Episode 121

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Published on:

5th Mar 2026

Business As a Force for Good with Anwar Ali

Can business genuinely be a force for good, and if so, what does that actually require in practice?

In this conversation, I’m joined by Anwar Ali OBE, CEO and co-founder of Upturn Enterprise.

We explore what sustainable impact really looks like when you’re trying to balance commercial discipline with social purpose.

Anwar shares how his upbringing shaped his values, from growing up in a family of ten in a three-bedroom house to leaving a successful private sector career to build a social enterprise rooted in opportunity and dignity.

We talk about why social good must stack up commercially, what’s broken in procurement systems, and why passion alone is never enough. We also reflect on leadership in a divided society, the courage it takes to speak up, and what it means to be a visible role model for the next generation.

This is a conversation about responsibility, resilience, and believing that business can still be used as a tool for collective good.

Highlights:

(03:00) Growing up in a family of ten and the roots of purpose

(06:40) Leaving a global IT career to build a social enterprise

(12:30) Why social good must be commercially sustainable

(23:30) Immigration, belonging, and leadership in today’s climate

(44:15) Advice for purpose-driven entrepreneurs

Connect with Anwar:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anwar-ali-obe-6335811a/

Upturn Enterprise: https://www.upturn.org.uk/en/

Connect with us here:

Website: https://aurorawellnessgroup.co.uk/

Ngozi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ngozi-weller-aurora/

Obehi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obehi-alofoje-psychologist-aurora/

Aurora Company Profile 2025

Book a Call here: https://aurorawellnessgroup.co.uk/#book-meeting

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About the Podcast

The Wellbeing Rebellion

Welcome to The Wellbeing Rebellion, an award-winning podcast.

We’re Ngozi Weller and Obehi Alofoje, Directors at Aurora — a leadership and organisational effectiveness consultancy.

This podcast explores how the way organisations are led shapes performance, trust, wellbeing and culture over time.

The challenge with many approaches to wellbeing and culture is that they place responsibility on individuals to cope, rather than examining the leadership decisions, behaviours and systems that create the conditions people are working within.

This is where the conversation needs to shift.

On The Wellbeing Rebellion, we explore leadership behaviour, organisational systems and decision-making under pressure through honest conversations with senior leaders and advisors navigating real organisational complexity.

Some episodes are just us. Others bring in leaders and experts reflecting candidly on what works, what doesn’t, and what leadership requires in practice.

If you’re responsible for people, culture or organisational performance — and want to think more critically about how leadership shapes outcomes — this podcast is for you.

About your hosts

Obehi Alofoje

Obehi is a psychologist and culture change consultant who helps senior HR and business leaders reduce employee burnout, absenteeism & talent attrition through mental wellbeing strategy, training & coaching.

Ngozi Weller

Ngozi Weller is a culture change consultant and an ICF accredited coach who helps build resilience into your business by creating psychologically safe workplaces that enable employees to thrive.