Up With The Lark And

A conversation with Cath Kidston MBE about her new brand, C. Atherley, and the longevity of her creative and commercial success. Most, many or all of us will have interacted with Cath Kidston's products, story and style at some point. It is certainly a story of creativity, of joy, of home, of both a fresh approach and a sense of nostalgia; it is a jewel in the crown of British desi

A conversation with Victoria Barker, founder of Studio Faeger, on finding and nurturing your creative identity. The internal life of creative entrepreneurs fascinates me and it is my view that the mental health of this extra ordinary group of people warrants greater discussion. What makes a person create? What makes them keep creating? What part do persistence, patience and pauses

A discussion with eyewear designer and founder of Soho Bespoke, on the relationship of form and function. A few weeks ago, I stood in a spectacles shop trying on new frames. I found myself selecting a simple gold-rimmed wire pair. And in the mirror, I was reminded—which, I'll admit, took me by surprise—of four-year-old Calandre wearing something very similar, thanks to the desi

A conversation about the influence of Japanese design, business, retail and gardens on Jake Hobson, founder of Niwaki. A few years ago, I had a conversation with Taymoor Atigetchi, founder of Papier, about the impact of his Iranian roots on the way that he does business. That train of thought stayed with me and stayed with me to the point of preoccupation. And so now, here is the s

The last decade has seen a great deal of change around the interrelationship of digital and bricks and mortar across the creative industries. Disciples of each approach are plentiful but for most, it’s all about the hybrid.It’s about acquiring, delighting and retaining customers in both formats. It is frankly acrobatic to keep both elements flourishing. One of the tools in this

Today we will be speaking with Sam Paget Steavenson, co-founder of Botivo. This British non-alcoholic botanical aperitivo has joy, playfulness and vivacity in abundance across flavour, brand and approach to doing business. This is accompanied by a determination, an attention to detail and a focus that means the commercial side is thriving, the company is a certified BCorp and they

In this episode, we are exploring the alchemy, the mystery and the magic of partnerships. For me it is such an intriguing element of creativity and of entrepreneurship. How do they work? Is it about divide and conquer? is it about contrast, connection and friendship? How are decisions made and conflicts resolved? How can you nurture and enliven them in the long term? How do they im

In this episode I speak with Pip Durell founder of With Nothing Underneath to explore having singular focus at your business grows, how to lead, the reality of what it takes and how to celebrate the journey .Start ups are exciting and much discussed but there is something particularly intriguing about those companies that make it to adolescence. You realise what really matters, you

Gemma Moulton is the founder of East London Cloth. Gemma has crafted a visual narrative, a sensibility, a place and space all of her very own. It is both timeless and of the moment. It draws intelligently and interestingly on the past. The business has evolved quickly from making curtains, to café curtains by post and now as a fabric house of its very own. East London Cloth has ma

We ask Ben Watkinson, Creative Director of GF Smith, about the power of paper, the work of a paper merchant, resilience, innovation, company culture, longevity and what the next one hundred years might bring.When I begin work with a new client, their specific understanding of success is a vital first step. Often I find myself ushering people towards adding ‘longevity’ to the li