Coley/Work/Play/Read

Writing on building purpose-led businesses — extracts from a book in progress, and notes from thirty years of doing the unreasonable thing on purpose.

Portrait artwork TK
Op-Ed · Energy

The Billion-Dollar Bet

Despite every effort to stop it, the clean energy transition is winning. So why is the government spending a billion dollars of consumers’ money betting the other way?

By Simon Coley · First published in The Post

Op-Ed

Valuing Design

Design built more than ten billion dollars of value for New Zealand — then forgot to say so.

BusinessDesk · May 2026
Op-Ed

New Zealand’s Billion-Dollar Bet Against the Future

Despite every effort to stop it, the clean energy transition is winning — so why is the government betting against it?

The Post · Mar 2026
Extract

Jump

The Powershop story — committing to the leap before you can see the landing.

See Different
Extract

The Honest Can

Karma Cola, and the argument that the package can carry the whole conscience of a brand.

Soon
Essay

What Purpose Is Not

Why "good for the world" so often looks pious — and what to do instead.

Soon
Notebook

On the Grudge Purchase

Short notes on categories that have decided, on your behalf, that you don't care.

Soon