At Not Usual, we believe innovation thrives when culture is actively cultivated. Through our Culturevating Innovation System, we help organisations create environments where curiosity flourishes, diverse voices are heard, and bold ideas take root.
We see innovation as a living ecosystem — one that needs the right conditions to grow strong and sustainably. Whether in leadership, teams, or technology, we nurture the soil so your best ideas can bloom.
Not Usual was founded by Ali Gordon CIPD, an award‑winning innovator who knows what it really takes to turn bright ideas into lasting change. Ali’s dug in, weathered storms, and seen innovation succeed, stumble, and thrive again.
We’re about sustainable growth in organisations and in the soil. Alongside our consultancy, we build tech and grow food. The lessons we learn in problem‑solving, overcoming obstacles, patience, resilience, seasonality, and the magic of small daily actions shape the way we help innovation flourish.
Positive change doesn’t happen in silos. We work across teams and levels — from shop floor to boardroom — to connect the dots and help ideas take hold.
Everything we do is rooted in guiding principles that shape our work, partnerships, and impact.
We work with organisations driven by social value, sustainability or regeneration. We also work with their supply chains. Helping to ensure the benefits of innovation throughout.
We help curiosity through questions “how might that be possible?” and live our own innovation journey to fuel transformation.
Nature leaves clues and is inclusive of everyone. We address innovation challenges through the lifecycles and challenges that nature presents to help everyone understand, engage and gain access to innovation.
Innovation can happen any any point where there is an idea to solve a problem. We believe this can happen at any level and any department. We work across teams and all levels to stimulate innovation.
We build solutions and momentum with clients through partnership and co‑creation.
We promote and amplify underrepresented voices in the innovation landscape.