This week on Ideas Club, we’re joined by Sophie O’Brien, founder of Pollen, a recruitment platform that flips the hiring process on its head—putting people, purpose, and potential at the heart of every application.

After experiencing the frustration of applying to hundreds of jobs without meaningful feedback, Sophie set out to fix what she saw as a broken system. Pollen now connects young talent with small businesses through fair, transparent, and values-driven recruitment methods—helping candidates discover roles where they truly belong, while giving employers confidence they’re hiring the right people.

In this episode, Sophie talks about:

• What’s wrong with traditional recruitment—and how Pollen is changing it
• Why employer brand and candidate experience matter more than ever
• The power of values, competencies, and chemistry in building great teams
• Lessons on leadership, fundraising, and growing a purpose-led company

Links & Resources:

• Visit Pollen Careers to sign up as a job seeker or employer - pollencareers.co.uk
• Watch the Best Boss in Britain video - https://youtu.be/leaPm61pD7E?feature=shared
• Follow Pollen on TikTok for career tips and updates - www.tiktok.com/@pollencareers

Jamie & David chat with Ed Vickers, the brains and brawn behind Sums (sumsclub.co.uk) and the original "Sock Man" from Jolly's! In this episode, Ed shares his eclectic career journey, from his early days building the socially conscious sock brand Jolly's to working with a brand agency and a real estate fund, and ultimately, his return to the world of entrepreneurship with Sums.

• The Wild West of Startup Life: Ed reflects on what drew him back to entrepreneurship after exploring different career paths, emphasizing the passion and unique feeling of bringing an idea to life.
• The Jolly's Story: Discover the origins of Jolly's, a sock brand with a mission to donate winter warming socks to shelters for every pair sold. Ed shares his early experiences with product development, finding joy in the customer's purchase, and the valuable lessons learned from embracing personality and taking risks in branding.
• The Brand Builder's Journey: Ed discusses his time at Multiple, a brand consultancy, where he learned from experts about the intersection of brand, culture, and growth, working with high-growth venture-backed businesses. He then shares insights from his experience at Kinrise, a real estate investment fund, and how he applied brand and storytelling to bring historic buildings back to life.
• The Birth of Sums: Hear the inspiring story behind Sums, Ed's new running sock brand. From his personal running journey and the desire to create the "Patagonia of running," to the challenges of developing high-performance, sustainable running socks.
• Community and Cause: Ed elaborates on Sums' unique give-back system, integrating customer running data through Strava to contribute to a communal pot for running charities. He explains how Sums aims to help runners help runners, focusing on the collective spirit of the running community.
• The Power of Subculture: Ed discusses the importance of building a brand rooted in a specific subculture, drawing parallels with Patagonia and Apple's early days. He shares how Sums is connecting with elite trail runners and everyday enthusiasts alike.
• The Offline Magic: Ed highlights the importance of offline, analog experiences in the running world, despite Sums being a D2C online business. He shares recent examples of pop-ups and running events where the brand fosters genuine connections with customers.
• Brand Building Wisdom: Ed offers valuable insights into building great brands, emphasizing the need for bravery, conviction, and focus, and the risks of being bland. He also shares advice on selecting and working with agencies for rebrands, stressing the importance of trust and allowing creative freedom.
• The Future of Sums: Ed gives a glimpse into the future of Sums, including product diversification beyond socks and the dream of building a wicked in-house culture.
• Inspiring Brands: Ed shares a brand that inspires him, Peak Divide, highlighting their authenticity and genuine love for running culture and community.

• Sums Website: sumsclub.co.uk
• Ed on LinkedIn
• Maverick Race: https://www.maverick-race.com/
• Peak Divide: https://www.peakdivide.com/

Sign up to the ideas club newsletter every two weeks for ideas and a dose of creative inspiration - https://good.space/ideas-club

Jamie and David explore the paradigm shift from traditional management to a coaching-oriented leadership style with expert Will James. Learn why fostering autonomy, mastery, and purpose (as highlighted by Daniel Pink) is crucial for employee motivation and how a coaching approach can amplify these drivers. Will introduces his coaching model, emphasizing the clarity of a "high-definition picture of success" and the power of appreciative inquiry. We delve into the art of asking good questions to elicit deeper insights, rather than prescribing solutions. This episode is a must-listen for leaders and managers seeking to cultivate a culture of ownership, creativity, and continuous development within their teams.

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Drive by Daniel Pink (also a TED Talk)

Coach: Nancy Klein (mention of her work on listening)

Psychologist: Carol Dweck (Mindset book)

Book: Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull

Book: Thanks for the Feedback (Authors: Sheila Heen, Douglas Stone)

Artist: Unknown artist mentioned for "Rites of Passage" series on Channel 4.

Connect with Will James:

Find more about Partners in Purpose and their "Be Inspired" book clubs (monthly, no need to read the book beforehand!).

https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-james-coach/

In this episode, David and Jamie explore the often-dreaded world of meetings, asking the critical question: "Could this meeting have been an email?" Provoked by Elon Musk's perspective on meeting efficiency, your hosts delve into why so many meetings are unproductive and how to transform them into valuable, energizing sessions.

Discover our meeting rhythms and cadences, designed for our own indie creative business. We break down our weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meeting structures, including:

• Snippets (Not a Meeting!): How a Slack channel can replace your Monday morning huddle and clarify thinking.
• Level 10s: An in-depth look at this powerful, action-oriented meeting framework from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), designed to achieve 10/10 productivity. Learn why time limits and clear agendas are game-changers.
• Friday Huddle: The cultural cornerstone of the week, focusing on team connection, learning, and mutual encouragement.
• Monthly Commercial Review: Essential for staying on top of key performance indicators.
• Zoom Out Sessions: One-on-one meetings focused on team member coaching, professional development (including unique "learning" and "risk" goals), and fostering psychological safety.
• Quarterly Rocks Meeting: Setting the 90-day trajectory with "big rocks" that move the needle, and introducing the concept of a quarterly theme (like "Expose Yourself!").
• Annual Goal Setting & Reviews: High-level strategy and personal development discussions.

We share our evolving blueprint for effective communication in a hybrid work environment, offering tangible takeaways and inviting listeners to share their own meeting strategies.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Good Space: good.space
• Sign up for the Ideas Club newsletter: good.space/ideas-club
• Book: Traction by Gino Wickman
• Book: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
• Notion article on Level 10 Meetings: https://www.notion.com/blog/level-10-meeting-why-should-startups-use-it
• Good Space Level 10 Meeting Template: Level 10 Meeting Agenda

Let us know in the comments: What are your meeting best practices? How do you keep your hybrid or remote team connected and productive?

David and Jamie reflect on their experiences with closing two venues, discussing the lessons learned from failure, the importance of strategy, community dynamics, and the challenges of product market fit. They emphasise the need for genuine connections within teams and the significance of aligning business strategies with operational realities. The discussion serves as a therapeutic exploration of their journey, highlighting the value of learning through adversity and the importance of maintaining brand integrity.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Context

05:57 Strategic Reflections

11:51 Community and Team Dynamics

18:00 The Importance of Brand Integrity

23:48 The Role of Optimism and Realism

Summary

In this conversation, David Brown and Jamie discuss the significance of values in business, emphasizing that the core of any organization should be its values rather than just its products or services. They explore how shared values among team members can energize the workplace, guide decision-making, and shape the company's identity. The discussion also covers the importance of hiring individuals who align with these values and how to create a culture that reflects them authentically. Through personal anecdotes and insights, they illustrate the transformative power of values in building a successful and meaningful organisation.

Takeaways

• The most important aspect of a business is the shared values of the team.
• Values should come before mission and strategy in a company.
• Authenticity in business stems from aligning actions with core values.
• Hiring should focus on cultural fit and alignment with values.
• Values can energise a team and guide decision-making processes.
• It's essential to define and codify values that resonate with the team.
• Feedback becomes clearer when values are well-defined.
• Saying no to misaligned opportunities can lead to more powerful yeses.
• Values should be genuinely reflective of the team, not just the founder's vision.
• Intentionality in defining values can lead to a more authentic business strategy.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Values in Business

02:49 The Importance of Team Values

05:58 Identifying Authentic Values

09:07 Hiring for Cultural Fit

12:12 Building a Values-Driven Organization

15:11 Aligning Activities with Values

18:14 The Process of Defining Values

20:46 Making Decisions Based on Values

23:59 The Role of Values in Business Strategy

26:54 Conclusion: Living Your Values

Jamie's 'Paperclips' article:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jamiedundas_teamswin-activity-7297207121744416768-wsfn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAATdDpABYdW1FdrdDz5-BF-1gTOfIsRj07Q

Overcoming Creative Fear and Embracing Imperfection

In this episode of the podcast, David and Jamie discuss the challenges of creative work, including the fears of exposure, self-promotion, and criticism. They share personal experiences and practical strategies for overcoming these obstacles, such as developing consistent creative habits and embracing imperfections. The conversation also highlights the importance of building a supportive community and the role of creativity as a muscle that needs regular exercise. Special segments include references to insights from Seth Godin, anecdotal experiences from Tolkien's creative process, and a focus on the value of shipping work consistently. Additionally, they introduce a tool created by their team to help track daily creative activities.

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Mood

00:26 Welcome to the Podcast

00:53 Introducing GoodSpace

01:44 The Fear of Shipping Creative Work

04:51 Identifying Personal Barriers

05:56 Overcoming Criticism and Self-Doubt

11:04 The Importance of Consistent Practice

16:48 Finding Your Voice Through Quantity

19:01 Uncovering the Gold: Embracing Imperfection

21:19 The Power of Creative Buddies

23:03 Tolkien's Creative Journey and the Inklings

26:18 Confidence Through Consistency

29:07 The Importance of Self-Promotion

34:25 Encouraging Creativity and Daily Goals

37:27 Wrapping Up and Looking Forward

Consistency Calendar

Good Space operates neighbourhood work clubs. They’re designed to help you escape the distractions of wfh and focus on doing your best ever work. Open 24/7 and fueled by delicious coffee.

See more here: good.space

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