Work This Way

In this episode of Work This Way, Nikola Pottinger shares her journey from driving a Cadbury van to building and ultimately closing her own craft subscription business, Little Miss Sew'n'Sew. With honesty and reflection, Nikola talks about how ambition shaped her early career and the realities of balancing big goals with motherhood. She explores launching a fabric shop, pivoting into e-com...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, we sit down with Hanna Searle, a FOUNDRY team member whose journey has taken her from cruise ship stages to community building in FOUNDRY Eastbourne. Hanna shares what it was like growing up by the coast and spending years travelling the world as a professional singer at sea. When COVID brought the cruise industry to a halt, Hanna returned home to face...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, we sit down with Stuart McFadden, founder of Refundee, recording live from FOUNDRY Wandsworth in London. Stuart shares his career journey from studying law to working in financial services during the 2009 financial crisis, before experiencing the highs and lows of startup life at Monzo. After a short stint at NatWest, Stuart co-founded Refundee in 2021,...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, we talk with Matt Evans, co-founder of Garden Room Studio. Matt shares how he and his wife Elle combined their backgrounds in marine industries, photography, and design to create a business focused on stylish, functional garden and interior spaces. He reflects on the early challenges they faced, from launching the company shortly after their honeymoon t...

In this episode of Work This Way, host Adam Walker sits down with Adas Goldshtein-Coleman, a FOUNDRY Eastbourne member with an extraordinary life story. While most UK teenagers move straight into work or university, Adas took a very different path, completing two years of mandatory military service in the IDF after growing up in Israel. She opens up about her experiences living in Israel, her trav...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, Adam Walker sits down with George Meressa, founder of Clear Ads and member of FOUNDRY Poole. George shares his incredible journey, from challenging beginnings to building one of the leading Amazon advertising agencies in the world. He opens up about the bold risks that shaped his career, including sponsoring major events to connect with Amazon sellers a...

In this episode of Work This Way, Adam sits down with Karolina Ahmed — a dedicated midwife who transformed her career to become a successful aesthetics entrepreneur. Karolina opens up about her journey from emigrating from Lithuania to London at just 15, navigating cultural and language barriers, and pursuing her long-held ambition to work in midwifery. She speaks candidly about her fertility stru...

This week on Work This Way, Adam Walker interviews Callum Campbell, a dynamic young entrepreneur who has successfully launched a variety of business ventures, including student fight nights, drive-in cinemas during the pandemic, and TED Talk-style events in pubs across London. Originally from outside Glasgow and having studied in Edinburgh, Callum shares his story of moving to London for its vibra...

Sharon New, originally from Cape Town, South Africa, moved to the UK at the age of 12. After various roles in retail and recruitment, she brought a children's footwear brand named Toughies to the UK, and then created the successful brand Term Footwear. Despite facing challenges like a warehouse fire, Sharon navigated the company to success, culminating in a major partnership with Costco. Eventuall...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, Adam Walker interviews Chris Kane, co-founder of Greendale Construction, recording at FOUNDRY Poole in the Dolphin Centre. Chris shares his journey from co-founding the company in 1990 during a recession to working on landmark projects for clients like JP Morgan and the Royal Household. He discusses the challenges and successes of running a construction...

In this episode of Work This Way, recorded in FOUNDRY Wandsworth, Christel Cowdrey shares her extraordinary life story. Originally from Sweden, Christel discusses her family's pioneering business in cash registers, her upbringing, and her education in both Sweden and the UK. She details her experience raising fraternal twin boys through IVF, and their involvement as ambassadors of the FOUNDRY...

In this episode of Work This Way, recorded in FOUNDRY Wandsworth, Adam Walker, the host interviews Adam Howie, a resident and business owner at New Acres. Adam Howie shares his journey from living in Streatham to moving to New Acres, his experiences working on super yachts, and his transition into the marine engineering and yacht management business. He discusses his company, CalmerSeas, which pro...

In this episode of Work This Way, recorded at FOUNDRY Wandsworth in London, Adam interviews Pam D’Alessandro, a creative lead at Interaction. Pam shares insights into her background, including how her father's influence and her early exposure to design led her to a career in interior design. Pam discusses her professional journey, from internships in Montreal to working on significant project...

This episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY features Mark Masters, an advocate for community over competition. Mark shares his journey from feeling out of place in traditional corporate settings to creating 'You Are The Media,' a platform for marketing misfits. From his humble beginnings in Oakdale and academic setbacks, to his career in London’s agency world and eventual return to his home...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, filmed at FOUNDRY Walthamstow E17 in London, guest Kevin Sussat introduces ENVU Media, a marketing agency specialising in paid acquisition and retention for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands. Kevin discusses the importance of consistency in marketing messaging across the funnel and the rising costs of online advertising. He explains how ENVU Media works t...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY hosted by Adam Walker, guest James Palmer, a financial planner and tax advisor for tech industry clients, shares his unique journey of balancing a successful business with a fulfilling personal life. James recounts growing up as a twin in Winchester, facing family challenges, and the persistent peer competition with his brother Harry. His move to London,...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, host Adam Walker interviews Haydan Firth, a member of FOUNDRY Poole, who discusses his journey from a male dancer to a Fractional Head of People. Haydan shares his experiences working in different roles, including managing a phone shop and becoming a life coach. He elaborates on the value of hiring a Fractional Head of People for small businesses and th...

This episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY features Carmen Davies, the community manager for the Dolphin Shopping Centre, who shares her diverse career journey. Carmen's unique path includes roles as an NHS night receptionist, a motorbike training center worker, insurance seller, and a French oven company product manager. She moved from South Africa to Poole at 12 and lived in various places. C...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, Adam Walker speaks with Hatty Jackson, founder of the startup Troopr. Troopr is an online marketplace designed to centralise opportunities and support for the Armed Forces community in the UK. The platform helps veterans, military spouses, and reservists find jobs, training courses, events, and community groups. Hatty shares her journey from researching...

The episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY features Jake Mattock, a FOUNDRY member on a mission to row across the Indian Ocean for charity. Jake shares his journey from various career attempts, such as working as a personal trainer, sales, recruitment, and advertising, to his current mission in the sustainability space and his adventurous passion project. He recalls his past challenges, including a f...

In this episode of Work This Way by FOUNDRY, recorded at FOUNDRY Poole in Dorset, Carly Jermyn shares her journey from growing up in Poole and working in family businesses to studying in Wales and building a career in law. She discusses the unpredictable nature of entrepreneurship, how her family’s business background influenced her, and the challenges she faced as a legal secretary before discove...

In this episode of Work This Way by Foundry, host Adam Walker interviews Hanri Van der Merwe, a South African entrepreneur who operates several F45 fitness studios in London. Hanri shares her journey from accounting to fitness, overcoming challenges in the franchise world, and the growth of F45 in the UK. She highlights the importance of creating a non-intimidating, scalable fitness environment ac...

This episode of Work This Way features an insightful conversation with Tom Fielder, co-founder of Switchplane, a tech company based in Eastbourne. Tom shares the history of Switchplane, from its humble beginnings in a bedroom to its growth into a tech powerhouse. He explains the company's focus on integrating disparate systems to help businesses manage data centrally. Tom also discusses how S...

Yasser, also known as the Jazzman, narrates his transition from an engineering background to a 13-year teaching career and eventually to entrepreneurship. He co-founded Cove17, a unique barbershop in Waltham Forest blending barbering with culture and community activism. The conversation touches on the evolution of local high streets, the intricate systems behind running a business, and Yasser&apos...

In this episode of Work This Way, host Adam Walker interviews Rhys Harris, an entrepreneur who transitioned from working within a large organisation to running his own email marketing agency, Fixate. The discussion covers Rhys' upbringing on a dairy farm, his initial disillusionment with a history degree, a pivotal shift to computer science, and his freelance work in web development. Rhys sha...