Mel Hickford says she doesn’t have a job title, before scrolling through a list of possibilities: management consultant, business development for social enterprises, business development consultant.

“I help people work out business plans,” she says. “Strategies and budgets.

I refine systems, look at practice, HR, health and safety – all the boring stuff needed to have a solid business.

Generally I work on all aspects to improve the structure and operational side of the business. It’s not always the most exciting, but it’s nice to get my hands dirty, get in the engine of a business.”

For Mel, the attraction of working with social enterprises is that they are spurred on by people with beliefs, who are totally committed to a cause for altruistic purposes.

“Often those people don’t want to sit in offices and do the boring side of business,” she says. “They often have personalities which mean they’re not inclined to do that, so I provide the back up. It’s easy to get caught up in doing what you believe but not be able to pay the rent. It’s good to feel I can help them survive.”

She is also inspired by seeing people work for reasons other than just money, and believes there is no reason you can’t create a profitable business but still keep the money going back into that business, without hiding it away and keeping it for individuals.

“There comes a point where you make enough money and greed takes over. It’s tiresome,” she says.

For the past few years, Mel’s business has been dominated by one major social enterprise: The Wood Recycling Project. She acts as company secretary for the Brighton project, and their business and financial success is her main concern, although she insists she remains committed to the Triple Bottom Line, where the wellbeing of the planet and people are just as important as profit.

Their success is impressive: there are now 24 wood projects across England with a group turnover of nearly £2.5m.

In Brighton, the project has doubled its turnover in the past two years.

Mel says: “Normally if a company doubles its turnover, it’s because they’re cutting wages or rising prices, but because we’re not profit oriented, if we see a turnover increase it’s because we’re getting more customers in the door.”

This increase in custom was brought about by a radical overhaul of the shop on Circus Street, pushed through by Mel, involving a total redesign of the retail layout, with prosaic items such as floorboards and offcuts pushed to the back of the store and the main space used to display more attractive and inviting items.

They also worked to provide a one-stop wood shop, rather than a place to drop in for offcuts. Over Christmas, for example, customers were able to buy locally grown Christmas trees, recycled firewood, eco gifts and decorations – all in one place.

Mel says: “Overall we have reaped what we have sown. It’s been hard work but we have a great business with some fantastic people.

I love the Wood Project, although I haven’t really had time for anything else over the past few years.

“I do talk to people and network and pass information between organisations, but I’d love to see the inside of another business at some point.”