In an era where sustainability, technology, and lifestyle converge, few leaders have reimagined home and garden living with the precision, ethics, and foresight of Samuel Collett, CEO and co-founder of House of Willow Alexander. What began as a boutique garden design studio in 2019 has blossomed into a British lifestyle institution, an ecosystem that seamlessly blends service, editorial insight, technology, and environmental stewardship. At the heart of this evolution is a singular vision: to create homes and gardens that are not only beautiful and functional but also sustainable, intelligent, and deeply human-centered.

From Boutique Beginnings to a British Institution

The story of House of Willow Alexander is one of careful expansion, built on credibility and craft. Unlike transient gig apps or transactional service roll-ups, Collett envisioned an institution that could stand the test of time, a House defined by consistent care, proprietary technology, and climate-conscious practices.

“When we started, our aim was not just to provide services but to create an ecosystem of trust,” Collett recalls. From humble beginnings in garden design, the company now spans multiple specialist service brands, an editorial platform called The Hearth, a membership program with integrated carbon offsetting, and a soon-to-launch AI operating system, HoWA, poised to redefine household management in the UK.

Every element of the company, from uniforms and vans to customer interactions, is designed as a building block in a comprehensive system. This meticulous approach is what differentiates House of Willow Alexander from competitors. Here, every asset is both functional and symbolic, forming the foundation for a household infrastructure platform with intelligence, foresight, and sustainability at its core.

Overcoming Market Skepticism: Building Trust in a Fragmented Industry

Entering the home and garden services sector in 2019, the team faced a landscape rife with mistrust. Households were fatigued by greenwashing campaigns, frustrated with gig platforms that eroded service consistency, and overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available.

“Our biggest challenge was not just entering the market, it was rebuilding trust in an entire institution,” explains Collett. “We knew that delivering excellent service was only part of the equation. The real work was in creating proprietary systems, robust sustainability credentials, and brand IP that customers could rely on.”

The company invested from the outset in diagnostic tools, in-app training, sustainability certifications, and a service design language that would ensure every interaction was consistent, reliable, and thoughtful. These efforts laid the groundwork for long-term growth and brand loyalty, providing a model for household care that goes beyond transactional service.

The Turning Point: Transforming Services into Infrastructure

House of Willow Alexander’s growth trajectory shifted when Collett and his team recognized that services could evolve from mere transactions to intellectual property. By encoding service know-how into tools, training systems, and sustainability certifications, the company unlocked the potential for subscription-based offerings and, ultimately, the development of HoWA, the AI operating system for homes.

This shift was more than a business strategy; it was a philosophical approach. “We moved from being a brand that delivers services to being an institution that provides infrastructure for home management,” says Collett. “This mindset allowed us to scale our knowledge, improve predictability, and anticipate customer needs in ways traditional service companies couldn’t.”

The results speak for themselves. Multi-service subscription packages combining gardening, cleaning, and window care demonstrated a strong appetite for simplicity, trust, and predictability, validating the subscription model that HoWA will soon expand into predictive, personalized household plans.

The Secret to Long-Standing Success: Trust and Care

For Collett, the company’s success has always been anchored in one principle: treat every home as if it were your own. This philosophy informs every touchpoint, from van designs and uniforms to customer-facing interactions.

“Customers don’t just hire us for a service; they hire us for a sense of calm, reliability, and care,” explains Collett. Behind the scenes, this is reinforced by rigorous training systems, sustainability standards, and a consistent design DNA. But for clients, what truly matters is the result: homes and gardens that are beautiful, functional, and environmentally conscious.

Leadership in a New Era: Challenges and Strategies

Modern leaders face unprecedented challenges, AI abundance versus IP scarcity, the need for genuine sustainability, and managing talent in a hybrid work era. Collett approaches these with pragmatic foresight.

“AI tools are everywhere, but true intellectual property is rare,” he says. “Leaders must invest in ownable systems, diagnostic engines, training content, and design languages that compound value over time.”

On sustainability, Collett emphasizes embedding neutrality and transparency into the business model, moving beyond superficial marketing claims. For workforce management, he relies on in-app training, gamified compliance, and clear progression paths, ensuring that even a dispersed team remains aligned and motivated.

Innovation at House of Willow Alexander is a continuous loop. Every customer interaction generates data, informing training systems, refining diagnostics, and guiding service enhancements. “Innovation isn’t about brainstorming sessions; it’s about encoding learning into systems so the brand itself grows smarter with every interaction,” Collett explains.

Diversity and Inclusion by Design

DEI at House of Willow Alexander extends beyond policy; it is woven into the DNA of the institution. The workforce represents multiple backgrounds, with transparent progression paths that empower talent at all levels. The DEI ethos is mirrored in the broader ecosystem: HoWA certification sets common standards for sustainability and quality, fostering inclusivity across partners, franchises, and contractors.

“A house is not just a physical structure; it is a reflection of inclusion,” Collett notes. “By embedding fairness and accessibility into our systems, we ensure that our services, our people, and our partners all thrive together.”

Redefining Home and Garden Services: Products and Technology

House of Willow Alexander specializes in a multi-layered service offering:

● Service Brands: Gardeners, cleaners, window cleaners, handymen, and removals.

● Membership (HoWA+): Perks, editorial insights, and integrated carbon offsetting.

● Store & Subscriptions: Ethically made essentials curated with design integrity.

● Certification & Franchise: HoWA seal as a benchmark for sustainability and quality.

● Coming Soon: HoWA AI operating system for diagnostics, predictive care, and household intelligence.

Technology plays a central role in both customer experience and operational efficiency. Instant bookings, diagnostic tools, AI-driven scheduling, and staff training apps streamline workflows. Soon, HoWA will act as a “home brain”, predicting care needs, integrating shopping, warranty management, and sustainability tracking, all personalized to each household.

“The post-platform era is here,” Collett asserts. “Instead of fragmented services, homes will interact with a unified institution that anticipates their needs.”

Staying Competitive: Strategic Expansion and Innovation

House of Willow Alexander employs density-first growth, strategically expanding service vans by region and establishing retail pods in garden centers and high streets as physical anchors. Future-facing IP, including robotics, AR glasses, and agent integration, is already in development, ensuring the company remains ahead of industry trends.

The marketplace vision extends to partnerships, allowing other brands to plug into HoWA via commission, SaaS offerings, and sponsored listings. This not only broadens revenue streams but also strengthens the ecosystem, creating shared value and collective impact.

Recognition and Accolades: A Testament to Leadership and Vision

The company’s dedication to sustainability, service excellence, and innovation has garnered extensive recognition:

● Certified Carbon Neutral (Scopes 1–3) since 2020.

● House & Garden “The List” inclusion as a leading design studio.

● CEO of the Year – Sustainable Home Care (Samuel Collett).

● SME UK CEO of the Year Awards.

● Greater London Enterprise Awards 2024 – Best Sustainable Home & Garden Maintenance Business.

● Southern Enterprise Awards 2024 – Most Sustainable Home & Garden Maintenance Service – Greater London.

● LUXlife Home & Garden Awards 2024 – Best Sustainable Home Brand.

● Top 100 Influential People 2025 – Samuel Collett recognized among the UK’s most influential sustainability and lifestyle leaders.

● UN Gold Carbon Neutrality Standard participant.

These accolades reinforce the company’s commitment to ethics, innovation, and environmental stewardship, distinguishing it in a crowded market.

The Vision Ahead: HoWA and the AI-Powered Home

Samuel Collett’s ultimate vision is transformative: HoWA as the AI operating system for sustainable home living. This platform is not a mere app or service; it represents an infrastructure layer for the homes and gardens of tomorrow. Built on brand equity, proprietary IP, and sustainability leadership, HoWA embodies the convergence of technology, care, and environmental responsibility.

“Where others rent customers, we build assets,” Collett explains. “Where others offer transactions, we offer trust. And where others optimise, we are creating a blueprint that will endure for generations.”

This ambitious approach positions House of Willow Alexander as a model for the future: a home care ecosystem that balances technological innovation, environmental responsibility, and human-

centric design, offering households not just services, but intelligent, predictive, and personalized living experiences.

A Leader Driven by Purpose

Before founding House of Willow Alexander, Samuel Collett enjoyed a distinguished career in brand communications, shaping global household names across fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle sectors, from Warner Bros and ITV to Mercedes and Nickelodeon. This background informs his unique perspective on innovation and sustainability in the home service industry.

Collett’s leadership philosophy is grounded in creativity, inclusion, and accountability. He believes in empowering employees from the shop floor to the C-suite, fostering environments where talent is nurtured, and diversity is celebrated. As HoWA prepares to launch, Collett’s vision extends beyond corporate growth; it seeks to build a national green local economy, setting a precedent for sustainability, ethical practices, and technological integration across the home and garden sector.

Conclusion: Crafting a Legacy Beyond Homes

House of Willow Alexander is more than a service provider. It is a blueprint for the future, a sustainable, intelligent, and trusted home and garden ecosystem. Samuel Collett’s foresight, ethical leadership, and innovative spirit have positioned the company not just as a participant in the industry but as an architect of the post-platform era, where homes and households interact with intelligent systems that anticipate, care for, and enrich.

As HoWA launches and the institution grows, one thing remains certain: under Samuel Collett’s leadership, House of Willow Alexander is redefining what it means to care for homes, gardens, and the planet, one intelligent, sustainable interaction at a time.