Driving a Fair and Healthy World Through Good Business

With a background in community and international development, Arianna Watson works at the intersection of business and social purpose, inspiring people and businesses to uncover the role they may play in empowering communities and regenerating our planet.

As a co-founder of Think Enough, she has created a platform that connects people to for-purpose businesses and initiatives, making good choices easier, fun, and rewarding.
Arianna’s dedication to impact extends to her role as Impact Director at Collab4Good and various roles within the South Australian Social Enterprise Council (including past board member), where she actively supports and connects local social enterprises.

She also works freelance in the social enterprise space, coaching startups, running and facilitating workshops, showcasing business impact, and engaging in projects that champion an alternative, more inclusive, and regenerative economy. Read on for our Interview

Describe your career trajectory and how you got to your current position?

I started my career in not-for-profit, charity, and international development, working in Zambia and Uganda first, and then more recently in my home-country, Italy, with people seeking asylum and refugees. Advocating for strength-based and co-designed approaches, I grew frustrated with how funding models often served the needs of funders rather than the communities they were meant to support. My time in Zambia and Uganda had also introduced me to social entrepreneurship, sparking my interest in creating self-sustaining impact, something I was eager to revisit.

In late 2019, I took an “inspirational sabbatical year” and came to Australia to travel around the country, exploring and learning from social enterprises. While COVID-19 disrupted my plans, it also became an incredible opportunity. Through lockdowns and countless conversations with social entrepreneurs, I co-founded Think Enough, a platform that connects people to the impactful businesses and initiatives I was finding.
Fast forward to today, I’m lucky to be in South Australia on an entrepreneur visa, deeply embedded in the social enterprise sector. I’ve served on the South Australian Social Enterprise Council’s Board and now run their Business for Good program, helping businesses embed social and environmental impact into their operations. I’m also the Impact Director at Collab4Good, where I foster collaborations for positive change. My career path has been anything but linear, but it’s been guided by curiosity, inspiration, and a commitment to embodying the values I believe in.Take us through a typical day of work for you.

A “typical day” doesn’t really exist in my world, which is part of what I love! On office days, I’ll cycle to my coworking space, tidy up my desk, and dive into my Trello board, a color-coded guide that keeps me on track despite the chaos.

My day might include meetings or coffee catch-ups with collaborators, social entrepreneurs, or small business owners. Relationships are central to my work, and something I strongly prioritise. I could maybe be running a workshop, coaching start-up social enterprises, or brainstorming creative ways to showcase impactful businesses. Some days, I’ll immerse myself in developing impact strategies or reports, or I’ll visit purpose-driven businesses to learn about their work and find ways to amplify their impact.
Even on holidays, I’m the person who’ll take a 3 hour detour just to visit an inspiring social enterprise. My work doesn’t fit a neat routine, but that’s what keeps it exciting and meaningful. I’m basically just happy to be flexible and do whatever is needed at the time!What is the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your career, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge has been feeling stuck in an unchangeable system and the loss of hope that came with it. In Italy, I worked to help people seeking asylum navigate complex systems – systems that were often designed to exclude. It’s heart-breaking to see systemic barriers prevent people from accessing basic rights, and so exhausting to be constantly working and battling this system (and that’s for me, let alone for those experiencing it first-hand!).

I grappled with my own privilege and struggled with the disillusionment of working within broken systems. Eventually, I realised I needed to step away and explore new ways to drive change. Moving to Australia gave me space to rethink my approach, leading me to social innovation and entrepreneurship. I’m now working to chip away at those systems that prioritise profit and power over humanity and the planet, rather than having to work within them.

It’s still an ongoing journey, but by challenging norms and exploring alternative models, I feel more hopeful about contributing to systemic change.If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself as you first embarked on your career?

Don’t second-guess yourself so much. You’ll never fully know how something will turn out, so dive in, learn quickly, and embrace imperfection. Trust your ethical values. As long as your decisions align with them, you’re on the right path.How do you unwind after work?

Coming home to chat with my housemate Kerry is always grounding; our conversations feel like home. But my real reset happens outside the city – camping, hiking, or being by the ocean. I love being in the waves, walking on the beach, or attempting to surf.

Living on beautiful Kaurna Country, I feel privileged to connect with the land and its enduring spirit. It gives me such peace and energy. Every day, I am inspired by the wisdom and care of its Traditional Custodians, who have nurtured this land for millennia. Their stewardship is a reminder of the deep responsibility we all share to care for and protect this place for future generations.