Most conversations about social enterprise focus on impact. Fewer focus on what it actually takes to sustain that impact over time.
In this conversation with Dylan Goggs, the founder of Clean Start Property Services, we focus on what often gets overlooked: alignment, sustainability, and the structural decisions required to scale meaningful work.
Dylan brings a grounded perspective on what it takes to grow a business without losing sight of ethics. His experience offers a practical look at the trade-offs, pressures, and decision-making involved in building something that is both viable and values-driven.
While the original conversation was recorded as a full-length webinar, we’ve adapted it into a written Q&A to focus more directly on the business and strategy side of the discussion.
Dylan touches on the realities of mental health, burnout, trauma, and the limits of sustainability when you are trying to do meaningful work over the long term.
1. What are the similarities between strategic thinking in personal life and professional life?
For me, it’s about alignment more than separation. I used to run pretty hard in both areas and treat them differently, but over time I’ve realized the same principles apply. If I’m not grounded personally, it shows up in how I lead.
A big shift for me was stepping out of the CEO role and asking Kurt Johnston, who had been our COO, to step in. That didn’t come from a place of strategy at first, it came from necessity. I was burning out and trying to carry too much on my own.
With support from a business coach, Mike Elliott, I was able to step back, take a real look at my role, and reconnect to what actually matters. That created space to think more clearly, both personally and professionally, and ultimately allowed us to start looking at the business at a national level.
2. How has the social economy changed in recent years? Are social enterprises more popular? Why or why not?
It’s definitely moved more into the mainstream. When we started, social enterprise was still seen as a bit of an alternative. Now it’s part of the broader conversation, which is a positive shift. That said, I think we still have work to do in changing the narrative. Social enterprises shouldn’t be seen as “less than” or as something that only works with subsidies. The reality is they can deliver strong services, competitive pricing, and operate at a high professional standard.
From our experience, social enterprises can also be self-sustaining through competitive business. Ultimately, sustainability comes down to profitability. If a business isn’t functioning at a profitable level, it’s very difficult for it to sustain impact over the long term.
Social procurement plays a big role here. When institutions make intentional decisions about who they contract with, it creates real opportunities for social enterprises to grow and compete properly. That’s where I see the biggest opportunity going forward, not just more awareness, but real integration into how business is done.
3. In the field that you are working in, what are the most effective ways to make a long-lasting impact?
From our experience, it comes down to building something real and sustainable.
We work with people who have barriers to employment, and the biggest impact we can have is creating consistent, meaningful work. Not short-term programs, but real jobs, real expectations, and real support.
Over time, that’s evolved into something bigger. What we’re working on now is creating a platform where people can actually have skin in the game, not just as employees but as future business owners and shareholders in their own communities.
If you can combine strong business fundamentals with that kind of opportunity, the impact becomes long-lasting because it’s not dependent on any one program or funding stream.
4. What is the role of thinking big picture in an organization? How does the day to day get in the way of this?
The day-to-day will always take over if you let it. Especially in the kind of environments we work in, it’s very easy to stay reactive.
For a long time, I was deep in that, solving problems as they came up and carrying a lot of the operational weight. The shift came when I stepped out of the CEO role and Kurt stepped in. That created a clear separation between operations and strategy.
That space allowed me to step back and ask bigger questions. Are we still aligned with our original mission? Have we drifted? What does this actually look like at scale?
That’s what led to the national model we’re now building. Without creating that space, I don’t think we would have gotten there.
5. A discussion on burnout. What specifically can be done to prevent it and what are healthy ways of working?
Burnout is very real in this work. When you care deeply and you’re close to the challenges people are facing, it’s easy to take on too much.
For me, it wasn’t something I managed particularly well at first. I pushed through, carried a lot on my own, and eventually hit a wall. That was a turning point.
What’s changed since then is how I lead. Bringing in support, both personally through coaching and structurally within the business, has been key. Promoting Kurt into the CEO role was part of that. It wasn’t just about taking pressure off, it was about building something that doesn’t rely on one person.
On a personal level, it’s also about staying grounded. Family, time away, being connected to something outside of work. Those things aren’t optional, they’re essential if you want to stay in this for the long term.
If the goal is lasting impact, then the way you work has to be sustainable.
Dakota McGovern 