This summer, Annie Brandner sat down with Dr. Mark Dowds to talk about all things work and play. Mark is the Founder and CEO of RESPONSIBLE, a tech company tackling fashion waste. He's also a VC, innovation hub chair, AI software leader, and serial entrepreneur. He co-founded Trov (acquired by Travelers Insurance) and ServiceCloud (acquired by SFDC), and has backed early-stage companies like Uber and Twilio. 

‍With a drive to innovate and an unwavering commitment to solve complex problems, Mark is now channeling his entrepreneurial spirit into reducing the fashion industry’s carbon footprint by promoting the resale of pre-loved luxury items, investing in the circular economy and disrupting fast fashion. 

‍His path to this mission has been anything but straightforward. After co-founding several successful ventures and experiencing a personal health crisis that fundamentally reshaped his view on life, Dowds has become a strong voice in the movement for sustainable business. In this conversation, we explore how the lessons of midlife have informed both his personal and professional passion to get curious and push limits.

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Midlife has a way of nudging us toward clarity, inviting a kind of reckoning, whether through changes in work, health, or relationships. Has that been true for you?

Definitely. On January 3rd 2024 while skiing in the French Alps, I got a phone call that changed my life. The call was from my doctor telling me I had cancer. I asked the doc, “Is it bad?” and his response was “Well, if I don’t treat you it will kill you…but don’t let it ruin your holiday.” 

I had a clean bill of health my whole life without any bumps on the road, and up until that moment I had viewed myself as somewhat invincible. I raced more ultramarathons and ultramountainbike races than I can count. So this news shocked me. It forced me to accept my humanity, my vulnerability. 

When I got the diagnosis, I had been talking about playing a more strategic role at work, I had been talking about moving in with my partner, Louise. I had been talking about a lot of things I was going to do. So, everything that had been “tomorrow” got moved forward and became today. No more hesitation. 

Since then, I’ve made much bigger and bolder decisions. I stopped doing things that I once felt obligated to do, and have a tighter filter on what I say yes to. I am getting less concerned about what people think of me, and I’m doing things that bring life to the world, and that bring me joy. 
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What’s something you’ve said yes to?

Raising awareness and money for the Cancer Fund for Children. It’s a charity here in Ireland that brings love and care to families with a diagnosed loved one when they need it the most. Myself and a few friends decided to hike the 26 high peaks around the Island of Ireland in 9 days for this cause in June 2025 and inspired 20 other entrepreneurs to do it with us. Our goal was to raise £1 million and we raised over £1.5 million!

I may be getting older but my wildness has not subsided — this is something I am very proud of.

Amazing! What has surprised you most about yourself at this stage of your life?

I will still do anything wild to create a story to tell. I love telling stories that make people laugh. I may be getting older but my wildness has not subsided — this is something I am very proud of. 

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So what's the wildest, most story-worthy thing that you've done lately?

Well, doing the 26 Mountains in itself was something. I wanted to raise money for charity, and I was also going to have endless stories! I’ll share something I did hoping it would create some fun and laughter within the group. 

I had recently done this WimHof retreat; they do all these breathing techniques, and give you a book about how different types of breathing help you get into certain states. I learned that if you start breathing through your nose through the night, it can prevent snoring, and it also oxygenates your blood more. Part of that, then, as a man, is that it gives you better erections. 

So, we were on our last training retreat for 26 Mountains. I was loitering behind a tent, and I could hear all these guys huffing and puffing up the hill. Now, they’re very successful entrepreneurs, and serious enough. So I took a risk, and I started to tell them about the book, and the nose breathing, and what it does. 

And then, before you know it, there were Chat GPT pictures being shown around of people with large nostrils. Then a doctor with us there says, “Just DM me if anyone wants nasal enhancements.” And this continued on through the entire 26 Mountains. It ended up creating a lot of playfulness, a little thread or story through the experience that's pretty innocent and fun.

When I take risks on little things like that, it often just opens people up. I find that most of the time everyone's so guarded, and I love to draw that playfulness out in people. 
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You've lived a pretty colourful and adventurous life. Have you always known that was the kind of life you wanted? 

It's funny. I'm doing a speech tomorrow for the graduates at Queens University. And in my speech, I talk about how when I was a kid, I got more detentions in the history of my school for staring out the window all the time. But no one ever really asked what I saw! In my imagination, I was creating adventures and thinking up things I was gonna do. It was always about fishing, sports, bicycles and all the usual stuff. 

And I remember being with my mom and dad and their friends when I was young, and they were maybe 40 years old. I just remember thinking, They're all so boring, and I don't ever wanna have a life like that. 

There were two things there, I think. One was people were just reasonably boring and played by the book. And the other thing was that I would often hear folks say, “When I retire, I'm gonna do that. I'm gonna do this.”

I made a vow early in my life that I'm going to be as wild as I can possibly be, to explore, to push the envelope and see how far I could go.

So I made a vow early in my life that I'm going to be as wild as I can possibly be, to explore, to push the envelope and see how far I could go. And I attached this quote to it (paraphrased from a 2nd century saint): “The glory of God is displayed in a person that's fully alive.” 

About retiring, I remember thinking, Well, I actually want to live the retired life now. And I think I've done a pretty good job of it. I mean, I think as a result, I might not have as much money as some of my friends, but I would challenge them to ask whether they have as much fun as I do. 

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You’re rich in experience. 

Yeah, the richness goes into the experience. “Things break. Memories last forever.” That was my line when I was 21. I still maintain that. As much as I love things, I’ll always err toward the adventure, trying something new, and having fun. 

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You’re the founder and CEO of RESPONSIBLE. Does this playful, adventurous perspective shape your corporate culture?

Yeah, definitely. I mean, what I wanted to create was a safe culture, first of all, where people feel safe enough to be playful. I'm quick to mock myself — if I hear somebody beating themselves up, I'll quickly remind them about the biggest mistakes made in the company – that were mine! Laughter, playfulness, and creating safe environments for that — they’re core to creativity. 

Laughter, playfulness, and creating safe environments for that — they’re core to creativity.

We create a very caring environment. And I think it draws out the playfulness, and people are able to express themselves, and just be who they are. When I was working with Anthemis we had a great way of framing that as one of the values. It was just called: Bring your weird. It was about being as weird at work as you are at home. 

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When you prioritize playfulness and creativity, you have to be ready to make mistakes and risk failing. How would you describe your relationship with regret?

I deal with regret similar to how I deal with failure. I see it as a feedback loop, really. So one of the big mantras that I have in life that comes out frequently is: Failure is only feedback. 

So one of the big mantras that I have in life that comes out frequently is: Failure is only feedback.

I do my best to own any aspect of where I have failed. I'm very eager to learn. I want to become a better man constantly. So whatever I've got to do to learn and get better, I'll do it. If I've done something that I regret, I'll look back and ask, How am I gonna behave differently so that never happens again? 

And probably, as well, I think I've got a really good relationship with grace. On this side of it, I've actually become very accepting of myself and very accepting of others. Of the two, accepting myself is much harder.

And actually, a big part of this goes back to curiosity. I used to have a wee poster in my home office in Toronto that said, “Curiosity only kills cats.” I think curiosity is probably one of the best frameworks I have. I ask questions of people. And it's genuinely because I want to know. And I enter situations with a very open, curious mind, because most times I don't come into it believing that I know the answers.

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Let’s talk a bit about RESPONSIBLE. What’s its origin story? 

When I was at university I wrote papers on environmentalism, animal rights, and diversity that stayed with me. These topics are close to my heart and ultimately led me to start RESPONSIBLE. Years later, when I was building a company in the insuretech sector, I learned that the biggest risks to that industry, if you follow them, all stem from our disregard for our planet and the environment. As an entrepreneur, I started looking at where I could make the most positive impact. 

The fashion industry manufactures over 100 billion items every year when most of us already have too many clothes in our closets.

The fashion industry manufactures over 100 billion items every year when most of us already have too many clothes in our closets. It relies on practices that amount to modern-day slavery, and has the third largest carbon footprint on the planet. Its waste is polluting rivers in South East Asia and leaving mountains of waste in the Chilean desert. 

At RESPONSIBLE, we believe that if we can make more preloved products available to buy, we can reduce the consumption of new products and ultimately reduce waste.

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How has the company evolved since you started? What pivots have you made? 

The reality of starting a company to address a big problem is often very messy. Our journey as a company hasn’t been a straight line. 

We thought we could solve this problem by partnering with fashion brands, only to realize that the brands have little influence on the secondary market. 

We launched a consumer app that overwhelmed us with cheap products that were unsellable. 

It’s always a scary moment as a founder and leader when you know you need to pivot a company when you have spent money building out a proposition that will not ultimately solve the problem at scale. Fail fast and learn has become a bit of a mantra. 

Today, we participate in the premium and luxury sector and provide high quality products at a more affordable price; we sell on most of the major marketplaces. 

How do you balance pursuing both profit and positive change?  

This question really highlights the complexity of a purpose driven company like ours. There are many noble things we did as a company that we have had to cut out because they don’t make financial sense. We used to mend broken items before reselling them; we had to stop receiving damaged items as there was no scenario where we could still make money while doing good in that circumstance. 

When starting the company, we believed the world was already making the change towards preloved and that we could accelerate it with technology. It would be an uphill battle for us if that wasn’t the case. 

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What's one small, everyday action our readers could take that you think would make a big difference in sustainability? 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t suggest buying something secondhand instead of new. Purchasing something preloved instead of new is estimated to have 70% less of an impact on the environment. Another simple one is to use the plug in your sink more — fresh water is a precious resource!

Purchasing something preloved instead of new is estimated to have 70% less of an impact on the environment.

What excites you right now? What’s drawing you forward?

My kids. They are adults now and I adore every moment I get with them. They are funny and believe that they can do anything. 

Louise. We’re engaged to be married and are facing the second part of life together. I love doing everything I can to surprise and spoil her. I love how she rolls her eyes when I do the most unexpected things. She loves how mad I am and makes no effort to change anything about me. We’re excitedly getting ready to live out of suitcases for a while!

I also love the competitive nature of work. When I am boxed into a corner I come up with unexpected solutions that can lead us toward a win. 

I want to leave a legacy that inspires others to take risks and to blaze new trails. I want others to remember me for the life I brought to the world and their lives. I want to challenge everyone around me that more is possible.
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Wrap up

What's a fashion trend from the past that you'd love to see make a comeback?

The return of parachute pants from the early 90s – those gloriously baggy, often neon-colored treasures with approximately 87 zippers that served no purpose whatsoever.

What music do you love listening to right now? Is there music that makes you feel joyful and playful?

Milky Chance (German folk) and Mumford and Sons just lift the mood. 

Was there a favourite toy or game that you had as a kid?

An Evil Knievel motorbike you could wind up and make it go over ramps and jump whatever you want. I always wanted to do that.

What’s the last thing that made you belly laugh?

Watching comedian Jo Koy on Netflix a couple of nights ago. But in person, I’d say it was when we were on our 26 Mountains trip. Two of the guys were just the quietest men. Then, one night, they got a couple of beers in them, and had an on-bus dance off. They picked their own song, they got up and it was like a “blue steel” shirts-off dance off. I was rolling on the floor. 

If you couldn’t do this work—if you could start over with no expectations—what would  you pursue?

I would be a comedian. Yes, I know all my friends who will be reading this will be saying that I would have failed faster if I had gone that direction. But this is a genuine response to the question. I would love to have the time to come up with funny stories that entertain and make people laugh while embedding some deeper truths in the mix. I love public speaking – I recently took up improv classes and enjoy any moment I get to perform on stage. 
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Lastly, please fill in the blank. Play is…

The most natural thing in the world.

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Mark was given the all clear in April 2024 and has had check ups every 6 weeks since, and all is still clear.