Ethical and socially responsible businesses have made a significant impact over the past decade, social entrepreneurs and others being drawn by the bigger profits and greater robustness that ethical businesses offer during times of economic downturn. And there is a public fascination for mould-breaking businesses that disrupt established models in particular sectors of the market.

At the core of Jonathan Self's book is an account of the author's own experiences of an successful ethical business start-up - Honey's Real Dog Food, which makes raw dog food from organically sourced ingredients. This is a company that gives away a substantial percentage of its profits to charity, whose advertising budget is nil because all of its custom comes via word of mouth, which recruits staff at parties and whose staff choose which hours they wish to work.