Moo & Yoo’s journey stems from a frustration around a lack of sustainable hair care in the industry. Since then, they’ve led the charge towards green beauty, having been featured in salons across the UK, online marketplaces, and only a few weeks ago an exciting, high profile department store… Their founders, Suzie & Olivia Gillespie, are a mother-daughter duo who have found the perfect balance between their complementary skill sets. They join us on this week’s It Runs In The Family, wher...
Dec 22, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Regardless of your profession, industry or area of expertise, to love what you do and work on your passion is a trait that manifests itself within your product. As our first guests to have been passed the baton from another family, ACME Whistles’ Simon Topman & Ben McFarlane exhibit this pride in the history started by Joseph Hudson over 150 years ago. Simon & Ben are such advocates for the sense of succession and long-term success over financial gain, and their commitment to continuing ...
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 22
So many successful businesses are born through necessity, and for ‘By Sarah London’ that necessity couldn’t be more admirable; Sarah Murrell’s expertise in skincare is matched only by her unwavering devotion to sister & Co-Founder Lauren. Having been by Lauren’s side throughout her courageous recovery from leukaemia, and being a stem cell donor too, Sarah created a set of skincare products that were gentle to Lauren’s sensitive skin. That expertly-formulated, award-winning range is now showi...
Nov 24, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 21
As we reach our 20th episode, it’s time to put ourselves in the hot seat, showcasing our own family business alongside all the wonderful heritage, humility and huge success we’ve heard from some of the country’s oldest, boldest family businesses. With 23 years of history and counting, Liz Lean PR is where we put into practice all the amazing qualities that we’ve heard about from the series’ fascinating guests thus far. In episode 20 of It Runs In The Family, we bring in Jack Willingham to turn t...
Nov 10, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Outdoor adventure and playtime is an essential element to any child’s development, so a natural passion for play should be a core value for any outdoor play manufacturer. Such a passion couldn’t be stronger than in Plum Products, whose family are as much the owners as they are the product testers! Having been a playtester for his parents when he was young, the 2nd generation Managing Director Paul Schaffer has a global wealth of experience and the drive to provide the incredible experiences he w...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Often the most authentic businesses come from solving problems that you have to face already. Such is the caring foundation from which the siblings behind Squirrel Sisters, Gracie and Sophie Tyrrell, grew their award-winning, no added sugar snack brand. Gracie’s love of baking sugar-free alternatives to Sophie’s favourite snacks birthed a business 6 years strong, with products you’ll find in Waitrose and Holland & Barrett. The road’s not been easy though - listen to this week’s episode of It...
Oct 13, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Key to any team around a family business is a shared appreciation for the values that are inherent to those raised within the bloodline, which makes the rigorous process of hiring a CEO for a family-run brand exponentially more important. Thankfully, Olivia and Miranda Jacobs - Directors of Waterside Holiday Group, working alongside their sister Claire and mother Judith - have been well-attuned to the values held so dear by their late father. The sense of connection and care from both staff and ...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 17
The sibling dynamic is one laden with turbulence, care, and connection in equal measure. Developing the level of emotional intelligence and maturity to translate this family partnership into a business one requires remarkable growth and evolution - the ‘Sauna Twins’ behind Finnmark Sauna are a perfect exhibition of exactly that. Finnmark Sauna’s Max & Jake Newport are the Director of Design & MD behind the venture honouring Finnish sauna culture through their passionate love of the pract...
Sep 15, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Our pets feel as much a family member as any of the bonds we’ve been lucky enough to see in this series, so for Aneisha Soobroyen and Jack Walker - partners in wedlock and Co-Founders of natural pet food business Scrumbles - their business is a family affair in more ways than one… Parents to Smudge and Boo, the husband and wife team join us on the podcast to share tips on how to balance a relationship with responsibilities within the business, their status as one of the first pet companies in th...
Sep 01, 2021•56 min•Season 1Ep. 15
The Arbikie Estate is home to craftsmen of soil and curators of a fine ensemble of drinks from their distillery, now in its 7th year of producing sustainable, field-to-bottle spirits. Iain Stirling, one of three visionary brothers behind their venture, joins us on this episode of It Runs In The Family to discuss the story behind their 400 year family farming history, how a drink in New York sowed the seeds for their own foray into spirits, and the incredible father whose name is shared by AK’s G...
Aug 18, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 14
For the first time on “It Runs In The Family”, we’re joined by partners in business and wedlock alike - the husband and wife team behind Herringbone Kitchens, William Durrant and Elly Simmons. This episode offers us a unique opportunity to delve into how marriage contributes to the dynamic between the two Directors of the Canterbury-based business. Will and Elly join Liz & Leila to document the trepidation that came at the start of their business journey, how influencer marketing helped make...
Aug 04, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 13
One Stanley Thatcher pioneered cider science on his farm and vouched for innovative methods of apple growth and cider production, and as the industry followed suit, so too did several generations of the Thatcher family to grow an iconic brand. As Martin Thatcher, Managing Director and 4th generation cider maker, prepares to pass the baton to daughter Eleanor, currently a Fermentation Supervisor, they join Liz & Leila on “It Runs In The Family” to share how the family’s love, care and attenti...
Jul 21, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 12
For most, this week’s guest on It Runs In The Family truly needs no introduction. Marco Pierre White - the first Brit and youngest chef to be awarded the full 3 stars from Michelin - has since exceeded the desire for their praise, focusing his efforts on tailoring top class food and atmosphere in his restaurants (and suggesting that Michelin stick to tyres). Having his eyes set on the trade himself, his son Luciano recently opened Luccio’s in Dorchester, having learned from the best - his father...
Jul 07, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Anyone growing up in and around the Dorset area will be familiar with the magic of Farmer Palmers Farm Park, which has hosted so many eager families, so it’s a real treat to sit down with the family behind the legendary local landmark. Evolving from a farm to a farm park is a shift that helped put Farmer Palmers on the map, and there’s an illustrious history behind the land inherited by David Palmer and run by Sandra Palmer-Snellin with her brother Phillip. Being a farmer takes an unparalleled a...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 10
The Treasure family has been at Stockton Bury since 1884, and in the generations that followed it evolved from a family farm into a relaxing space which has ranked among The Times’ Top 20 UK Gardens. By transforming the 4 acres of land into a highly acclaimed haven in their earlier years, Raymond Treasure and Gordon Fenn have handed down an incredible legacy to Raymond’s niece - accomplished writer, and editor at The English Garden, Tamsin Westhorpe. Now Stockton Bury’s Director, Tamsin joins Li...
Jun 09, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 9
The world has seen so much since 1515, the Plague, two world wars, an industrial revolution and nearly two dozen changes of monarchy. One constant through all of that, maintaining its service to Bridport’s locals and surviving fires and floods alike, is Britain’s oldest family business - R J Balson & Son. We speak to the current custodian, Richard Balson, who carries the torch for the 26th generation of the family business. He tells us about the seemingly perennial demand for their personal ...
May 26, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 8
The first six episodes of It Runs In The Family have proven to be a treasure trove of family business experience, with companies passed through generations, sibling connections on an almost telepathic level, and an incredible degree of humility from all of our wonderful guests. With this in mind, we’ve collated some of our favourite moments from across the show so far that have us excited to bring you many more of the biggest and most intriguing family brands in the months to come! The highlight...
May 12, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 7
The rise in popularity of culinary TV personalities has promoted some of the most successful chefs into ‘rockstars’ - we all know Nigella, Gordon, Jamie and Gino on a first name basis. What separates Rick Stein’s family brand apart, however, is the attention to detail in their hospitality. Founder and Co-Owner of The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, Jill Stein, and Chef Director Jack Stein are a mother-son team whose skill set spans the interior decoration to invite people in, and first class cuis...
Apr 28, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 6
From facilitating the first Ford dealership in the early 20th century through to its current, extensive roster of manufacturers, Hendy Group has grown immensely since its inception in 1859. Driving the business through some of its most turbulent times in recent memory, Chief Executive Paul Hendy, and his son and General Manager Will Hendy, have seen Hendy Group’s team exhibit incredible resilience to continue the family’s legacy. In this episode of It Runs In The Family, the father-son pairing s...
Apr 14, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 5
The story of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee is a 10 year journey of massive wins, starting on the South Coast and earning its place as a household name. A great degree of the success of this family owned business might be explained by an almost-telepathic understanding between the brother and sister pairing of Suzie and Jim Cregan (Yes, Jim as in Jimmy’s). From the inception of the idea from Jim’s experience in Australia, right through to the established brand we know today with high caliber ambassadors li...
Mar 31, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Few family businesses can say they have spanned 7 generations; such is the feat achieved by Hall and Woodhouse, brewers of award-winning Badger Beers and owners of over 250 pubs around the country. Taking the reins of H&W upon the sudden passing of his brother, Executive Chairman Anthony Woodhouse recalls his father’s advice on the business’ true purpose, and sets a high bar for his son Matt who serves as Commercial Manager. Family values pump through the veins of the business, treating empl...
Mar 17, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this episode, we welcome twin sisters Joyce and Raissa De Haas, founders of Double Dutch Drinks Raised in the Netherlands, Joyce and Raissa, have a natural affinity with superlative drinks and excellent blendings. After all, they come from the birthplace of gin! But their love affair turned to frustration. While the world’s choice of spirits has continued to grow, mixers and sodas have remained bland and uninspiring. From that frustration, their business was born and grew from creating their ...
Mar 03, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In this episode, we speak to Warren Haskins, Chairman of Haskins Garden Centres. The business is over 100 years old and was established by Warren’s great grandfather, Harry. Haskins, which is now a multi-million-pound business that employs over 600 people, had humble beginnings. It started on a small stretch of land, which the Haskins family rented for £10 a year, selling produce in the UK’s south coast town of Bournemouth. Now the company has five destination garden centres after acquiring its ...
Feb 12, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Welcome to ‘It Runs In The Family’! We’re looking forward to bringing you stories, learnings and insight from a variety of family businesses in this series. But, before we dive in, episode 0 gives you the chance to get to know us, the hosts, Liz and Leila Willingham, a little bit better. We’ll tell you our story and how we’re at the beginning of our own family business journey, after Leila joined Liz Lean PR in 2017. In this episode, we reveal some of our own points of learning as we’ve evolved ...
Feb 12, 2021•30 min0
Hello, we're Liz & Leila Willingham and welcome to "It Runs In The Family". We're the mother and daughter duo working within the public relations and communications agency, Liz Lean PR. Running a business is hard - really hard. Every business has its challenges and it's own ups and downs - but in a family business this is often exaggerated by the willingness to speak your mind. But it also has some huge advantages that the corporate cultures just can't compete with. In this podcast we're goi...
Jan 26, 2021•2 min
