Welcome to Episode Four of our series on Hope. One of the good things that has come from this season has been the heightened awareness of locality - the walks, the buildings, the people and the independent shops. It is just that that we are going to explore today - the Hope of Independent Shops. And our guest today is Florence Dixon, founder of the Tidy Street General Store in Brighton. Florence’s shop is endlessly enticing. In fact, I don’t think that I have ever left empty-handed. Within this ...
Jun 21, 2020•34 min
This week has all been all about the next generation and this episode is a special little something to celebrate yet another Friday in lockdown - it's about the joy of creative children. It seems to me that as creative business owners, the responsibility and pressure of making good and right decisions can be overwhelming, draining and bewildering. Are we getting it right? Are we brave enough to try something new? How can we give back? How do we stick to our values? Are we setting a good example ...
Jun 18, 2020•11 min
Welcome to Episode Three of our series on Hope. Today we are thinking about the hope of creative children. At this time of ‘home schooling’, I think that many of us have come to see how important and rewarding it is to foster creativity in the next generation. Our guest today lives and breathes this sentiment. Alara Hindle is the co-founder of Lots of Lovely Art. They aim to support creativity in children through art. The sad decline of art education in schools motivated Alara and her sister-in-...
Jun 15, 2020•40 min
Long before lockdown, I invited Caroline Kent of Scribble and Daub to join me on the podcast to discuss the challenge and thrill of finding, signing and working with stockists. I was so struck by her great directory of stockists ranging from national treasures, galleries and little gems both here and across the globe that I could not resist asking her to share her secret! Amazingly, Caroline agreed and we sat in her delightful kitchen, drank black coffee and delved into the story of Scribble and...
May 31, 2020•48 min
Welcome to Episode One of the new series on Hope. Today we are going to consider the Hope of Community. It is undeniably one of the realisations of this time. community is what really matters. Whether its clapping on a Thursday evening or a Zoom with your best pals, it is impactful and influential. This is true too in our professional lives - for those in the creative industries and arts, having a great community or network has always been crucial and now more than ever. But it isn't always easy...
May 17, 2020•48 min
Once again, I find myself sharing an episode recorded pre-Covid 19. And once again, it feels strange and potentially risky. But unless you really are having a news blackout, you will know that self-employed parents find themselves under immense pressure. They are trying to keep careers alive, look into an uncertain financial future and care for their children full time. Let’s not even mention ‘home schooling’! I am no maths teacher, but I would say that equation doesn’t quite add up. In that lan...
Mar 26, 2020•43 min
This episode was recorded before the current COVID-19 crisis. I hesitated about whether or not to share it for fear of taunts of ‘frivolity’. In the end, I decided that the topic of branding was a good and important one for all businesses and might provide a bit of something to do and think about for all those hours trapped indoors. It could be time to consider you brand afresh, research, explore and develop your current thinking. And, sometimes we need a bit of ‘frivolity’ don’t we! If a pictur...
Mar 19, 2020•1 hr 2 min
In my view, today's guest has cracked the illusive 'balance' as a creative entrepreneur: she is both a fearless idealist creatively and a confident visionary commercially. Rachel Entwistle set up her eponymous jewellery brand in 2011. She splits her time between her store in Shoreditch and her home in Ibiza nestled among the orange groves. Quite a contrast. That love of contrast and travel is evident in her collections which are designed to connect people through history, symbols, nature and pla...
Mar 11, 2020•55 min
We might be starting to see hints of spring, the birds are singing, daffodils are everywhere and we can start to enjoy the British debate of whether or not to wear a coat but today we are talking all about Christmas! Last Christmas I discovered, rather late to the party, the wonderful Polar Post. I am frankly obsessed with the idea, the product and the founder Charlotte Wood. Charlotte is that perfect combination of whimsy, wit and red lipstick. Just right to run Polar Post. It is the original, ...
Mar 04, 2020•56 min
In this episode, we are continuing on the theme of ‘place’ - the importance of our working environment, co-working spaces, how to express our brand in a physical space and learning from those that inspire us. Today we have arts, interiors and style writer, Aimee Farrell sharing her thoughts on inspiring workspaces and what we can learn from them. She has writes regularly for a delectable collection of publications including T magazine, the FT, Vanity Fair, British Vogue and How To Spend It. She ...
Dec 17, 2019•47 min
Amongst freelancers, creatives, small business owners and flexible workers the question ‘to co-work or not to co-work’ seems very fashionable. How do you know if it’s right for you? What are good reasons for trying it? How to find a ‘good’ co-working space? How can you build the promised community? And, frankly, how can you make co-working work for you? To debate these questions, we are joined by photographer Emma Croman. She shares her experience as a portrait and lifestyle photographer which i...
Dec 04, 2019•48 min
Welcome to Up With The Lark The Podcast! I hope that you are enjoying this Mini Series on Brand Values! In my experience, those enterprises which set sincere and coherent brand values, and express them honesty and with innovation, thrive. I initially started by interviewing Sophie, founder of Sleepy Doe. I then quickly realised that, like the British weather and tins of Quality Street, the joy was in the variety. So I approached some other brands and projects and asked them to share their busine...
Nov 21, 2019•35 min
Welcome to Up With The Lark The Podcast! I hope that you are enjoying this Mini Series on Brand Values! In my experience, those enterprises which set sincere and coherent brand values, and express them honesty and with innovation, thrive. I initially started by interviewing Sophie, founder of Sleepy Doe. I then quickly realised that, like the British weather and tins of Quality Street, the joy was in the variety. So I approached some other brands and projects and asked them to share their busine...
Nov 20, 2019•30 min
Welcome to Up With The Lark The Podcast! I hope that you are enjoying this Mini Series on Brand Values! In my experience, those enterprises which set sincere and coherent brand values, and express them honesty and with innovation, thrive. I initially started by interviewing Sophie, founder of Sleepy Doe. I then quickly realised that, like the British weather and tins of Quality Street, the joy was in the variety. So I approached some other brands and projects and asked them to share their busine...
Nov 19, 2019•26 min
Welcome back to Up With The Lark The Podcast! In my experience, those enterprises which set sincere and coherent brand values, and express them honesty and with innovation, thrive. I initially started by interviewing Sophie, founder of Sleepy Doe. I then quickly realised that, like the British weather and tins of Quality Street, the joy was in the variety. So I approached some other brands and projects and asked them to share their business values. Over the next week, we will be hearing from dif...
Nov 18, 2019•30 min
In this episode, we explore the idea of ‘shop local, think global’ and its various implications as creative entrepreneurs. It’s a phrase full of potential and possibility but also restrictions and responsibilities. How can we respond to it creatively and commercially? When considering who to ask to speak on this topic, my wish list was a long one - someone creatively talented, who had a bricks and mortar shop and an online presence, that the shop would be fully invested into the local community ...
Jul 17, 2019•50 min
We are looking at the importance of building a community around you as a creative both online and ‘in real life’ and why it’s good to try to balance the two. Our guest is Emma Harris of A Quiet Style. She is a fine art photographer, stylist and lifestyle blogger. With around 78k instagram followers, she is no stranger to the power of an online community but nor has she ignored the importance of meeting face to face. Emma hosts retreats, workshops and now regular lunches for people to have a spac...
Jul 10, 2019•56 min
This week we are considering the topic of ‘Place: Where To Run Your Business’. Today it is easier than ever to start a business from your kitchen table and build a successful enterprise with an idea, determination, coffee and great wifi. But how do much does our work environment impact us? Does it matter? How do we make sure that we work ‘well’ at home? When it is time to ‘move out’ to an office, studio or shop? And what should you take into consideration when deciding where to go? To help answe...
Jun 05, 2019•30 min
There is no doubt that collaborations are in vogue and for good reason. This week our guest is Lisa Mehydene, founder and creative director of edit 58. A self confessed interiors obsessive, she has built a thriving business which has been a part of many successful collaborations - Kana London, Matilda Goad and Molly Mahon to name a few. There is even a new collaboration launching this week! If you would like to instigate a collaboration and do it really very well, then this episode is full of gr...
May 22, 2019•45 min
It is said that 'culture eats strategy'. For Good Things Brewing, culture IS the strategy. Company Culture is an ever present pre-occupation for many start ups these days. If you are wondering what exactly company culture is, how to start developing one, how to nurture it and see it bring success to your business, then this episode is for you. It's also for you if you want to sip a cool beer in the sunshine and listen to the birds sing in the Sussex countryside. Good Things Brewing - https://www...
May 15, 2019•46 min
This week we start a new theme - people. We start by looking at people to inspire us - artists, makers, designers, creators who bring insight, courage and deepen our thinking. To help us explore this is Emily Tobin, Arts and Features Editor of House & Garden. Her writing is both beautiful and engaging and I think that you will enjoy her gentle nudge to look a little longer, read a little broader and strike up a conversation wherever possible. House & Garden Magazine - https://www.housean...
May 08, 2019•44 min
It seems to me that the businesses that thrive, have someone brave at the helm. Someone willing to take a risk, learn something new, develop their experience. This week, we have Florence Kennedy of Petalon. It was a real honour to have her join us to discuss 'Growing Your Experience' - how being willing to learn, to fail, to try is the key to a growing business. Petalon: https://www.petalon.co.uk Kennedy and Kennedy: https://www.kennedyandkennedy.co.uk Innovation for Growth: https://www.bl.uk/bu...
May 01, 2019•58 min
This week we are exploring, perhaps literally, the importance if growing your horizons. Our guest is Alex Rebbeck of travel lifestyle brand Atla. We chat about why travel is so important to creatives and founders, how to decide where to go, the changing face of 'business travel' and how you can bring the world to you. Atla: https://atla.is The Weekend Journal: https://atla.is/collections/library/ Helen Russell: A Year of Living Danishly - https://www.amazon.com/Year-Living-Danishly-Uncovering-Ha...
Mar 27, 2019•32 min
Are you ready to grow your business? One of the critical things is to grow your team. This might be employees, freelancers, specialists, interns and covers both juniors and experts. How do you know what you need? How do you recruit them? What do you do once they are on board?
Mar 20, 2019•18 min
Annabel Partridge and Hamish Budge are quite the dynamic duo. They are part of the team behind Pear Tree Cafe in Battersea Park. They both work hard, seriously hard and have such a great story to share. We discuss how they started the business and grew it into a London hot spot, what it’s like to work with your finance, what growth means to their business, triumphs and tricky spots and how strong company values are key to success. Pear Tree Cafe - www.peartreecafe.co.uk How I Built This - https:...
Mar 13, 2019•57 min
In the month of March, the theme is 'Grow' and this week specifically, about 'Growing Your Mindset'. If you are thinking of going freelance, changing direction or intimidated about learning a new skill for your business, then this is for you. My guest is Naomi Bikis, a ceramic artist, and together we explore what it is to have a 'growth mindset'. Naomi's story is such an interesting one - there is so much to enjoy and learn in this episode! Bikis Ceramics - https://www.bikisceramics.com Carol Dw...
Mar 06, 2019•42 min
As it’s Valentine’s Day, it seems an appropriate topic. I think that the answer to most of your questions about your creative pursuit is ‘love your client’. Find out who they are, keep up with them, look after to them, listen to them. They will tell you everything you need to know. Like every relationship, it takes nurturing and listening. Our guest, is fashion designer Rachel McCulloch. She has a refreshingly straightforward approach to the topic. The customer is right. Keep up with them or ris...
Feb 14, 2019•45 min
Have you ever been bothered, distracted or overwhelmed by the competition? Even just for a moment? Then this is for you. Fine jeweller Sophie Breitmeyer shares pragmatic and realistic advice on how to develop your own point of difference, to have faith in your convictions and enjoy supporting those in your market place. Sophie Breitmeyer - https://sophiebreitmeyer.com Competitor Analysis - Tuppence Creative - Ally Mackie - https://www.tuppencecreative.com...
Feb 07, 2019•32 min
Have you ever struggled with comparison? My guest, Ruth Marsden of Bright Mama, is an actor and bloggger/vlogger/instagrammer so has a real insight on this topic. We talk about the pitfalls and temptations around comparison but also the hidden gems you can find if you manage comparison in the right way. Find out more about Ruth here: https://www.thebrightmama.co.uk Here is the marvellous Lucy Sheridan: http://www.proofcoaching.com...
Jan 31, 2019•41 min
How do you respond to good feedback? Do you shrug it off? Smile momentarily then move on? In this episode I share some thoughts on why taking a compliment well is good business sense!
Jan 24, 2019•9 min
