourite platform and come along for the ride.

    1 h y 6 min
  3. 42 - From Author To Ecopreneur - Building A Buisness To Profitably Restore Nature - Benedict Macdonald, Restore

    6 FEB

    42 - From Author To Ecopreneur - Building A Buisness To Profitably Restore Nature - Benedict Macdonald, Restore

    In this episode, I sit down with Benedict Macdonald, award winning author turned ecopreneur, to explore his fascinating journey from wildlife television producer to founder of nature restoration company Restore. Benedict shares how his childhood fascination with butterflies led him to a career in conservation, eventually leaving a successful career in wildlife television to tackle the challenge of transforming land use in the UK through innovative business models. We dive deep into Britain's complex history with nature, discussing how centuries of wildlife removal have shaped our landscapes, and explore the emerging opportunities for restoration through new financing approaches. Benedict offers fascinating insights into his current projects, including an ambitious plan to restore Atlantic rainforest in the Hebrides, while also sharing practical advice for urban rewilding and garden biodiversity. Our conversation covers everything from the role of wild boar in ecosystem restoration to the potential for nature recovery in cities like Berlin. Whether you're interested in conservation, sustainable business, or simply want to understand how nature and economics can work together, this episode hopefully offers valuable insights into how we can build businesses that help nature thrive. We wrap up with book recommendations and Benedict's optimistic vision for the future of British wildlife.

    1 h y 24 min
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We are all tired of environmental doom, guilt, and greenwash. But tired is not the end. It is the moment to wake up and build something better. Hosted by Rob Wreglesworth, This Might Just Work explores bold, practical ideas for fixing a tired planet. Each episode shares honest conversations with founders, innovators, scientists, and creators who are turning environmental concern into real-world action. If you care about climate innovation, sustainability, regenerative business, or nature-based solutions, this podcast will give you hope, energy, and ideas you can use.