Things I Know For Certain: Lessons From My Workplace

BusinessInterviews

May 18

A series of original interviews

These are the notes and learnings of real people in great businesses. Some small, some large.

We asked each person 13 simple questions. Their answers are honest, enlightening and encouraging.

Featured

Christian Banfield

Christian Banfield a Director, Photographer and Creative Director, both at his own company Schmick Film & Photography Bureau and as a freelancer.

He describes himself as ‘an image maker and communicator’.

We have worked with Christian on a number of projects in Scotland and Wales and so sat down to chat him about some of things he’s learned after many years at the coal face.

Jim Friend

As well as editing the Mavericks Podcast since its inception, Jim Friend works in motion graphics and animation, mainly in advertising but also on film titles and visual effects.

He works alone, hiring illustrators or other animators to help out on bigger jobs. His next aim is to start teaching online.

As Jim puts it “I learn everything from online tutorials and courses and feel it’s one of the best ways to learn.” He lives in London.

Caroline Gladstone

Caroline Gladstone is one of the founders of Some Good Ideas. Her career started in product design at the then thriving Laura Ashley.

She also co-founded Pedlars, the Good Life Society and Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages. She is an author and a freelance restaurant consultant.

She’s a mother of six and keeper of chickens, dogs and various equines.

Rupert Bevan

Rupert Bevan is a gilder, furniture designer, restorer and maker who employs 24 craftspeople in his workshop in Shropshire and showroom in London.

As well as designing and making furniture for an impressive list of private clients he has created bespoke pieces for many important hotels and restaurants across the globe.

Olivia Triggs

Olivia Founded Breed, a London-based illustration agency representing a select group of highly individual talents, in 2007.

With her team she looks after the work of 15 artists, illustrators and photographers, each with their own distinct style and perspective.

Tara Gladstone

Tara Gladstone is a Project Manager, and a Director at The Good Life Society.

She also works for Some Good Ideas, Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, The Glynne Arms and Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages, where she project manages and works on a huge range of projects from product development, design work, event work and basically anything that comes up (which is a lot).

Victoria Stapleton

Victoria is Founder and Creative Director at fashion brand Brora which she set up in 1993. Victoria saw a gap in the market for modern design with an interesting colour palette, taking traditional British materials (cashmere and tweed) and giving them a contemporary update.

Today Brora has become an all year round, head to toe fashion brand with its own specific aesthetic and style with a leaning to making locally where possible, following a slow fashion route and designing clothes to last much more than one season.

Sarah Hellen

Sarah is Creative Director at Hawarden Estate Experience, Director of Craft at The Good Life Society, Editor/Creator of Jwrnal, and proud owner/mum to Mabli, a Fox Red Labrador.

Sarah’s creativity, positivity and work ethic are infectious.

Frannie Liddle

Frannie is co-founder of Window Fleur, the UK’s first ready-planted window box subscription club.

She grew up in the countryside, and although she’s a city-dweller now, she’s at her happiest potting up beautiful things and watching them grow.

Will Merison

Will is Director of Summer Camp at The Good Life Society and was previously Director of The Good Life At Home. He joined our team after quitting his job in London during lockdown. Will is a huge Liverpool FC fan and generally accepted as the office joker at Hawarden Estate HQ.

Rachel Sedgwick

Rachel is Estate Manager at Glen Dye. She oversees everything a private 30,000 acre Scottish estate can throw at you: lifelong tenants, forestry, deer populations, holiday homes, footpaths, snow, farms, weddings…

Florence Reekie

Florence calls herself a painter rather than an artist. ‘Artist’ sounds too serious, she says. Flo paints scenes cropped from everyday life and wonderful portraits of people, too. These are the things she knows for certain.

Tom Cronk

Tom has been working with us for the last 7 years and has had a hugely positive impact on all of our businesses.

We’ve launched a lot of new things since Tom’s early days, and he’s constantly adjusting and expanding with us.

Bobby Hashemi

Bobby Hashemi co-founded Coffee Republic with his sister Sahar Hashemi.

He is a best-selling author and the founder of Union Ventures which invests in the hospitality sector, as well as being the founder of Pizza Union, a small but growing chain of six pizza bars across East London.

Daisy Shayler

Daisy Shayler is ¼ of the Reasons to Be Cheerful team, a platform borne out of Lockdown 1.

We love the Shaylers and we love Reasons to Be Cheerful, which spreads positivity and stories of inspiration, joy and creativity through their blog, social platforms, online sessions, books, newspapers and zines.

Penny Lee

Penny Lee, aka the Brand Directoress, is a woman of many powers and talents. She works with brands to help find their niche, transforming their presence both online and in real life, and works on everything from strategy to messaging.