Up With The Lark And

A love letter to leather - its beauty, its craft, its supply, its value - with Sara Grady and Alice Robinson, founders of British Pasture Leather. Curiosity about the supply chain is always to be applauded. Whether we are buying a jumper, a car or a three course meal, it is good and right to consider where things have come from. However, even in this highly connected world, we are too often divorced from the truth about production, And with the best will in the world, it is all too easy to allow our passions and expertise to fall into silos. Sometimes we forget to join the dots. And that is to our detriment. So in this episode, I am delighted to be able to meet two talented and determined souls who are doing just that. Alice Robinson and Sara Grady are the co-founders of British Pasture Leather. They offer a new model for leather production and work to redefine leather as it truly is: an agricultural product shaped by land stewardship. We are going to explore assumptions made about leather, the narrative that they are working to change, setting the course for a vision and the nitty gritty of following it through, what success looks like when you are working on change and not just profit, a fantastic recent project with Mulberry and what the future holds. British Pasture Leather

A conversation about the importance, the joys and the perils of working alone. We continue our series on creativity, entrepreneurship and mental health. Creativity and entrepreneurship are adventures, magnificent ones which bring people alive, show them what they are capable off and offer a real thrill and sense of purpose and fulfilment. But there are also real challenges, bumps in the road and tough times. One of these is working alone. Some months ago when I asked about the challenges you experienced in the life of a creative entrepreneur, loneliness was a common answer. Whether you truly do work alone in your studio or are the leader of a team of whatever size, the topic came up again and again.This episide is a conversation with a wordsmith I hugely admire. Nancy Nicholson is a weaver and textile artist. She is a designer and maker of rugs, wall hangings and textiles. She would, I think, have had a great deal to discuss with Jim Ede of Kettle’s Yard. Forms, many circular, a palate informed by sheep’s fleeces and the natural world. A confidence of style. A belief in quiet beauty. She offers collections and works on bespoke commissions. She has collaborated with the likes of Christopher Farr and always offers up something unexpected. Nancy is that rare thing. She is unhurried. She seems to have found immunity from the rush and addiction to ‘the next thing’, from the need for speed. She reads and reads and reads and thinks and thinks and thinks. I imagine her be the sort of person who reads poems and reads them more than once. This is not to suggest inaction. Nancy produces beautiful work that finds itself in the most magical of spaces. She personifies the idea of being considered. Perhaps this is the loom itself. Perhaps it is her character. Perhaps both. But in all of it she is a celebration of the importance of working alone and embracing the independence of creative work. Not for all days, for all seasons but it is certainly valuable and part of the joy of deep work and creative breakthrough. But also it can tip from alone to lonely. And Nancy and I will explore that too.Nancy Nicholson: www.nancynicholsonstudios.com

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 play? How do you experience the ‘aloneness’ of it? How do you handle failure and disappointment? What impact does leading a team have? And what part does neurodiversity play? What is burnout and how can it be avoided? How can we keep creative and commercial momentum in the midst of grief, fertility challenges or economic uncertainty? And, as ever, my north star in it all – how can we make the creative commercial and the commercial creative whilst maintaining good mental health?In this episode I am delighted to say that we are tackling one of my favourite topics – creative identity – with one of my favourite creatives, Victoria Barker founder of Studio Faeger. Studio Faeger has a tangibility to it so often forgotten in the digital age. Her designs lift the soul, are embracing and have just enough humour and lightness in them that your day is better for it. It is a reminder of what interior design is for – it’s not for static crafted images in magazines or videos on social media. It is about the right table to sit and converse at with your best friend, a kitchen that nourishes you, a sofa to sink into with your toddler or your teen, it’s the beauty of living life well. Victoria has swiftly cemented her look and feel alongside what it is to work with her. Both are magical.We are very lucky to have the chance to explore how you discover, nurture and develop your creative identity. We will consider what actions, people and places augment and affirm that identity. And we will debate how to tackle the challenges, dilutions and distractions that come your way. Victoria has carved out a career, a portfolio of work, a swathe of delighted clients by ever so gently, with ever so much determination focus and grit, expressed her own creative identity. She seems to be able to avoid those pitfalls of comparison, distraction and doubt. Those who have this gift are flames to the rest of us moths and so I very much hope that you will enjoy Up With The Lark and Studio Feager on Creative Identity.

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 second in our series of interviews with entrepreneurs working in and influenced by a variety of countries and cultures.I want to look beyond the accepted cliches to understand and celebrate variety. I want to explore customs, political systems, climate, temperament, geography and expectations. What motivates, delights and disappoints? I hope to celebrate the breadth of style and approach the idiosyncratic, the different.Today we find ourselves far far away, exploring a country as mysterious as it is magnificent – Japan. And to guide us is Jake Hobson, founder of Niwaki. What began as a trip to Japan in the 1990s has become an exquisite jewel of handmade garden tools, workwear and a thoughtful conversation about gardens and enjoying them. Their look is as distinctive as their approach, quiet yet impactful. And we are lucky enough today to be able to discuss Japanese style influences, the Japanese approach to doing business and the impact of Japanese retail on Niwaki.Whilst it is simply impossible to summarise an entire nation in one conversation, I wonder if by wondering through the cherry blossom, we might just learn something afresh about design, about selling and about beauty. And so welcome to Up With The Lark And Niwaki - I do think that you are going to enjoy this one.Niwaki: www.niwaki.com

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 have been in receipt of some serious funding to make expansion possible. This is, simply, a modern day case study of growing a brand and a business in the 2020s.This is a great way to begin our new series on mental health, creativity and entrepreneurship. I have long wanted to explore this topic and am so so pleased that Sam agreed to kick things off. It’s not something routinely discussed and often only in hindsight. Creativity and entrepreneurship are adventures, magnificent ones which bring people alive, show them what they are capable off and offer a real thrill and sense of fulfilment. But there are also real challenges, bumps in the road and tough times.In this series we will look at different aspects of the life of a creative entrepreneur - some light-heartedly and some more challenging. In today’s episode we are going to look at Patience and Persistence. We are going to find out about the trials, tribulations and opportunities of working in the emerging non-alcoholic industry. We are going to dive into Botivo ‘Yellow Hour’ and discover more about the engaging energy of their brand and storytelling. We will hear about the flavour profile and how it takes a year to make a batch of Botivo. And we are going to explore the importance and place of patience alongside the necessity for persistence and determination. And in all of this, how can we keep focused on great mental health as a maker, creator, artisan and founder.

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 start to understand yourself better, you analyse what ‘works’ more effectively, your team becomes increasingly essential, your confidence grows, so does the risk. In my experience, something happens at around the five to seven year mark. And that is where we meet today’s guest. Pip Durrell is the founder of With Nothing Underneath.I’m sure that she needs no introduction. Her shirts are renowned. Her Instagram feed documents life as the founder of one of the most successful brands in this generation; we feel that we know her. Her beautiful shirts are worn far and wide by the great and the good, I imagine her enviable press clippings as a teetering mountain and her Elizabeth Street shop is delight. Beauty and brains – the ultimate combination sit at the core of this brand. Perhaps that’s its magic. The style, the glamour, the beautiful women sit confidently alongside BCorp status.Too often, people feel that talent is enough. That creativity is enough. That financial investment is enough. That great connections are enough. None of these are true. Dedication is the name of the game. And Pip demonstrates that dedication consistently. This isn’t luck. This is grit. In this episode, we talk about doing one thing well. Dedicating yourself to one thing and having singular focus. We are going to find out about the With Nothing Underneath Woman. The value of bricks and mortar. Sticking with a singular vision despite all the distractions and temptations. And what’s next for this adolescent brand. With Nothing Underneath: www.withnothingunderneath.com

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 list. In an era where everything seems to happen ever faster, comparison is rife and the state of the world makes it hard to visualise what the future will hold, this is not an easy aspiration to have. But it is a highly valuable one. Today’s guest certainly has achieved it. Let me take you back to 1885. George V was on the throne here, Mark Twain published Huckleberry Finn, the football association recognised professional footballers, the Glasgow Boys first exhibited collectively and George Frederick Smith founded a new paper merchant called GF Smith and S on to supply printers with the finest papers.For over 135 years, GF Smith has been obsessed with the simple beauty and limitless possibilities of paper. Their desire is that, through the hands of the design community, they can bring creativity to life and constantly innovate with one of the world’s oldest materials.Today’s guest is one of the custodians of this great legacy. Ben Watkinson is the Creative Director of GFSmith. ‘Founded in 1885’ isn’t a marketing slogan; it’s an approach to doing business.