A Father’s Fight for the Future: From Dragons’ Den to Building a Better World

Live Like a Leader

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Dan Sherrard-Smith is the founder & CEO of MotherTree. MotherTree works with values-led businesses to reduce CO2 emissions, increase client satisfaction, and unlock savings. Launched by the founding team behind Look After My Bills: Best ever deal on Dragons' Den, saved the British public £127m in 3 years.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Following the Money for Impact: Discover why your bank and pension investments have a bigger carbon footprint than your diet or commute—and what you can do about it.
Building a Personal Brand: Learn why authenticity and storytelling are crucial for leaders and impact-driven founders.
Scaling Connections with LinkedIn: Dan’s proven strategy to create high-quality content that generates leads and builds lasting relationships in just two hours a week.
Entrepreneurial Lessons: Behind-the-scenes of Dan’s Dragons’ Den journey, including the challenges of rapid growth and the power of staying adaptable.
Finding Purpose: How becoming a father inspired Dan to leave a cushy job and tackle the climate crisis head-on.

Key Moments:

[04:32] The “aha” moment that led to MyMotherTree.com's creation.
[18:10] The Dragons’ Den story—how Dan secured an unprecedented deal and scaled his business almost overnight.
[30:22] The three levers of impact: money, influence, and voting.
[47:15] Counterintuitive LinkedIn strategies to grow your network and drive revenue.
[1:02:50] The importance of gratitude and moving beyond fossil fuels to embrace innovation.

Actionable Insights:

Start small: Audit your bank and pension to ensure your money aligns with your values.
Build trust on LinkedIn by showing up authentically—connect, don’t sell.
Define your key content pillars to balance reach with resonance.
Focus on scaling relationships, not just transactions, for sustainable business growth.

Connect with Dan Sherrard-Smith:

Website: MyMotherTree.com
Email: Dan [at] MyMotherTree.com
LinkedIn: Dan Sherrard-Smith

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John Bates provides 1:1 Executive Communications Coaching, both in-person and online, as well as large and small group training.

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