There's an inherent problem with much of traditional retail: The more you sell, the more you waste, especially when it comes to beauty, wellness and home items packaged in single-use plastic. To that end, purpose-driven retailer Grove Collaborative was created in 2016 with a unique mission: it not only sells eco-friendly items for home, and more, but under its Beyond Plastic initiative, for every order sold containing single-use plastic, the company scoops up that ocean-bound plastic equivalent from the environment.

Grove's rapid growth landed it at number 37 on the Inc. 5,000 list of fastest-growing U.S. companies in 2018. After some bumps in the road, the company brought in retail veteran Jeff Yurcisin (former president and chief executive officer of Zulily, CEO of Shopbop and vice president of Amazon) as CEO of Grove Collaborative to turn things around. Today, the company is debt free and rapidly expanding categories for a loyal and growing customer base, proving that sustainability and profitability can coexist.

"What we are really trying to do is build this customer-obsessed, customer-first type of shopping experience for a conscientious consumer who's trying to make the right decision for her family and the earth," said Yurcisin, who adds that now a majority of Grove Collaborative revenue from third-party brands "that are trying to serve a similar type of consumer that we are. They're often certified B Corps, they're often on this side of good. They're a force for good, just like us."