It Runs In The Family

Hello! We're Liz & Leila Willingham and welcome to "It Runs In The Family". We're the mother and daughter duo working within the public relations and communications agency, Liz Lean PR. Running a business is hard - really hard. Every business has its challenges and it's own ups and downs - but in a family business, this is often exaggerated by the willingness to speak your mind. But it also has some huge advantages that the corporate cultures just can't compete with. In this podcast, featuring a different family business guest in each episode, we're going to be digging into the stories, values and traditions of other family and multi-generational businesses. We'll explore their history, learnings and how they've developed through the generations and the unique advantages they've had over their competitors. We discover where human relationship migrates into business; the ups, downs, twists, turns and landmark moments that seal the fate of these fascinating organisations. You’ll get to hear some brilliant life stories too; some to make you laugh and others that’ll warm your heart. Many of our clients are family businesses who we've worked very closely with over a number of years - we've heard brilliant stories that reveal true values and fun operating as a family business. We want you to feel inspired by stories of others, find their honesty relatable and reach out to us with your own experiences. If you have any questions for future guests, have a story of your own or have any feedback please do feel free to get in touch on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itrunsinthefamilypodcast/

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It Runs In The Family

Blending Legacy with Evolution in a Beloved Blackburn Brand with Graham & Brown’s Andrew and Iona Graham #104

February 05, 2025 • Liz & Leila Willingham • Episode 104

There’s an art to family businesses, and if it’s mastered half as well as Graham & Brown have mastered their wallpaper designs, they’ll be thriving for generations to come.

The 4th gen is now firmly in place, thanks to Iona and the watchful eye of her father Andrew, and they join us on It Runs In The Family this week to share their long-term perspective, the respect for legacy design, and whether they share the same taste within the family…

This episode covers:

Unique challenges and benefits that Andrew and Iona have found when working alongside family
Graham & Brown’ rich 79-year history, and blending the brand’s legacy with innovation
The Blackburn community’s importance to the brand, and their sense of responsibility
Taking a no-pressure approach to inviting family members into the business

Andrew Graham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-graham-mbe-a9484418/

Iona Graham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iona-graham/

Graham & Brown: https://www.grahambrown.com/uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/graham-&-brown/

https://www.instagram.com/grahamandbrown/

Liz Willingham: https://www.instagram.com/lizzielean/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-willingham-09273a3/
Leila Willingham: https://www.instagram.com/leilawillingham/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leila-willingham-821530a1/

People on this episode

Leila Willingham

Co-host

Liz Willingham

Co-host