In this episode we have a little extra end of summertime treat ahead of the new series starting later in the autumn. My guest is Chow Metzger of Jude's Ice Cream and we explore the deceptive simplicity of a tub of vanilla ice cream. I have long wanted Jude's to come on the podcast because I feel that the story of Jude's touches on so many interesting and important topics - acting on idea later in life, running a family business, what it means to be a British brand, taking the long view, being carbon neutral, becoming a BCorp and the interrelationship of purpose and commitment. Chow is clear thinking, highly articulate and not afraid of a challenge. My hope is that you will find this episode as uplifting and refreshing as the best ice cream on a hot summer's day.

Up With The Lark The Podcast

Purpose and Commitment || Chow Metzger of Jude's Ice Cream

Welcome to Episode Six of the Perseverance Series. We all know wonderful people who can tell a great story - the perfect person to sit next to at dinner. They can make a story about getting on a ferry, going to the supermarket or attending parents evening incredibly funny or they can bring a place, a meal or a culture to life in very few words. The same is true of brands and businesses. There are those who can draw us in to their narrative, their vision and so much so that we want to be a part of it. Today's guest is a wonderful storyteller with whom we will explore the topic 'persevere with storytelling'. Maya Njie is the founder of her eponymous perfume brand based in London. Her background lies in surface design and photography but, inspired by an old family photo album, she set about trying to capture a moment in time, by way of scent. She is self taught and her clear focus is on high quality artisanal blends mixed in small, fresh batches, filtered and bottled individually by hand. Her singular ability to bring together a photograph, a colour palate, a scent is captivating and why I was so keen to interview her on this wonderful topic. Maya Njie: http://www.mayanjie.com

Persevere with Storytelling || Maya Njie

Welcome to Episode Five in this latest series entitled Perseverance. In May 2020, The Craft Council produced an extensive report on the Market For Craft (it is certainly worth a read). They reported on a new generation of craft makers and consumers - I couldn't agree more! A renewed respect for technique, the digital age and a desire for experience over transaction have all played their part in bringing craft and making back to the fore. If you are looking for a masterclass in traditional craft, quiet understated excellence alongside a purity of purpose, aesthetic and style, you have come to the right place. Lola Lely and Yesenia Thibault-Picazo are the founders of Wax Atelier based in East London. They re-visit traditional techniques ranging from candle dipping and paper-making to crafted textiles using natural wax. This is a far cry from birthday candles on a Colin the Caterpillar cake, tea lights in jam jars and hastily collected candle stubs in a power cut. This is the magical majesty of the wax itself. They are quite the hit - they are currently working with Toast, Laura Jackson is a fan and they are stocked by a delightful list of considered and stylish stockists. Their star is most certainly on the rise. I am going to find out more about how they met and the beginnings of the business, their approach to the making itself, the highs and the challenges, scaling and growing, new projects and their view on the key to perseverance. I would suggest that you pop over to Toast and enjoy the video that Wax Atelier made with them earlier this year - it will leave you super keen to know more and with a lingering visual in your mind. Then you will enjoy this episode all the more.

Persevere with Tradition || Wax Atelier

Welcome to the latest in the series on perseverance - whatever creative industry you are in or whatever stage your career is at, whether you are starting up or scaling up, perseverance is the name of the game. And in this episode we are going to delve into 'persevering with your values'. If you have worked with me, you'll know about y frankly obsessive preoccupation with values. That might be defining them, refining them, nurturing them, communicating them, protecting them and, to be honest, just sticking by them! There is always so much to distract and dissuade us from this approach to business and never more than now. And yet today's guests seem to step further into their value driven approach with each new season and challenge. They are Becky Okell and Huw Thomas, founders of Paynter Jacket. They make limited edition jackets sold in 'batches' four times a year. They release hundreds of jackets in each batches that sell out in minutes, if not seconds. But this is no hype brand. This is about bringing meaning back to clothing and changing what it means to be sustainable. This no-waste business model is certainly the business model of the future and one I often use as a case study with clients. I have watched them from afar and marvelled at what they have built. Then the day before recording, they proved my hunch right. I sent them an invitation to be on the podcast and their response was swift, insightful and uplifting. And just when I thought spontaneity had left us forever, we recorded this episode just 24 hours later. They are spontaneous, obsessed with learning, are all about community, transparency and being uncompromising in all areas of the business. They describe running their business as 'one long conversation' and I hope that you will enjoy a moment to hear a snippet of that wonderful dialogue between two extraordinary founders.

Persevere with Values || Becky Okell and Huw Thomas of Paynter Jackets

Welcome to Episode Three in our series on Perseverance. In this episode, we explore 'Persevere with Performance'. I know that the performing arts have been woefully under-represented on this podcast as they aren't, in the traditional sense, 'entrepreneurial'. But in fact, I think that we have a great deal to learn from those who dedicate themselves to performance especially in a pandemic. Our guest is Xander Parish. He is the first Western Principal Ballet Dancer at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia. Xander's commitment to his art form is extraordinary. His worth ethic and singularity of purpose is more than inspiring. It is a call to action. His story would be well told by Peter Morgan - from his early years in Yorkshire to life at the Royal Ballet School in London and now in Russia, talent and perseverance shine through. That and a love of cricket! We find out about the boy ballerina, embracing adventure in Russia, what performance means to him, the role his faith plays, remaining positive during lockdown and how we can all persevere to see opportunities in these strange strange times.

Persevere with Performance || Xander Parish

Welcome to Episode Two in our series entitled “Perseverance”. Atelier Ellis make quiet, beautiful handmade paint to help you tell the story of your home. Founder Cassandra Ellis, is queen of the understated, the considered, the cocooning. It is apparently effortless and deeply atmospheric. Even the hand-painted paint chart is thing of beauty. She advises her customers to ‘tune out the noise’ of what is in vogue, fashionable, everywhere else and instead asks us all to tell our own story. I think that this approach is a brilliant one both in terms of our homes and our businesses and careers. We explore how to tune into your own aesthetic and approach, how to tune out the noise creatively and commercially and how to persevere with all of this despite comparison, challenges and set backs.

Persevere with Tuning Out The Noise || Cassandra Ellis of Atelier Ellis

Welcome to our new podcast series entitled ‘Perseverance’. It seems to me that is what we are all going to have to focus on as we head into 2021. And we are starting at a great place, ‘Persevere with Your Passions’. We are all going to need to do this and to inspire and encourage us is cookery author, Skye McAlpine. I have often admired Skye’s wonderful kitchen creations, marvelling at how she manages to turn something quite simple into a feast. Whether in Venice or London, lunch in a heatwave or supper on a chilly winter’s night, Skye makes me want to cook what she easts. And, importantly, makes it seems actually possible that I might attempt it and not end up sweating and swearing in the kitchen while friends chat and drink without me. Good ingredients, good plates and good friends seem to be the name of the game. A brilliant recipe if ever there was one. We talk about where Skye’s passion for food began, how she developed that passion into a career, her latest book ‘A Table for Friends’, how she continues to nurture her love of food and hospitality and how we can all continue to persevere with our own passions.

Persevere with Your Passion || Skye McAlpine

Welcome to the final episode in our series on Hope. Now, we haven’t given up hope completely! On the contrary, I wanted to end the series with the episode that I felt was the most hopeful of all. My hope is that this episode lifts the spirits and moves us all to action. This episode is The Hope of Change with Alexandria Dauley and Sophie Ashby of United in Design. United in Design is a charitable organisation set up to address the lack of diversity within the design industry. If the last six months have made the ‘why’ and the ‘who’ of the battle for diversity self-evident, perhaps the ‘how’ has not been as easy as we wish it could be. The United in Design initiative tackles that head on with a clear vision, a plethora of projects and a collaborative approach. In this episode, we are going to hear how these bold, purposeful change-makers met, how the idea began and came to fruition, their incredible vision, the wonderful people involved, what success looks like to them, the challenges of running a charity long term, their hope for the future and we can all get involved. United In Design: www.unitedindesign.com

The Hope of Change || United In Design with Alexandria Dauley and Sophie Ashby

Welcome to Episode Ten in our series on Hope. For quite some time I have wanted to have some more established entrepreneurs on the podcast. And you are in for a treat today. Meri Meri is an international lifestyle brand for party, home and play. To be honest, a party isn’t a party in our house with some Meri Meri! Their world is whimsical, magical, celebratory and of seeming limitless creativity. We are going to hear all about that and what it actually takes to make that happen. Speaking to Meredithe was a true privilege. I had high hopes but was blown away by how incredibly generous she was with her time and her thoughtful answers to my many questions! Meredithe was honest, challenging and encouraging. There is so much in here - it is a head nodding, note taking episode. We spoke about the early years in 1980s America, the marriage of profit and creativity, weathering the storms, branding, copycats, imposter syndrome, building an incredible team, finding your identity and confidence as a founder, doing things properly, glitter (of course, the impact of the pandemic and the curse of eternal optimism. Meri Meri: www.merimeri.co.uk

The Hope of Celebration || Meredithe Stuart-Smith of Meri Meri

Welcome to Episode Nine in our series on Hope.In this episode we speak with Georgia Spray founder of Partnership Editions about the Hope of Collecting Art. Partnership Editions aim to make remarkable art accessible to all by offering an online platform married with events, collecting advice and a creative community. They work alongside exciting, emerging artists such as Christabel Blackburn, Richard Hart, Hester Finch, Charlotte Eady and Fee Greening to name but a few. There are six ‘drops’ a year which sell out quickly - you have to be fast off the mark when you get that email. Georgia has put together a glorious alternative to aloof white boxes, frenzied art fairs, hastily bought posters and blank walls. As we spend ever more time at home, the art we surround ourselves with seems more important. More impactful. More intrinsic to our every day lives. The approach of Partnership Editions is accessible, vivacious and dynamic - you can’t help but get drawn in. The approach to the new climate has also been really proactive and refreshing - lots to learn for us all! In this episode we are going to hear about Georgia’s early years in the art world, the idea of Partnership Editions, how it moved from a ‘side-hustle’ to a full time enterprise, how it has evolved over time, curating her artists, modern day collectors, the impact of Covid-19 (of course) and her hope for the future. Partnership Editions: www.partnershipeditions.com

The Hope of Collecting Art || Georgia Spray of Partnership Editions

Welcome to Episode Eight in our series on Hope. In this episode, Molly Mahon and I consider the hope of the unexpected. We delve into the story of her eponymous company which designs and creates glorious block printed fabrics and wallpapers. You will hear all about that Shepherds Hut, how happenstance became a business, the methodical, mesmerising, meditative power of block printing, her breadth of reference from Jaipur to Charleston, unexpected success, the chapter entitled ‘lockdown’ and the magical marriage of potato and paint. Molly has been on my list of dream clients for a very long time. A very long time. I love her approach - a heady mix of joy, courage and determination. Molly carries her talent, focus and resilience with an ease and lightness of touch and in this conversation you will hear more about her story, her business and her hope for the future. You will finish this episode uplifted, recommitted to trusting your gut, encouraged and off to the pantry to hunt down a suitable potato! Molly Mahon: www.mollymahon.comCharleston: www.charleston.org.ukHouse of Print by Molly Mahon: www.waterstones.com/book/house-of-print/molly-mahon/9781911641223

Hope of the Unexpected || Molly Mahon

Welcome to Episode Seven in our series on Hope. Today we are delving into the space where fashion, technology and sustainability meet. Where each enhances the other and offers the hope of conscious fashion, and perhaps also the hope of innovation. Our guest is Eshita Kabra founder of By Rotation which is the UK's first and only fashion rental platform. The aim is a good one - to transform the way that we consume fashion - and it is beautifully executed. Eshita shares the principles, values and motivations behind the concept. Enterprises like this one really can act as catalysts for change and I think that it will be exciting to see what the future holds. We hear about the genesis of the idea, the concept, the launch, leaving the corporate life behind, the joy of building community, balancing commerce and creativity by building a great team and her hope for the future. I have had the pleasure of meeting lots of creatives both as clients and podcast guests. What is wonderful for me is that Eshita started her journey not at art school or as a fashion intern, but in finance. We hear a different perspective and point of view on creativity. And we also get to ask 'where you the best dressed girl in economics class?'!I hope that you will be encouraged by Eshita's approach and optimism - I certainly was! By Rotation: www.byrotation.com

Hope of Conscious Fashion (and Innovation) || Eshita Kabra of By Rotation

Welcome to Episode 6 in our series on Hope. As we have all been forced to slow down, we have been given the opportunity to consider more carefully what it is that we buy, what it is made of and who made it. So I wanted to explore the idea of pursuing quality of quantity. And that is exactly what we debate in this episode with Alice Byron founder of Blake LDN. Their mission is to create contemporary knitwear with a clean and understated aesthetic and it is worn by the likes of Alexa Coe, Alice Archer and Matilda Goad. The focus is on craftsmanship, provenance and quality. So who better to explore this topic!We hear about the story behind Blake LDN, starting out in fashion, yarn yarn yarn, what quality means to Alice, leaving successful wholesale behind to embrace direct to customer, processing the value of a pause (for a pandemic or motherhood), sustainability, other brands and businesses that she admires, the impact of lockdown and her hope for the future of quality in fashion. Blake Ldn: www.blake-ldn.comPatagonia: www.patagonia.comAlighieri: www.alighieri.co.ukEverlane: www.everlane.comJessie Harris: www.jessieharris.co.ukStella McCartney's Mission Statement: www.stellamccartney.com/experience/en/sustainability/themes/mission-statement/Petalon: www.petalon.co.uk

The Hope of Quality || Alice Byrom of Blake LDN

Welcome to Episode Five in our podcast series on Hope. Given how much time we have all been spending at home, it seemed obvious that I needed to explore the Hope of Home. To do that, I wrote out a wish list of interior designers and today’s guest was right at the top of that list. This is a huge career highlight for me, and I haven’t slept a wink because we have got the incredible Rachel Chudley joining us today! She is a shining star of the interior design world. Her projects require more than a momentary pause to admire, they invite a lingering exploration. They are eclectic, maximalist, filled with wonderful art and doused in colour. She is one of life’s enthusiasts and her joyful, intelligent approach is simply infectious. In a recent House and Garden article, she referenced a John Ruskin quote that ‘a great colour is one that you can’t quite find the right name for’ and this certainly applies to Rachel’s style and projects. Her work is simply just outside the grasp of us ordinary folk! We are going to find out about her path to having her own design studio, the part privilege and kindness have played, what home means to her, the huge importance of colour in her life, running her own design studio and her hope for the future of home. This is an extra long episode because I just couldn't cut anything out - Rachel's train of thought is so interesting. She takes the scenic route and goodness me, it's wonderful! Rachel Chudley: www.rachelchudley.com

Hope of Home || Rachel Chudley

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 jewel of space, alongside a carefully selected rail of fabulous clothes, you will marble counters shot through with vivid green displaying homewares, sweet treats and a constantly evolving range of discoveries. Tidy Street is curation at its best.We are going to hear about the story of Tidy Street, the joy of shopkeeping, the wonderful community of independent shops in Brighton, how Florence went about putting the space together, the wonderful companies that she works with, how her customer and the world is changing and, finally, her hope for the future of independent shops. Tidy Street General Store: www.tidystreetstore.comCawley: www.cawleystudio.comMaison Bengal: www.maisonbengal.co.uk

Hope of Independent Shops || Florence Dixon of Tidy Street General Store

A weekly podcast for creative entrepreneurs looking for pithy, actionable advice on how to thrive commercially and creatively. The podcast is hosted by me, Calandre Orton, a business consultant and mentor for creatives. I will tackle a different topic each week from setting the vision, managing your time, handling feedback, building your team, giving back, staying in your lane, sustaining inspiration, collaborating, being brave, starting again to name a few. More often than not, I will have a creative entrepreneur guest join me to share their story and advice. I've got men and women across a huge range of creative industries lined up - I hope that you will hear new stories and fresh ideas. Being 'up with the lark' is about getting up and going and my hope is that something you hear on this podcast twill resonate with you and enable you to make a positive change to your business. I hope that you will find it encouraging and challenging in equal measure!

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Up With The Lark The Podcast

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