It Runs In The Family

When a crisis hits a family business, there’s more at stake than just a brand – it’s your family name above the door and generations of hard work on the line. 

You might not want to imagine your family business in the headlines for the wrong reasons, but if it did happen, what would you do in that first critical hour?

In this special episode of It Runs In The Family, Liz and Leila unpack what a real crisis looks like, why the first 60 minutes matter so much, and how family businesses can prepare to protect their reputation before the worst happens.

This timely episode ties into a new initiative to help family businesses in their most challenging moments: Protect by LLPR. 

🔑 Key Themes

• The unique emotional impact of crises on family businesses
• Defining a true crisis vs an issue
• The “golden hour” and the importance of speed with a plan
• Treating reputation as a strategic asset

🔗 Connect with us

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

At just 26 years old, Charlie Hawker has the reins of his father’s business, and he’s reinventing a ‘dinosaur industry’ in his own ambitious image.

Charlie takes us from counting sheets of labels in his parents’ spare room to steering A4 Labels through manufacturing, sustainability initiatives and ambitious global plans. 

We unpack the emotional reality of handing over the reins in a family business, the pressure of leading through three years of decline, and the quiet resilience it takes not to walk away when things get hard. 

🔑 Key Themes

• Accidental entrepreneurship and organic growth
• Next-generation leadership in a family business
• Modernising a legacy industry
• Resilience through downturns and failed bets
• Sustainability and purpose as competitive advantage

🔗 Connect with us

A4 Labels Website: https://a4labels.com/

A4 Labels LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a4labels-com/

A4 Labels IG: https://www.instagram.com/a4labels_uk/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

One fateful year for dairy farmers and a simple milk quota turned a Cotswolds dairy farm into a nationally-beloved, family-owned ice cream brand - Marshfield Farm Ice Cream.

In this episode of It Runs in the Family, Leila and Liz sit down with mother-son duo Dawn and Angus Hawking to explore how diversification and graft turned a side hustle in the late-80s into a multi‑generational business.

From robotic milkers and B Corp accreditation to Swizzles licensing deals and “Deliver‑Moo” home delivery, we bring you a candid, hilarious, and practical look at building a family business the next generation is proud to inherit.

🔑 Key Themes

• The Family’s Diversification from Dairy to Ice Cream
• Multi‑Generational Family Business Dynamics
• Next‑Gen Ownership and Leaving a Legacy
• Where B Corp Values Meet Family Values
• Innovating and Creating New Partnerships

🔗 Connect with us

Marshfield Website: https://www.marshfield-icecream.co.uk/

Marshfield LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marshfield-farm-ice-cream/

Dawn LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-h-26815827/

Angus LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angus-hawking-7652871a2/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

What happens when your festival colleague is also your mum, your aunt or your dad behind the decks? 

In this We Out Here Festival special, Liz and Leila roam the show to find artist liaison dynamos, Tanzanian musical queens, and a producer–DJ team comprising father and daughter to hear how music, work and family blur into one big shared project. 

Together, they unpack the unspoken language of working with loved ones, the reality behind proving yourself, and the quiet graft that keeps artists feeling held on and off stage. 

🔑 Key Themes

• Unspoken language and trust at work
• Earning your place as the next generation
• Generational knowledge and cultural legacy 
• Festival teams as extended family

🔗 Connect with us

• Chloe Bailey-Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-bailey-williams/
• Glyn Bush (aka BiggaBush): https://www.linkedin.com/in/glyn-bush-717a1516/
• Our Motive: https://www.linkedin.com/company/our-motive/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

What does it feel like to grow up thinking your family farm is simply a shared passion, only to realise you’re now stewarding a cheddar recipe beloved in 160 countries? 

In this episode of ‘It Runs In The Family’, fourth-generation custodian Lucie Clothier lifts the lid on Wyke Farms’ journey, and the pressure – and privilege – of protecting a 165-year legacy. 

🔑 Key Themes

• Carrying On a Legacy in a 165 Year Old Business
• Balancing Tradition with Sustainable Innovation
• Leadership Across Generations

🔗 Connect with us

Wyke Farms Website: https://www.wykefarms.com/

Wyke Farms LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyke-farms/

Wyke Farms IG: https://www.instagram.com/wyke_farms/

Lucie Clothier LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyke-farms/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

What does it take to keep a 100+ year-old family business feeling fresh?

The fourth-generation CEO of The Fine Bedding Company, Claire Watkin, uncovers a century-long journey from feathers flying around a Liverpool factory to award-winning innovation, B Corp status, and a factory in Estonia with its own beehives. 

Join us for a fascinating look at a leader who became MD at 28, as Claire joins us on ‘It Runs In The Family’ to share how a strong values-led culture can carry a business across generations.

🔑 Key Themes

• Stewardship of a Fourth-Generation Family Business
• Innovation in Bedding and the Science of Sleep
• Sustainability, B Corp, and Ethical Textiles
• Leadership, Mentorship, and Learning on the Job
• Family Dynamics and the Next Generation

🔗 Connect with us

The Fine Bedding Company Website: https://www.finebedding.co.uk/

The Fine Bedding Company LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-fine-bedding-company/

Claire Watkin LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-watkin/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

Cornwall is a corner of the world which imprints itself on all who visit, and few businesses are quite as synonymous with their origins as Fat Willy’s, a perennial presence on the Cornish coastline.

In this episode, Liz and Leila sit down with Co-Owner and Director Marc Ward, to retrace the steps of how a surf shack dream from the 1980s became a Cornish institution, from Marc’s dad’s original vision to how the brand has grown while staying firmly rooted in Cornwall and family life.

🔑 Key Themes

• Place-based branding and the allure of Cornwall
• Balancing multiple ventures, creativity and family life
• Protecting margins, resilience and focus

🔗 Connect with us

Fat Willy's Website: https://fatwillysstives.com

Fat Willy's IG: https://www.instagram.com/fatwillysstives/

Fat Willy’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FWStives/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

Dominion is a three-generation print business which nearly began as the UK’s first McDonald's franchisee - that ‘sliding doors’ moment set the trajectory for a far greater journey for the firm’s family…

In this episode, Liz and Leila sit down with Verity Fox, Managing Director of Dominion, the three‑generation print business that’s been part of her life for as long as she can remember. 

Verity shares what makes the business like a “hungry sibling”, sudden succession, balancing grief with leadership, and the quiet strength of a team that rallies when the family is in crisis.

🔑 Key Themes

• Legacy and Succession in a Three-Generation Family Business
• Growing Up Inside the Business: Identity, Conflict and Commitment
• Leading Through Grief and Sudden Responsibility
• Culture, Team Loyalty and the “Friday Screamer” Spirit

🔗 Connect with us

Dominion Print Website: https://www.dominionprint.com/

Dominion Print LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dominion-print/

Verity Fox LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verity-fox-aa031866/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

When your dad tells you that life is a do-it-yourself project, what would you feel empowered to build? 

A single, overlooked byproduct of coffee roasting has become Tepi Naturals, a family-run skincare brand headed up by the ambitious and driven Brent Thomas.

Brent joins us to share the leap from biotech to farmers’ markets, the realities of working alongside his parents and sister, and the pressure and purpose that come with building something of your own.

🔑 Key Themes

• Turning waste into value
• Leaving a stable career to “stop building someone else’s future”
• Harnessing individual strengths in a family business
• Communication, trust, and growth in a competitive market

🔗 Connect with us

Tepi Naturals Website: https://www.tepinaturals.com/

Tepi Naturals LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tepi-naturals-807639410/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/

When a late‑night phone call in Bucharest led Anca Tomescu’s mother to rescue 300 dogs in a single day, she had no idea she was founding one of Eastern Europe’s oldest and most remarkable shelters. 

In this episode of ‘It Runs In The Family’, we meet Anca and her daughter Sara, the second and third generations behind Adăpostul Speranța Shelter, now home to over 500 elderly, disabled, and rehabilitated dogs. 

They share what it’s like to grow up in a shelter, how Sara is now blending business skills with a lifelong love of animals, and how the duo are so much more powerful together than apart.

🔑 Key Themes

• Turning Crisis into a Calling
• Multi‑Generational Family Business Dynamics
• Leading With Compassion
• Blending Passion with Profession
• Balancing Work, Family, and Boundaries

🔗 Connect with us

Adăpostul Speranța LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/speran%C8%9Ba-shelter/

Adăpostul Speranța Website: https://adapostulsperanta.ro/

Anca Tomescu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anca-tomescu/

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/

Liz Lean PR: https://www.lizleanpr.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/lizleanpr

 https://www.linkedin.com/company/liz-lean-pr/