George Curl, founder of Aspects Bespoke, joins Robin Johnson to share the realities of building a successful bespoke furniture and cabinet making business. From painting and decorating jobs and handyman work to running a specialist workshop creating high end fitted furniture, George explains how practical experience, social media marketing, strong client relationships and continuous learning have shaped his journey.

George discusses the challenges of pricing bespoke projects, training apprentices, finding reliable staff, and balancing creative ambition with commercial reality. He also reveals why Instagram has become one of the most powerful tools for attracting clients, building trust and showcasing craftsmanship.

For furniture makers, cabinet makers, woodworkers, joiners, tradespeople and creative business owners, this conversation offers an honest look at what it takes to grow a workshop, build a reputation and create work that stands out.

Key Topics Covered

• Building a bespoke furniture business from scratch
• Moving from general construction into cabinet making
• The importance of having a dedicated workshop
• Growing a team and training apprentices
• Pricing bespoke furniture and custom joinery projects
• Why social media matters for furniture makers
• Using Instagram to attract ideal clients
• Building relationships with interior designers
• Learning new skills including veneering and specialist techniques
• Managing mistakes, setbacks and project challenges
• The value of Google reviews and local search
• Creating a reputation for high quality craftsmanship
• Business growth in the furniture making industry

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 George Curl's journey into furniture making

02:43 Learning through construction, carpentry and refurbishment

08:20 Taking the leap into a dedicated workshop

10:45 Building a team and hiring apprentices

13:24 Finding a niche through unique bespoke projects

19:08 The challenge of pricing custom furniture

24:18 Educating clients on quality and craftsmanship

34:22 Why workshops and showrooms help win projects

35:35 How Instagram attracts the right clients

38:08 Building strong supplier relationships

40:10 Learning veneering and specialist skills

42:12 Training staff through real projects

52:26 Advice to an 18 year old entrepreneur

55:01 Can a furniture business survive without social media?

57:18 Marketing traditional craftsmanship in a digital world

01:02:07 Future plans and business growth

What makes someone choose one creative business over another? In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with filmmakers Sam Christmas and Agatha Appleton-Sas, founders of True Story, to explore the power of personal storytelling, brand films, creative identity and human connection.

Sam and Agatha share how True Story was born during Covid from a desire to tell meaningful human stories rather than help large companies sell products. Together they discuss the process behind creating Johnson Bespoke's new brand film, the importance of discovering what makes a business unique, and why personal stories create trust in ways traditional marketing cannot.

The conversation explores creative entrepreneurship, filmmaking, branding, authenticity, client relationships, the impact of AI on creative industries and why human stories are becoming increasingly valuable. Sam and Agatha also share advice for young creatives, lessons from their own careers and their belief that human connection will remain the foundation of successful creative businesses.

Key Topics Covered

• How True Story was created during Covid
• Why storytelling matters more than traditional marketing
• The discovery process behind a powerful brand film
• How personal stories attract better clients
• Building trust through authenticity and transparency
• Why creative businesses should lead with people, not services
• The role of filmmaking in branding and business growth
• Human connection in an AI driven world
• Creativity, confidence and overcoming fear of failure
• Advice for creatives building their own business

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 Why Sam started True Story during Covid

03:15 Meeting Agatha and building a creative partnership

08:09 Robin's experience creating a brand film

17:19 Why personal storytelling creates trust

21:58 The power of human centred filmmaking

25:01 How the film changed Robin's confidence in his business

27:27 Why people buy into people before products

31:15 Storytelling versus competing on price

38:27 The process behind creating a brand film

43:27 Why editing takes far longer than people realise

51:15 AI, creativity and the future of human storytelling

58:30 Human connection in a technology driven world

01:04:35 Advice for young creatives

01:09:02 Where to find True Story

What does it take to build a barbershop that clients actively recommend, industry leaders recognise, and customers keep returning to?

In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with Maxwell Oakley, co founder of Supply 91 Barbers Extraordinaire, to explore how a small lockdown startup grew into one of London's most respected barbershop brands.

Maxwell shares the story behind Supply 91, from opening a tiny Islington shop with furniture from Ikea and very little cash, to winning GQ Barber of the Year and expanding across London. The conversation explores customer experience, hospitality, business growth, staff training, company culture, leadership, client retention, marketing, data, and the realities of scaling a service based business.

Along the way, Maxwell discusses working with celebrity clients, why listening is the most underrated business skill, the importance of hiring for attitude, and how strong systems help creative businesses grow without losing their identity.

If you run a creative business, work in hospitality, own a salon or barbershop, or want to understand how customer experience drives growth, this episode offers practical insight from someone building one of the most talked about brands in the industry.

Key Topics Covered

• Building Supply 91 during lockdown
• Growing from one barbershop to four London locations
• Winning GQ Barber of the Year
• Why listening creates loyal customers
• Customer experience and hospitality lessons
• Hiring for attitude over technical skill
• Creating a strong company culture
• Training barbers and developing talent
• Using customer data and retention metrics
• Expanding a premium service business
• Celebrity clients and cutting famous faces
• Launching a new hair product for men

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 How Supply 91 started during lockdown

02:34 Winning GQ Barber of the Year

03:53 The secret behind customer loyalty

08:05 Why craft fundamentals matter

13:43 Growing from one shop to four locations

15:30 Creating a premium experience for men

16:40 Why barbershops build community

21:45 Hospitality lessons every business should learn

25:26 Building culture through onboarding and training

31:10 Hiring attitude over skill

33:10 Scaling a business without outside investment

39:05 Why every business needs a great accountant

42:00 Risk taking and business growth

48:38 Using customer data to make better decisions

50:45 The power of client retention

55:02 Working with celebrity clients

59:34 Advice for his 18 year old self

01:00:43 The future of Supply 91 and new product launches

Potter Lulu Jacobs joins Robin Johnson to discuss leaving a career in branding and marketing to pursue pottery full time. Lulu shares how a short course at Turning Earth turned into a full creative obsession, leading her to build a pottery business from a garden studio while raising a young family. The conversation explores the emotional highs and crushing failures of ceramics, the reality of selling handmade pottery, the pressure of social media, and the challenge of balancing creative freedom with commercial work. Lulu also talks openly about working with difficult black clay, building an audience online without becoming fake, and why bravery matters more than confidence when building a creative career.

Key Topics Covered

• Leaving marketing to pursue pottery full time
• Learning ceramics through Turning Earth
• Building a pottery studio at home
• Why social media feels uncomfortable for makers
• Authenticity and community on Instagram
• The challenge of working with black clay
• Glaze chemistry and kiln failures
• Selling handmade pottery profitably
• Restaurant commissions and wholesale pottery
• The impact of The Great Pottery Throw Down
• Functional pottery versus art pottery
• Creative risk taking and overcoming fear
• Pottery as escapism and meditation
• Imposter syndrome in creative industries

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 Leaving branding and discovering pottery

01:27 The Turning Earth course that changed everything

02:40 Learning pottery privately through failure

03:58 Building an authentic pottery audience online

05:57 The nightmare and beauty of black clay

10:50 Growing up around pottery studios and kilns

15:18 Why pottery feels addictive

18:30 Opening the kiln at midnight

20:35 The financial reality of handmade pottery

23:35 Landing a first restaurant commission

26:58 The impact of The Great Pottery Throw Down

35:15 Pottery as escapism and meditation

42:24 Creative freedom versus commercial work

46:56 Florian Gadsby and the pottery creator economy

49:07 Pottery content creators and social media culture

58:32 Advice to her 18 year old self

Helen Welch, founder of the London School of Furniture Making, joins Robin Johnson for a direct conversation about teaching craftsmanship, surviving as a maker, and why furniture making still attracts people desperate to work with their hands instead of staring at screens all day. Helen reflects on leaving school early, training as a carpenter and joiner in 1980s London, and eventually building a furniture school that now teaches joinery, steam bending, furniture design, carving, and specialist woodworking skills in Camden.

The conversation explores the reality of making a living in furniture making, the financial barriers facing young makers, the decline in apprenticeships, and why business knowledge matters just as much as craftsmanship. Helen also shares her thoughts on resin tables, Nakashima furniture, teaching for over 30 years, and why many people entering woodworking today are searching for something more meaningful than office work and finance careers.

Key Topics Covered

• Why Helen left furniture making for teaching
• Building the London School of Furniture Making from evening classes
• Apprenticeships in carpentry and joinery during the 1980s
• Why furniture making businesses struggle financially
• The rise of finance workers entering woodworking
• Steam bending, Kumiko, carving, and specialist furniture courses
• Why resin river tables became so popular
• George Nakashima and authentic furniture design
• The challenge of making affordable solid wood furniture
• Why many people use woodworking to escape screen based work
• How apprenticeships have changed in Britain
• The importance of business knowledge for makers
• Why passion matters in craftsmanship
• Balancing teaching, creativity, and family life

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 Helen Welch on building the London School of Furniture Making

02:03 From carpentry apprentice to furniture teacher

05:31 Why making furniture for clients stopped being enjoyable

08:47 The courses taught at the furniture school

10:41 George Nakashima and the problem with resin tables

18:41 Why people are turning to woodworking again

20:18 Finance workers learning furniture making

23:42 Bringing specialist carving and Kumiko instructors into the school

30:11 The reality of earning a living as a furniture maker

33:38 Why furniture making is financially difficult

39:28 Why makers must understand business

40:26 Former students now running successful workshops

42:31 Expanding into a larger workshop in Camden

45:51 Why apprenticeships are no longer long enough

50:10 How great apprentices learn faster than everyone else

55:19 Advice Helen would give her 18 year old self

Robin Johnson sits down with furniture maker and designer Simon Thomas Pirie to discuss the reality of building a long term creative business in Britain. Simon shares his journey from studying fine art and discovering woodworking through Hook Park, to running a respected bespoke furniture workshop in Dorset for nearly three decades. The conversation explores furniture design, apprenticeships, CNC technology, kitchens, direct client work, workshop culture, scaling a creative business, and the pressure of balancing craftsmanship with commercial survival. Simon also reflects on leadership, hiring the right people, working with architects and interior designers, and why British furniture making struggles without proper industrial support.

Key Topics Covered

• Building a bespoke furniture business from scratch
• Hook Park and the influence of John Makepeace
• Fine art, furniture design, and creative career paths
• The reality of running a small workshop business
• Why direct client relationships matter
• Kitchens versus freestanding furniture projects
• CNC machines and modern furniture production
• Hiring apprentices and training young makers
• Workshop culture and team dynamics
• Expanding into larger workshop spaces
• British furniture making versus European manufacturing
• Creative burnout and staying inspired after 30 years
• Garden bench production and Chelsea Flower Show
• Working with architects and interior designers
• Legacy, craftsmanship, and long term creative work

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 Growing up around woodworking

01:41 Discovering furniture making

02:48 Learning at Hook Park

05:20 Teaching furniture design

08:25 Starting the workshop

10:14 The struggle of solo makers

11:30 Kitchens and commercial projects

16:30 Design influences and style

21:50 Expanding the workshop

26:36 CNC technology and production

31:42 Workshop culture and apprentices

50:45 Problems with creative education

58:59 Becoming a furniture maker

01:02:57 Bespoke furniture versus products

01:08:03 Recycled timber projects

01:09:02 Advice to his younger self

Robin Johnson sits down with sisters Clara and Rose Prince to discuss studying furniture making and textile design, navigating creative careers, and building a future in craft. Clara studies furniture making at West Dean College while Rose focuses on weaving and textiles at Chelsea College. They speak openly about the realities of creative education, student debt, apprenticeships, networking, exhibitions, and the pressure of entering industries where practical skills matter more than academic status. The conversation also explores collaboration, British manufacturing, women in craft industries, and why hands on work still matters in a digital world.

Key Topics Covered:

• Studying furniture making at West Dean College
• Learning weaving and textile design at Chelsea College
• Women entering male dominated craft industries
• Networking and building industry relationships through exhibitions
• Starting a creative career after university
• The reality of running a craft business
• Creative collaboration between furniture and textiles
• The financial pressure of university and student debt
• Why apprenticeships deserve more attention
• British manufacturing and sustainable production
• Using textiles to support dementia care and cognitive health
• Balancing creative ambition with practical industry experience

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 Clara and Rose Prince

00:43 Growing up in a creative and hands on family

02:22 Women entering furniture making and textile design

04:48 Supporting each other through creative education

05:53 Exhibitions and presenting work publicly

07:56 How university prepares students for industry

09:32 Plans after graduation and gaining industry experience

12:19 Collaboration ideas and future business ambitions

17:52 Balancing business goals with personal ambitions

21:43 Family influence and inherited craftsmanship

22:54 The cost of university and creative education

23:10 Apprenticeships versus university pathways

26:31 Textiles, dementia care, and cognitive health

29:23 British manufacturing and preserving craft industries

46:48 Advice to their younger selves

Robin Johnson speaks with Oliver Chalk, a self taught wood turner who rebuilt his career during the pandemic by following curiosity rather than a fixed plan. Starting with climbing holds and basic tools, Oliver moved into large scale sculptural woodwork, developing his own techniques through repetition and failure. He explains why surface, texture, and emotional response drive his work, how investing in the right tools changed his trajectory, and why process matters more than outcome when building a creative career.

Key Topics Covered

• Learning wood turning without formal training
• Building skill through experimentation and repetition
• Importance of investing in professional tools and maintaining them
• Developing a recognisable style through surface and texture
• Working with large scale timber and physical challenges
• Using natural materials for sustainability and longevity
• Creative philosophy focused on process and self expression
• Balancing risk, safety, and creativity in the workshop
• Why failure drives progress and skill development

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 Oliver Chalk and his wood turning work

00:46 Pandemic career shift and early experimentation

02:11 Learning wood turning through trial and error

06:57 Discovering surface texture and creative direction

09:30 Investing in tools and committing to the craft

10:10 Working with large scale timber and safety awareness

18:09 Moving from turning to sculptural carving techniques

22:49 Creative philosophy and finding purpose through making

29:21 Creativity as problem solving and pushing limits

34:23 Process over product and emotional connection to work

39:27 Exhibitions, galleries, and building a career

53:27 Advice on failure and continuous improvement