Yours For The Making with Robin Johnson

Robin Johnson sits down with Sam Wills, a soulful vocalist and independent artist from Hastings whose song Traingazing recently hit 100 million streams. Sam grew up in Surrey, moved to Hastings at 13, and cut his teeth playing covers in local pubs and restaurants before developing one of the most distinctive falsettos in British soul music. In this episode, Sam talks honestly about what it takes to build a music career from the ground up without a major label: the four years it took to make his album Breathe, the battle with imposter syndrome, the grind of social media, the reality of streaming income, and what it means to hear your song played by DJ Jazzy Jeff in Ibiza.
He also shares the story of building a cabin in the woods by hand using pallet wood, why he started making fruit wine, and what he is planning for album number three. This is a conversation about creativity, obsession, staying independent and finding your own path as an artist.

Key Topics Covered:
How growing up in Hastings and its live music scene shaped Sam's confidence and stage craft
Sam's first gig at Pissarros playing Arctic Monkeys covers and the years of pub and restaurant performances that followed
Reaching 100 million streams on Train Gazing and how that milestone sits alongside imposter syndrome
What Sam's musical style actually sounds like: soulful harmonies, folk, hip-hop, R&B and jazz influences
The four years it took to make the album Breathe and the emotional stagnation that inspired it
Why the album tells a cohesive story from start to finish and how listeners have connected with it
Being independent: label services deals, creative control, forming your own team and staying out of the major label system
The reality of social media for independent musicians: 80% of working time, perfectionism, and the fear of being left behind

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Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.
Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.
Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.
Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:
00:00 Robin introduces Sam Wills and the context of a Hastings music scene that gave him the space to develop
01:03 Sam moved to Hastings at 13 and within months was playing his first gig at Pissarros doing Arctic Monkeys and Craig David covers
03:13 Why Hastings is genuinely unique for live music: any night of the week, any part of the Old Town, there is always music somewhere
04:51 Traingazing hits 100 million streams and Sam reflects on what that number actually means
05:21 Why numbers do not define success but do help when imposter syndrome and self-doubt creep in
07:40 Sam describes his musical style: soulful at its core, drifting between folk, hip-hop, R&B and jazz
11:13 Why Breathe took nearly four years to make and how a period of stagnation became its emotional foundation
14:27 Why being a musician now means being a marketer, content creator and social media strategist as much as a songwriter
21:51 Sam's musical influences: D'Angelo, Michael Jackson, Jeff Buckley, Bonnie Raitt, Frank Ocean, Justin Timberlake and Chet Baker
23:34 How a single connection in Hamburg led to a festival show in Taiwan and the discovery of a strong listening base across Southeast Asia
25:27 Using Spotify and Apple artist dashboards to track listeners by location and how Sam plans to tour East and Southeast Asia
27:44 The economics of streaming: a fraction of a penny per play and what 100 million streams would have been worth in the CD era
32:46 The British soul community: Jordan Rakei, Tom Misch, Olivia Dean and why artists competing for the same ears often make each other stronger
40:59 How Sam started building a cabin in the woods from pallet wood while making Breathe and why the physical project kept him sane
54:32 On the danger of chasing the next thing versus appreciating the journey and taking stock of progress
58:08 Why making an album requires obsession, belief and the willingness to keep pushing a boulder uphill
1:03:29 Advice for anyone wanting to start a music career: invest in self marketing, absorb the music you love, replicate to learn, get obsessed and keep making

Robin Johnson sits down with Christopher Kentish and Oliver Reimann, the co-founders of Frontier Oak, a bespoke green oak timber framing company based in Sussex. Chris came to the craft after a career in film production, introduced to it through his father-in-law's green oak company. Ollie, who studied advertising and marketing and met Chris at the age of 13, joined him in 2018 after working in production and photography. Together they have built Frontier Oak from the ground up, taking on everything from residential extensions, orangeries, and garden rooms to three-bay garages and contemporary pottery studios. Their ethos is straightforward: 100% bespoke, fully handcrafted, and managed end-to-end from groundworks to final finish.
In this episode they talk honestly about what it takes to run a small craft business, why they refuse CNC machines, how they handle green oak's unique challenges, what the future of timber framing looks like, and why they are planning to take on apprentices to keep the craft alive.
Key Topics Covered
What green oak timber framing actually involves and why it has been done the same way for hundreds of years
How Chris and Ollie each found their way into the trade from completely unrelated careers
The bread and butter of Frontier Oak's work: residential extensions, orangeries, garden rooms and standalone buildings
Why green oak clients are a different type of customer and what drives them to choose timber over brick and mortar
The environmental case for green oak construction and the barriers to using fully sustainable building materials
The technical challenge of working with green oak: movement, tolerances, pre-fitting frames and getting them to site fast
How CAD design fits into a traditional craft workflow without compromising the handmade approach
Plans for oak framing workshops and apprenticeships, and the responsibility of passing the craft to the next generation
The unwritten rules around apprentices in traditional trades like thatching and farriery

Enjoying the show?
Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.
Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.
Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.
Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:
00:00 Robin introduces Chris and Ollie and frames green oak framing as the craft every woodworker imagines
00:31 Chris fell into oak framing after film production, starting with two weeks helping his father-in-law
01:24 Ollie and Chris met at 13, both ended up in production and photography before Ollie joined the tools in 2018
08:25 The bread and butter of Frontier Oak: extensions, conservatories, garden rooms, garages and orangeries
11:53 The stigma around timber-framed buildings in the UK mortgage market and the environmental case for greener building materials
21:38 Modern volume house building versus Frontier Oak's ethos: quality over quantity on structures built to last centuries
31:59 Why Frontier Oak will not use CNC machines and why handcrafted frames are the whole point
35:20 How they manage green oak movement: pre-fitting every frame in the workshop before getting it to site fast
41:44 The honest reality of running a small business: admin, late nights and the gap between production time and everything else
50:33 Why managing all subcontractors from groundworks to plastering is their biggest challenge and their biggest selling point
57:11 The best part of the job: watching clients see their frame go up for the first time
1:07:14 Why passing the craft on is a real responsibility and their plans to take on an apprentice next year
1:11:15 Advice to their 18-year-old selves: use your 20s to try things rather than committing too early to the wrong path

Robin Johnson sits down with Jeff McGurty, founder and owner of D&P Upholstery in Gateshead, one of the North East's most established bespoke upholstery businesses. Jeff built his company from a one-man band operating out of evenings and weekends into a seven-person team with a brand new, five times larger workshop in Team Valley. In this episode, Jeff and Robin pull back the curtain on the upholstery trade: a craft that is simultaneously a dark art, a dying art, and a business full of genuine opportunity for those who approach it with curiosity and commercial instinct.
They cover the nuts and bolts of running a split commercial and domestic upholstery operation, the frustrations of dealing with premium fabric suppliers, the smart play of building a client base through interior designers, and the calculated growth decisions that took Jeff from moonlighting in a small unit to leading a team and developing a new product range under his own brand, Forme. If you work in the trades, run a craft business, or simply love hearing how skilled makers build real businesses from raw skill, this episode delivers.
Key Topics Covered
The realities of running a bespoke upholstery business in the UK today
Why targeting interior designers is one of the smartest growth strategies in the trades
The frustrations of dealing with high-end fabric suppliers and why cheaper fabrics often outperform expensive ones
How Jeff grew DNP Upholstery by buying an existing business, retaining its staff, and scaling it up
The role of AI visualisation software in transforming how designers and clients spec upholstery projects
The modular sofa system that allows Jeff to offer 20 different designs without building 20 different sofas
The honest truth about taking on apprentices and the rising cost of employing people
Why hiring a floor manager was the single biggest change that unlocked business growth
The decline of British furniture manufacturing and what the upholstery trade looks like today
Plans for upholstery workshops open to the public and why they double as a powerful marketing tool
Jeff's advice for anyone wanting to get into upholstery as a career

Enjoying the show?
Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.
Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.
Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.
Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:
00:00 Robin introduces Jeff McGurty and opens with the idea of upholstery as a dark art, hidden craft work that disguises whatever sits beneath it
01:30 Jeff breaks down the 50/50 split between domestic re-upholstery and commercial bespoke seating, and how subcontracting frame-making keeps the operation lean
02:35 The pair dig into the absurdity of dealing with premium fabric suppliers: week-long quotes, discontinued stock, and bureaucratic trade account processes that slow down real work
04:12 Jeff compares expensive fabrics to designer brands and explains why mid-range fabrics with strong rub-test results often do a better job
05:59 Jeff's origin story: Sports Science, two weeks of work experience as a PE teacher, and a summer job that changed everything
08:11 The business decision that shaped Jeff's early growth: building relationships with interior designers rather than chasing direct-to-consumer work
11:49 How Jeff ended up working above one of his interior designer clients, and the move that eventually led him to buy DNP Upholstery from its retiring founders Derek and Pam
14:55 Jeff reveals the new modular sofa range being developed under the Form brand, including AI-powered fabric visualisation software built for trade-only use
18:11 The clever modular arm system that lets Jeff show 20 distinct sofa designs using a single seat and back unit with interchangeable arms
21:07 Robin's honest account of buying a sofa online and why he will never do it again
23:39 The best cushion filling? Jeff argues for a foam core with a feather wrap: structure without the sag
24:27 Jeff's most unusual project: a Chesterfield sofa made entirely from Paul Collingwood's cricket jerseys, each diamond panel featuring a different team badge
27:29 Why employing people remains the hardest part of running the business, and what went wrong with previous apprentices
29:08 A frank conversation about rising National Insurance contributions, minimum wage pressures, and the real cost of employment for small trade businesses
33:52 The turning point: bringing on a business manager freed Jeff from admin and let him focus entirely on pricing and growth
40:57 Introducing Forme: Jeff's new consumer brand, built around a British racing green and gold identity, with a trade website and AI fabric visualisation tool
43:16 Jeff's advice for anyone wanting to get into upholstery: knock on doors, find the local hot spots, and stay curious
50:43 Why TV programmes like The Repair Shop have helped raise public awareness and appreciation of upholstery as a craft
51:06 Jeff announces plans for monthly public upholstery workshops at the new Team Valley premises

Robin Johnson speaks with furniture designer Katie Walker and designer Charlie Dedman about the collaboration behind Meon Furniture and the realities of modern British furniture making. The conversation explores design for manufacture, steam bending ash timber, CNC machining, sustainable forestry and the business decisions behind heirloom furniture. They discuss the shift from studio craft to batch production, the value of workshop knowledge, and the importance of constant product improvement through feedback and testing. The episode also examines the role of British timber, the impact of ash dieback on forestry, and the challenge of building furniture that will last for decades rather than years.
Key Topics Covered
Furniture design collaboration between Katie Walker and Charlie Dedman
The launch and vision of the Meon Furniture brand
Steam bending ash timber in chair making
Design for manufacture and batch production
CNC machining in modern furniture workshops
British ash timber and the impact of ash dieback
Sustainable furniture production and responsible forestry
B Corp certification and ethical manufacturing
Furniture product development and continuous improvement
The difference between studio craft and commercial manufacturing
Building heirloom furniture designed to last generations

Enjoying the show?
Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.
Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.
Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.
Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction to Katie Walker and Charlie Dedman
01:23 Origins of the Meon Furniture collaboration
02:15 Katie Walker’s design education and Royal College background
07:23 Designing furniture for CNC manufacture
10:33 Learning woodworking skills through hands on training
13:48 Steam bending ash timber for chair design
17:21 Why ash timber is used for interior furniture
18:52 British ash, forestry and ash dieback
23:17 The history and reputation of Gaze Burvill furniture
29:11 Designing joinery that reduces manufacturing time
31:33 Designing sculptural furniture versus designing for production
37:35 Product development and improving furniture over time
41:27 Designing heirloom furniture built to last generations
45:26 Launch strategy for Meon Furniture
49:12 Why chair making is one of the hardest furniture disciplines
50:48 Advice to younger designers entering the craft industry

In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson speaks with Barnaby Ash and Dru Plumb of Plumb and Ash about their rise from garage woodturning to exhibiting at TEFAF New York. They discuss Greco Roman influences, sculptural wood vessels, working with green oak, embracing cracks and stitch work, targeting high end galleries, and building a profitable craft business through strategy, research and relentless refinement.
Key Topics Covered
• Woodturning and contemporary wood sculpture
• Greco Roman classicism and design history influence
• Storytelling in art and craft practice
• Working with green oak, cracks and natural movement
• Stitching wood vessels and visible mending techniques
• Transition from craft fairs to international art fairs
• Targeting high end galleries and collectors
• Pricing strategy and value in the art market
• Creative partnership and studio roles
• Burnout, pressure and creative flow state
• Building a sustainable craft business in the UK
• Future plans including blacksmithing and workshop expansion
Enjoying the show?
Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.
Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.
Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.
Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.
Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction to Plumb and Ash and their sculptural woodturning
01:06 Greco Roman influences and design research
03:17 Storytelling, symbolism and emotional impact in sculpture
08:46 Starting out with a second hand lathe and garage workshop
16:18 Moving from functional objects to sculptural vessels
17:48 Targeting high end galleries and strategic growth
22:24 Pressure, ambition and creative risk
25:01 Division of roles in a creative partnership
27:32 Working with green oak, cracks and stitched repairs
34:55 Complex sculptural handles and pushing technical limits
38:43 Milestones including Collect, museum acquisitions and TEFAF
51:13 Plans for a new woodland workshop
56:05 Burnout, deadlines and creative obsession
59:51 Making work that feels beyond your own ability
01:00:57 Advice to their eighteen year old selves