
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/
Episodes
110 episodes
By Royal Decree: The Kids’ Clothing Brand Fit For a (Future) King with Rachel and Rose Riley #108
When Prince George was crowned on GQ’s ‘Best Dressed Men’ list aged 4, it’s in no small part to this week’s guests, Rachel and Rose Riley!Rachel created her namesake clothing brand for children, and both she and her daughter are committe...
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Episode 108
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49:57

TLC Sport: The Clothing Company Behind 4 Decades of Iconic Empowerment with Sara Hanna and Charlotte Ayoub #107
At the heart of the TLC Sport story are a mother and daughter whose passion for empowering the women who wear their clothing is felt in every thread…The mission remains just the same now as when they were founded in 1984, for their custo...
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Episode 107
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59:14

Generational Lessons on the Whole Family Business Lifecycle with Gary & Lucy Beckwith #106
Gary Beckwith has had an extraordinary business journey, one from which every generation of any family firm can learn…From firing his father in order to grow the business, to working with his children, to maintaining a love for his busin...
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Episode 106
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1:11:22

Behind the Scenes of the First B-Corp Cheesemaker with Sharpham Dairy’s Greg & Nicky Parsons #105
Sharpham Dairy is the UK’s first B-Corp cheesemaker, a seemingly daunting challenge, but as a family business, the B-Corp values were already their own…Cheesemaking at Sharpham began over 40 years ago, and the story written by current ow...
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Episode 105
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54:49

Blending Legacy with Evolution in a Beloved Blackburn Brand with Graham & Brown’s Andrew and Iona Graham #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 wa...
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Episode 104
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49:14

The Heart and Handmade Care Behind Coca Cola’s New Mentee with Bumble & Goose’s Director, Lynsey Bleakley #103
We’ve yet another Northern Irish-based family brand to bring you, this time in the form of luxury bakehouse Bumble & Goose, whose care and handmade quality are second to none.There are few Founders more deserving of such success as ...
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Episode 103
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53:38

The Inside Scoop on 5 Generations of Ice Cream with Arnaldo and Daniela Morelli #102
Morelli Ice Cream’s humble beginnings lie with Peter, one of nine brothers, and several generations later the business thrives with four siblings writing its legacy.Taking us behind the innovative flavours and their stellar supermarket ...
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Episode 102
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47:11

The Recipe for Centuries of Success with Stokes Tea & Coffee’s Nick Peel and Emma Olivier-Townrow #101
Before Starbucks in 1971 came the first coffee shop in 1919… and decades before that, Robert Stokes launched a brand which would span centuries.Now under 4th generation leadership with great-grandson Nick, the Stokes Tea & Coffee bra...
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Episode 101
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49:05

The Quintessential Family Business Story with Barker Group’s Former-MD, Matthew Barker #100
Welcome to our 100th episode of It Runs In The Family, and what a celebration we have for you - we present the quintessential family business story.Matthew Barker’s journey with the family firm is a thrilling ride that pulls on the hear...
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Episode 100
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1:14:09
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Capturing Children’s Creativity Across the Generations with Le Toy Van’s Steve and Marie Le Van #99
As parents, working in such a family-oriented field is bound to blur lines between work and home - such a line is one that the Le Van family walk effortlessly…Steve Le Van is the 2nd generation leader of Le Toy Van, working in complemen...
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Episode 99
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44:26

The Farmhouse Family Behind Award-Winning Dairy with Graham’s Family Dairy’s Dr Robert Graham and Carol Graham #98
Dr Robert Graham’s story begins in a farmhouse, being born just one year after the inception of the business he’d go on to live and breathe.Graham’s Family Dairy is over 70 years strong, and farming runs firmly in the family’s lineage, ...
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Episode 98
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1:01:38

The Art of Perfecting PR & Reputation in Family Business with LLPR’s Liz and Leila Willingham #97
We were delighted to speak about growing family businesses through PR and reputation at the Northern Ireland Family Business Forum - wouldn’t you love to be a fly on the wall for that?Luckily, this episode of ‘It Runs In The Family’ is ...
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Episode 97
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22:01

The Heart Behind Headhunting with Nurole’s Susie, Ned and Oliver Cummings #96
Susie Cumming’s first venture into headhunting unveiled an awareness of the greatness that could be achieved when the whole family combines their skills…Combining her entrepreneurialism with the creativity and analysis of sons Ned and O...
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Episode 96
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54:24

Why You Should Build a Purpose-Driven, Selfless Business with Millwood’s Co-Owner, Matt Wood #95
Millwood is the only, and therefore the #1 B Corp in its field. For most, that’d be the dream, but Co-Owner Matt Wood wishes for the opposite…That might sound counterintuitive, but for a business leader whose drive is purpose and impact...
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Episode 95
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59:42

The Family Flavour Behind The Avenue Cookery School’s Life-Changing Classes with Diana Horsford, Richard Horsford & Sophie Shalgi #94
The Avenue Cookery School has left its imprint on countless aspiring chefs, thanks in no small part to the full force of the Horsford family behind it.Diana was joined by her children Richard and Sophie, who have elevated the school to ...
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Episode 94
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1:03:56

Building on the Legacy of a Century-Old Brand with Company Director of Stackers, Chloe Pestell #93
4 generations have seen a clock business with royalty among its customers become an iconic household name, and it’s Chloe Pestell at the helm of the 102 year old brand.Stackers was born of parent company LC Designs, and with so much of ...
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Episode 93
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46:35
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Finding Power in Purpose with Humanness’ Co-Founders, Quinn Stainfield-Bruce and Duncan Bruce #92
There is no traditional dynamic between the Co-Founders of Humanness, but the way the father-son duo thrive together is an extraordinary story.With a strive for purpose and contentment at their core, Quinn Stainfield-Bruce and his fathe...
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Episode 92
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1:06:37
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Improving on Perfection Between Every Generation with Sustainit Solutions’ CEO, Pip Stockford #91
Sustainit Solutions exists thanks to the forward-thinking nature of its Founder - no wonder its 2nd gen CEO is just as cognizant of the family firm’s future…Pip Stockford is this week’s special guest, and as one of the first families to...
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Episode 91
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55:00
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The Complicated Art of Succession Planning with Frettens Solicitors’ Matthew Fretten #90
Nothing can test a family bond quite like being in business together, a gauntlet run by the two generations who’ve helmed Frettens Solicitors.Matthew Fretten is a Managing Partner whose path saw him join his father’s firm (the manner of...
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Episode 90
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1:07:10

Love in Every Bottle: The Care in Crafting a Family Firm with G&I Spirits Group’s Simon & Gina Duke #89
If you could bottle up the ingredients to entrepreneurship, it’d be best sold in the loving, careful hands of Simon & Gina Duke…The mentality passed down through the Duke family is so key to the success of G&I Spirit Grou...
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Episode 89
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56:21

The Family Toy Firm Playing the Long Game with Casdon’s MD, Phil Cassidy #88
Dyson, DeLonghi, Kenwood - while the adults play with the real thing, Casdon’s decades-long mission has been inspiring joy through iconic toys.Role-play is such an inspiring part of kids’ childhoods, and at the head of the business brin...
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Episode 88
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41:25

How to Build a Brand to Stand the Test of Time with Wagstaff Watches’ Peter Foster #87
Wagstaff Watches’ Founder was many things; a countryman, farmer, and to the custodians over 100 years later, a passionate and inspiring watchmaker.Albert Wagstaff’s legacy is one which remains in safe hands, thanks to his grandson and g...
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Episode 87
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51:16

World-Renowned Wine from Second-Gen Siblings: The Story Behind Ridgeview Wine Estate with Simon & Tamara Roberts #86
When you take charge of your parents’ business, validation comes in many forms - few are quite as strong as winning ‘International Winemaker of the Year’, the first English wine to do so…Despite the heartfelt challenges of the mid-2010s...
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Episode 86
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53:06

The Powerful Pivot Behind the UK’s First Female-Led BCorp Caterers with Ali and Emily Warburton, Co-Founders of Pow Foods #85
2020 put the events space in jeopardy; One pivot, and Pow Food found its feet in style.Ali & Emily Warburton’s business story starts with a mission to revolutionise workplace food, and has evolved into a home range that embodies the...
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Episode 85
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48:28

From Family Recipe to Household Name: The Fascinating Story Behind Banhoek Chilli Oil with Co-Founders, Ken Kinsey-Quick and Adi Meintjes #84
Around 70% of businesses start off at home, and from humble beginnings in Adi Meintjes’ kitchen, the deliciously captivating Banhoek Chilli Oil was born.He and his brother-in-law, Ken Kinsey-Quick, have global aspirations for a brand th...
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Episode 84
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40:07
