A BIT ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Jo Balchin
I'm a purpose-led strategist and communicator, and the person behind Untye.
I started Untye because, no matter the journey or the stage, every business has knots: moments where things feel stuck, teams lose alignment, or purpose exists on paper but not in practice. And almost always, a fresh perspective turns those moments into opportunities.
Untye is the culmination of 20 years working in those moments: a way to support organisations that want to grow without losing what makes them human.
WHAT'S BROUGHT ME HERE
What's brought me here
Twenty years across very different businesses, and a lot of different shapes.
I started in client services, working inside creative and brand agencies on global names like Danone Nutricia, IAMS, Bottlegreen, Krispy Kreme, Revlon, Molson Coors, Mars Petcare and P&G's Gillette. That's where I learned how to build relationships, lead teams through change, and keep brands true to themselves as they scaled.
Then I moved deeper into purpose-led work. I helped a purposeful agency grow from a small team of 6 into a larger, more complex organisation of 19, embedding wellbeing, inclusivity and values into how it worked. I led strategic workshops, shaped brand positioning, supported leadership decision-making, and built new services from the ground up.
More recently, my work has focused on sustainability and behaviour change. I led sustainability communications for clients including Clipper Teas, WSH and Bristol Beer Factory. This work has taught me how to help organisations communicate complex, often sensitive issues with clarity and integrity.
HOW I SHOW UP
At the heart of everything I do is people.
I'm naturally relational, optimistic and people-oriented, with a strong instinct for reading dynamics, building trust, and creating safe spaces for honest conversation. I bring warmth and encouragement, and I'm here to help turn talk into action.
I'm especially passionate about businesses with purpose, and about making sure the way you talk about that purpose is honest, distinctive and built on something real. No greenwashing. No purpose-washing. Just clarity, energy, and the kind of momentum that comes from being aligned inside and out.
The best part of the work, for me, is the strategy, the people, and the moment a team finds its stride and starts moving in the same direction.