OMG, I Scored Too High? My Unexpected B Corp Application Plot Twist

And a brutal reality check

When I started the B Corp application process for CaramoCare, I expected it to be a challenge, not a compliment sandwich with a side of existential questioning.

I’m used to doing big, hard, meaningful things fast — trauma therapy, clinical leadership, saving lives, helping people find themselves again after burnout or medical harm. But even I raised an eyebrow (ot two) when the B Impact Assessment came back with… a suspiciously high score. Actually, a ridiculously high score.

I may have permanently cured my Imposter Syndrome by BLAST® Therapy, but come on!

High enough to raise their eyebrows.

High enough that I found myself emailing B Lab to say, essentially: “Hey, I’m not trying to game the system. I think I might’ve overdone it by accident?”

Why I Reached Out

Because integrity matters. Because impact matters. Because I want this badge to mean something.

And because — let’s be honest — the B Corp process is not just a feel-good sticker. It’s about holding yourself to account. So if I’ve misunderstood something, or clicked too enthusiastically (nobody who knows me would be shocked) on something I thought I was already doing, I want to fix it. Fast.

Turns out: that’s what they want too. B Lab were helpful, kind, and (bless them) thorough.

How I Approached the B Corp Application

I started with what I know: real change starts with people. So I didn't just treat the B Impact Assessment as a tick-box form. I used it like a spotlight. I asked:

• What are we already doing that the world needs to see more of?

• Where do we quietly overdeliver but don’t track it?

• Where do we say we’re values-driven… but need the receipts?

  
  

Then I treated each section like a mini audit:

• Governance: Is my purpose embedded or just in my head?

• Workers: Do the people I work with feel safe, seen, and supported — and how do I prove that?

• Community: Who am I lifting up, partnering with, or opening doors for — especially if they’ve been shut out?

• Environment: Am I doing what’s right, or what’s easy? And where can I go further?

• Customers: Am I not just serving people, but transforming them?

The Impact Business Models: Where the Real Magic Happens

This was my favourite bit. The IBMs are like bonus points for doing something extraordinary — something baked into the DNA of your business.

CaramoCare isn’t just therapy. It’s trauma transformation, especially for people harmed by systems that were meant to help them, whether they’re burned-out medics or patients with FND, Long Covid, or birth trauma.

So our model is impacted by design:

• We actively serve underserved communities, like healthcare staff too ashamed to ask for help, or parents gaslit after traumatic births.

• We use clinical insight to push innovation in mental health, showing that fast, effective therapy does exist.

• We keep our carbon footprint low, reuse tech, feed our events with food waste rescues, and build in circularity.

  
  

We also teach others to do the same — embedding trauma responsiveness and compassion into institutions, not just individuals. We start the ripples that will precede the tsunami of BLAST® Therapy going global.

So Why Did I Score Too High?

In hindsight? Probably because:

• I genuinely am doing quite a lot (trauma therapist + ex-clinical lead + accidental sustainability geek = chaos and impact).

• I was optimistic in interpreting some questions. (That “we do this sometimes” vs “this is policy and practice and audited monthly” distinction.)

• I clicked through too quickly on some things I thought were obvious — but obvious to me and perhaps less obvious to B Lab.

  
  

And honestly? It was a good check. This process should be rigorous. It reminded me that good intentions just aren’t enough — transparency, documentation, and external accountability matter.

The whole process has made me look more carefully, analyse more deeply and prioritise better. It's also helped me see and modify the bigger picture rather than tinkering on the sidelines. It was a pattern interrupt I needed. That in itself was hugely valuable.

What’s Next?

I’m refining, documenting, and — crucially — simplifying. I have to make my path clearer, and the evidence of it more robust.

I’m also leaning into radical transparency. If you’re in healthcare, therapy, coaching, or social enterprise and you're B Corp-curious, drop me a message. I’ll share what I’ve learned. I’ll even show you the messy middle.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about purpose, with proof.

P.S. Yes, I’ll keep you posted on when the final score lands. It's not a fast process, and it shouldn't be.