Show notes
In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Rodica Murphy, founder of RM Sustainability, to explore how she is helping fashion and textile SMEs tackle the growing complexity of sustainability compliance.
Rodica works primarily with businesses employing 20+ people and turning over £2m+, acting as an outsourced implementation partner rather than simply providing high-level advice.
We explore the challenge of turning regulation into practical action, including the growing demands created by EU sustainability legislation and pressure from larger corporate customers.
Rodica also shares some of the more innovative projects she has been involved in, from repurposing counterfeit clothing with Central Saint Martins to creating “Sewing Circles” that develop practical skills and employment opportunities for women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The conversation also moves into the challenge of scaling a specialist consultancy.
Rodica’s current retainer model creates strong recurring revenues and deep client relationships, but inevitably creates a capacity ceiling when revenue remains closely linked to the founder’s time.
Attempts to move towards outcome-based pricing have highlighted an interesting issue: clients may happily pay the same overall amount monthly while resisting a larger upfront project fee.
One possible route beyond that constraint is the Impact Ledger, a developing service that converts raw sustainability and waste data into a single audit-ready report. Over time, Rodica sees potential for this to evolve from a service into a scalable software product.
We also discuss why Rodica is deliberately choosing measured growth rather than rapid expansion, prioritising expertise, reputation and deep client relationships while deciding whether the future business should become a mini-agency, a network of specialists or something increasingly product-led.
In this episode we discuss:
• Why sustainability compliance is becoming increasingly difficult for SMEs
• The difference between sustainability advice and practical implementation
• Turning waste and compliance challenges into creative opportunities
• The strengths and limitations of a time-based consultancy model
• Why outcome-based pricing can be harder to sell than expected
• The challenge of separating revenue from founder time
• Productising expertise through the Impact Ledger
• Choosing deliberate growth rather than chasing headcount
• Why simple business fundamentals such as SLAs, payment terms and direct debit matter
The one key thing
The expertise that creates a successful consultancy can eventually become the thing that limits its growth unless that knowledge is turned into a repeatable process, product or system.
Standout message
The mathematically better pricing model isn’t necessarily the commercially easier model for your customer to buy.
Smart90 and the G90 Summit
Most founders I speak to feel busy but frustrated. Plenty is happening, but they are not moving forward at the rate they want to.
Success creates more options, pulling founders and their teams in different directions.
More than 500 ScaleUp Radio interviews have reinforced one lesson: the founders who scale choose less, and deliver all of it.
That’s what the G90 Summit is designed to help with.
A structured half-day where you cut through everything competing for your attention, agree the three to five things that must happen in the next 90 days, and build the rhythm to make sure they do.
From the frustration and chaos of more, through the discipline of less, to the rhythm of done.
Quarterly. Virtual. £97 per seat.
smart90.co.uk/summit
Rodica can be found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodicamurphy/
Resources:
Back Row podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/0wpDOgcuWKjpH9WxklNqI4?si=a7e09b64ade54b7d
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-sarah-j-maas/7dff7a44f1c0144d?ean=9781526694065
Greenly - https://greenly.earth/
Motion - https://www.usemotion.com/
Todoist - https://www.todoist.com/