The concept of leadership is constantly being redefined in business. Today’s leaders are not only expected to drive financial success but also to contribute to societal and environmental progress. Andi Cross, the founder of the company called Edges of Earth, has been at the leading end of this shift. With over 15 years of experience in brand and growth strategy, as well as a deep commitment to understanding what it means for businesses to operate sustainability, Andi has developed a leadership style that merges traditional business approach with a focus on future impact. Her work provides valuable insights into how leaders can build businesses that prioritize purpose alongside profit.
Redefining Leadership for Mission-Driven Enterprises
Andi founded Edges of Earth, a sustainability consultancy that works with startups, scale-ups, and enterprises to help them align their brand and growth strategies with broader societal goals. Her approach is rooted in the belief that businesses can—and should—play a role in solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges, whether that’s environmental sustainability, social equity, or community development.
In addition to founding Edges of Earth, Andi has been a long-time partner with H/L Ventures, and acts as Strategist in Residence. She works closely with the venture capital firm’s early-stage companies to develop strategies that position them for ongoing sustainable growth. Her involvement goes beyond traditional consulting; she often acts as an extension of the leadership team, helping companies navigate complex challenges while staying true to their mission and desired impact lane.
This hands-on approach allows her to guide companies through the various stages of growth, from early development to scaling. By focusing on long-term impact rather than short-term gains, Andi helps companies build resilience and adaptability—two qualities that are essential in today’s changing business environment.
Empowering and Supporting Women and Their Initiatives
Andi is also a strong advocate for women in business, particularly in fields where women have been historically underrepresented. Her work in marine conservation as a professional, sponsored scuba diver is a prime example of how she’s breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field. In 2023, Andi was appointed the first-ever brand ambassador for Scuba Schools International (SSI) in its 50-year history, a testament to her leadership and advocacy in the field of ocean conservation.
Andi is committed to supporting women-led initiatives through her work, which is a large part in why she decided to embark on a 24-month expedition around the world. Through her travels on expedition, she and her team—including Adam Moore and Marla Tomorug—are documenting what life is like for people, especially women, living on the fringes in some of the world’s most remote and interesting destinations that are heavily impacted by the climate crisis.
The expedition is helping to elevate vulnerable and/or under-represented voices where historically they have gone unheard. These women met on the frontlines of the climate crisis range from researchers, scientists, conservationists, Indigenous community leaders, to name a few. The expedition is fully funded by Edges of Earth, and will release an impact report upon completion in 2025 discussing findings from every corner of the globe on how the climate crisis is inescapable.
Andi collaborates with women entrepreneurs and mission-driven businesses to help them navigate the challenges of growth and scale. Her focus on empowering women is not only a reflection of her values but also an acknowledgment of the unique perspectives that women bring to leadership roles. It’s important to note that both the consulting business and the expedition are inclusive of all people, yet are highlighting women in the field when and where possible to help raise their voices on a global stage.
Innovation Through Collaboration
One of the hallmarks of Andi’s leadership style is her emphasis on collaboration. Whether working with venture capitalists, nonprofits, or mission-driven for-profits, she understands that true innovation often comes from bringing diverse perspectives together. Her partnerships with organizations such as Marine Conservation Institute, High-Level Climate Champions, Oceanic Global, and SHE Changes Climate highlight the importance of cross-sector collaboration in driving meaningful change.
Marine Conservation Institute has been a long-standing partner of the Edges of Earth expedition acting as a strategic advisor when navigating the most successful marine protected areas around the world. The partnership with the High-Level Climate Champions and SHE Changes Climate enables the Edges of Earth team to share stories from the frontlines with these platforms to help elevate voices in vulnerable communities impacted by the climate crisis. Oceanic Global will be a new collaboration launching in early 2025.
As part of the expedition, the team works with local partners in every location they visit. To date, the team has worked with over 150 partners across 33 different countries, still with a little under a year to go on their global expedition trail. Partnerships and relationships are the backbone of both the consulting business and the expedition. Without it, it wouldn’t be possible to do the work Andi and her team do on a daily basis.
Real-World Impact
Understanding different leadership styles offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to build a business that prioritizes impact. We are living in a world where collaboration is critical in order to move businesses forward and also to restore the planet. Andi is on a mission to show that doing well and doing good CAN go hand in hand and that businesses have an obligation to start factoring in their impact on the planet.
In order to reverse the damage done, and to mitigate any further destruction, businesses and their consumers must work together. Consumers need to create the demand for more sustainable products and services. Meanwhile, businesses need to take the initiative to start offering more sustainable options for those looking to make life choices that are leaning greener. And all the while, we must eliminate as much greenwashing as possible.
By going around the world to the edges of earth, Andi and her team of strategists, designers, content creators, writers and digital marketing experts are showing what is happening in places that we oftentimes don’t get access to. They are introducing us to the people who have dedicated their lives to restoring the planet and what it will take for all of us to push us towards a better, more sustainable and more just future.
Commercial enterprises today are increasingly expected to contribute to societal progress, and Andi serves as an example for what it takes to embrace this change. Through collaboration, supporting mission-driven initiatives, and emphasizing long-term impact, she’s helping to shape a future where businesses are caring about making a positive impact just as much as reaching their targets.
