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The Line || Legacy
A discussion about leadership and legacy, knowing when it is time to move on and how to hand over the reigns with Megan Piper and Sarah Carrington of The Line. Welcome to Up With The Lark, a podcast for creative entrepreneurs, hosted by me, Calandre Orton. I am a business consultant working in the arts and creative industries. My work has always existed where the creative meets the commercial and this podcast does the same. It offers a series of conversations about what it actually takes, the curiosity, the optimism and the nitty gritty. The art of leadership and legacy captivates me. In a world where good leadership can feel in short supply, how can we lead effectively, with humanity, energy, and flair? Today, we’re going to explore a particularly intriguing element of leadership: when one leader, director, or CEO hands over to the next, both practically and philosophically.To explore this, we are very fortunate indeed to meet co-founder of The Line, Megan Piper, and her planned successor, Director Designate, Sarah Carrington. The Line is East London's art walk that connects Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and The O2. It is an outdoor exhibition programme offering a journey through a dynamic urban landscape, where everyone can explore art, nature, and heritage for free. It offers discovery and adventure, as well as quiet contemplation.The Line is a perfect example of a conversation turned into an idea, then into reality. It is a vision brought to life, a set of values explored, and an impact realised. Truly, quite an achievement and quite something to take on.We’re going to walk our way through the practical and cultural elements of passing on the baton. A handover is so much more than a desk, a login, and an edit to your LinkedIn profile. While practical considerations are essential, such as communicating with stakeholders, managing the team, and nurturing the community, there is a great deal more to consider to ensure the culture continues to flourish and a new chapter can unfold.We’re going to hear how The Line began, the role of Director, Megan’s decision to hand over the reins, and how Sarah will grasp them.So welcome to Up With The Lark and The Line, a conversation on leadership and legacy. One that will inevitably make us consider our own leadership styles and how we can use them to bring our creative visions to life. Introspection and action await.So, welcome Megan and Sarah. It’s such a delight to have them both join us to share both sides of this story: the initial chapter and the new chapter.The Line: www.the-line.orgUp With The Lark: www.upwiththelark.com
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Pelican House X Shrimps || Collaboration
An insight into collaboration with Pelican House X Shrimps. Why collaborate? How can we make it an enjoyable and effective process? How do we know whether it has 'worked' or not?Welcome to Up With The Lark And, a podcast for creative entrepreneurs hosted by me, Calandre Orton.In a world where technology shouts and AI feels mystifying, hopeful and threatening all at once, I find myself drawn ever more to understanding the human mind. In particular, how and why the human mind creates. Today we are lucky to explore a particular facet of that ability and desire to create which is the alchemy of creatives working together. It may feel that we live in the era of collaboration but we know that the creative partnership has always been an important part of the creative landscape. Today we are going to explore the various elements of collaborations. Who had the idea first? How do you approach someone? How can you know that it will be a good fit? How can you go about blending two creative disciplines? How do you develop great communication? How do you handle the nitty gritty of cash, contracts, risk and responsibilities? And, crucially, how do you measure success? Joining us are Hannah Weiland, founder of Shrimps, Isabella Valenzia, founder of Pelican House, and India Holmes, creative director of Pelican House. Pelican House is a design studio that exists to create unique rugs and homewear collections with a focus on craft, quality and makers. They are no strangers to collaborations having worked with Lucy Williams, Camilla Guinness and Barlow and Barlow. Shrimps is a British womenswear brand that has just the right wit, edge and warmth to earn it quite the cult following. They too are experienced collaborators having worked with a range of brands including Strathberry, Binibamba and Daisy. It is safe to say that these ladies know what they are talking about. Welcome to Up With The Lark And Pelican House and Shrimps. Pelican House: www.pelican-house.comShrimps: www.shrimps.comUp With The Lark: www.upwiththelark.com
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Xanthe Ross || The Art of Being A Beginner
A conversation with Xanthe Ross, chef, supper club host and food writer. We discuss the value and importance of being a beginner. Welcome to Up With the Lark, a podcast for creative entrepreneurs, hosted by me, Calandre Orton. This podcast captures conversations built on curiosity, optimism, and the nitty-gritty detail of what it actually takes to build a career, a business, an enterprise, or a charity in the arts or creative industries today. This is a topic I believe to be an essential tool in the life of creative entrepreneurship: the art of being a beginner.Whatever creative industry you work in, however long you have done so, or however masterful you have become at your craft, you should always be embracing something new. To explore this, we have Xanthe Ross. Xanthe is a chef, supper club host, and food writer.Her food story is one that has joy, togetherness, humility, and resilience woven in. From a rural childhood in a large family pulling carrots from the earth, to London and the fizz and adrenaline of supper clubs, the mastery of social media, and the adventure of writing a book. In all of it, it seems to me that Xanthe has remained true to herself.She has taken risks and shared her fears. She has been brave and shared her vulnerabilities. It is a lesson in resilience and the reality of what it really takes. I'm very much looking forward to hearing her story, and I hope we will be prompted to keep embracing the value of being a beginner.Xanthe RossUp With The Lark
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1:07:45
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Daydress || India
A conversation about Indian design, style and approach to retail with Gabby Deeming founder of Daydress. 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 third in our series of interviews with entrepreneurs working in and influenced by a variety of countries and cultures. And so today, India. A place of vitality and vibrancy, an ancient, beautiful and spiritual country, hot and hectic and laced with entrepreneurship.To guide us safely and joyfully through the streets of Jaipur is Gabby Deeming, founder of Daydress. Daydress began with a single blockprint shirt dress. And every dress that has been made since carries that sense of pattern, delight, simplicity, confidence and elegance. These aren’t dresses that are forgotten or bored of, they are treasured and collect memories in their swishing skirts.Gabby previously worked at House and Garden. A work trip to India bought unexpected change to her professional path. A block print, a dress, a realisation, a revelation; Daydress was born. After time juggling both House & Garden and Daydress, the fork in the road beckoned and Gabby committed to Daydress full time. The block printing, the femininity, the quality, the independence and purity of her style has enticed a loyal and delightful client base. She now splits her time between the UK and Jaipur and so is beautifully placed to discuss the Indian approach to design, to style, to retail and to doing business.I imagine that Gabby’s joyful outlook and her lightness of touch mean that even working on cashflow and shipping is an elegant act as she sits bedecked in one of her beautiful designs. Anyone who takes an idea and brings it to reality, anyone who takes risks continually, anyone who is committed to their own aesthetic, anyone who does so with charm and grace, that’s the best story to hear.So welcome to Up With The Lark and Daydress. Gabby told me that she finished her work day at dusk on her farm outside Jaipur listening to the evening temple drums – I do hope that wherever you end your day, Gabby’s insights and encouragements with echo for you.Daydress: www.daydress.co.uk
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Nancy Nicholson || Creative Mentality || Working Alone
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
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1:17:38
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1:17:38