Robin Johnson speaks with Louis Rhoades of Louis Rhoades Studio about scaling a bespoke joinery business from a one man workshop to a structured, design led studio. They break down pricing to the penny, profitability between two and four staff, why growth from four to ten is brutal, and how value beats cost when you invest in CNC, spray finishing and FUGA Hydro substrates.

This episode tackles hospitality versus residential work, outsourcing risk, honest client communication, proportion in design, and the stress that comes with ambition. A direct conversation between two workshop owners on craftsmanship, margins, ethics and long term thinking in British furniture making.

Key Topics Covered

1. Scaling from solo maker to small team
2. Profitability at two to four staff versus four to ten
3. Day rate calculation using fixed and variable overheads
4. Hospitality niche versus high end residential pricing
5. Value versus cost in bespoke joinery
6. CNC machining, solid edge banding and spray booth investment
7. Hydro Fuga MDF and veneered construction
8. Design first process and shop drawings
9. Outsourcing risk and quality control
10. Proportion, symmetry and timeless furniture design
11. Stress, cash flow fear and business resilience

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Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 Scaling from one man workshop to small team

04:25 Why employing friends rarely works

08:09 Hospitality versus residential pricing realities

11:07 Value proposition and stepping away from tenders

24:58 Outsourcing failures and bringing processes in house

30:12 Investing in CNC and spray finishing for output and control

33:57 Calculating day rates and defining real value

45:15 Design ethics, legacy and avoiding disposable furniture

01:01:12 Hydro Fuga, veneering and modern wardrobe design

01:17:42 Craft standards, minor defects and client honesty

01:21:37 Advice to a younger self on stress and growth

In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with Louisa Pacifico, founder of Future Icons about how makers turn skill into a viable business without undercutting their value. Louisa explains why premium craft succeeds through fewer higher value sales rather than volume, and why many artisans struggle because they price emotionally rather than commercially.

The conversation covers gallery relationships, press strategy licensing contracts and the importance of knowing when to say no. Louisa also discusses her role curating Future Icons Selects during London Craft Week and how makers should approach shows with clarity, purpose and realistic expectations. This episode offers practical insight for craftspeople who want longevity rather than noise.

Key Topics Covered

1. What Future Icons does for established makers
2. Pricing premium craft correctly
3. Understanding audience and market fit
4. Fewer sales higher margins business model
5. Why saying no protects long term value
6. Gallery introductions and exhibition strategy
7. Licensing work with international brands
8. Legal contracts and intellectual property
9. Press coverage and media positioning
10. Apprenticeships internships and education routes
11. Funding grants and bursaries for makers
12. Curating Future Icons Selects for London Craft Week

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 What Future Icons does and why it exists

03:00 Pricing problems in the craft sector

08:44 Knowing when not to do a show

15:27 Value based pricing versus cheap tenders

20:20 Learning business by doing

24:55 Funding education and apprenticeships

34:52 Curating Future Icons Selects

42:08 Regional buyers and gallery strategy

50:46 Advice to young makers

52:10 How to contact Louisa & Future Icons

In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson speaks with Marina Dragomirova and Iain Howlett, founders of Studio Furthermore about their Moon Rock Project and the long road of material driven design. They explain how six years of experimentation led to an aluminium foam made from recycled car wheels and how that material became a cabinet unveiled in Miami that shocked audiences when opened.

The conversation covers material failure, foundry collaboration, storytelling in collectible design and the limits of photography in conveying physical work. Marina and Iain also discuss gallery relationships, sustainability futurism and their next chapter working with Japanese craftsmen on laminated plywood furniture. This episode offers a clear view of how new materials become meaningful objects through patience, research and conviction.

Key Topics Covered

1. The Moon Rock Project and aluminium foam development
2. Using recycled car wheels as raw material
3. Designing furniture through material research
4. Creating shock and transformation through form
5. Foundry collaboration and long term partnerships
6. Pushing thinness scale and structural limits
7. Art furniture fairs and collector audiences
8. Storytelling in collectible design
9. Sustainability futurism and science driven aesthetics
10. Working with galleries and curators
11. The limits of photography and the need for physical experience
12. New work with Japanese craftsmen and plywood furniture

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introducing Studio Furthermore and Moon Rock

03:58 The Miami cabinet and the shock reveal

07:01 Foundry collaboration and process control

13:11 Scaling up and thinking beyond furniture

20:38 Early ceramic foam experiments

35:10 RCA influence and material research

46:18 Storytelling and selling collectible design

1:01:19 Working with Japanese...

In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with Steve Briggs, founder of Briggs and Sons Masonry about conservation led stone masonry and the realities of scaling a heritage business. Steve explains why retaining original fabric matters, how church and listed building work demands restraint and judgement, and why replacement comes last. The conversation covers running a contracting arm alongside a consultancy for listed homes, navigating consent and surveys, training the next generation, and choosing culture and quality over rapid turnover. This episode offers a grounded view of craft led growth in the UK heritage sector.

Key Topics Covered

1. Church restoration and heritage conservation
2. Retaining original fabric in historic buildings
3. Stone masonry brickwork leadwork and roofs
4. Listed building consents surveys and maintenance plans
5. Running contracting and consultancy businesses together
6. Rejecting short term fixes in favour of longevity
7. Training trainees and paying for learning time
8. Scaling from small teams to sustainable growth
9. Protecting company culture during expansion
10. Customer care over chasing turnover
11. Learning craft through family and experience
12. The future of heritage skills in the UK

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introducing Steve Briggs and conservation masonry

02:10 Keeping original fabric wherever possible

05:40 Church restoration realities

09:15 Running contracting and consultancy work

13:30 Listed building consents and surveys

18:45 Scaling teams and managing growth pain

24:20 Training trainees properly

30:05 Culture over turnover

35:40 Learning craft through family

41:10 Sustainability in heritage businesses

46:30 Attracting the next generation

In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with Robin Redmile-Gordon, Director of Ichi-Coo Park, about building a life shaped by creativity and long term thinking. Robin shares how transforming Russ Hill Farm into a vast garden and living artwork helped him stay sane while running a global IT company. The conversation moves through craftsmanship collaboration and why clear briefs unlock exceptional work from skilled people. Robin offers a blunt critique of modern education and exam driven learning, argues for apprenticeships rooted in real work, and explains why holistic learning matters more than qualifications.

Robin also discusses AI as a practical tool for thinking diagnosis and productivity, shares his experience of living with terminal blood cancer and the role of Turkey Tail mushrooms, and outlines ideas for a future where skills, purpose and creativity matter more than bureaucracy. This episode challenges conventional thinking and defends making as a meaningful way to live.

Key Topics Covered

1. Building Itchy Park as a living artwork
2. Long term collaboration with craftspeople
3. Value over cost in bespoke work
4. Clear briefs and creative freedom
5. Gardening as a form of art
6. Escaping stress through making and landscape
7. Apprenticeships and skills based learning
8. Failures of exam focused education
9. Holistic learning and curiosity driven teaching
10. Teaching through real work not theory
11. AI as a practical tool for thinking and diagnosis
12. Critique of fear around artificial intelligence
13. Living with terminal blood cancer
14. Turkey Tail mushrooms and blood health

1. Purpose identity and creating meaningful work
2. Clip Fest and community making events

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its

In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with furniture designer Sam Kille about his route from military service into bespoke furniture making. Sam explains how carpentry and joinery in the Royal Engineers shaped his discipline precision and approach to craft. He talks openly about running a furniture business with a partner, stepping away during Covid, and returning with a clearer sense of direction.

The conversation covers Scandinavian and Japanese influences, heirloom quality furniture, and the realities of selling bespoke work in the UK. Sam also discusses pricing honestly, choosing the right clients, diversifying income through kitchen work, and why furniture should last generations. This episode offers a grounded view of what it takes to build a sustainable furniture practice without shortcuts.

Key Topics Covered

1. Moving from the military into furniture making
2. Carpentry and joinery as a foundation skill
3. Discipline precision and craft standards
4. Scandinavian and Japanese furniture influences
5. Building heirloom quality furniture
6. Running and closing a furniture partnership
7. Diversifying income through kitchens and joinery
8. Selling bespoke furniture in the UK market
9. Pricing work realistically
10. Choosing clients carefully
11. Long term value of quality furniture
12. Apprenticeships traditional skills and teaching
13. Work life balance and four day working
14. Identity ownership and returning to furniture making

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction to Sam Kille and his background

01:10 Military training and carpentry trade

02:38 Starting a furniture business with a partner

03:39 Closing the business and stepping away

04:29 Design influences and visual...

In this episode of Yours for the Making Robin Johnson speaks with South London furniture designer Laurent Peacock about his route from industrial design into bespoke furniture making. Laurent explains why mass production left him cold and how working directly with wood gave him clarity and purpose. He talks openly about earning the Guild Mark and the validation it brought both personally and professionally.

The conversation explores the tension between form and function in contemporary furniture design, the pressure to build a recognisable style, and the reality of making work that must last as well as look right. Laurent also shares his discomfort with self promotion, his approach to exhibitions, and why tactility and physical interaction sit at the centre of his work. This episode offers a clear and honest view of what it takes to build a sustainable practice in high quality furniture making.

Key Topics Covered

1. Moving from industrial design to furniture making
2. The role of wood as a tactile and approachable material
3. Achieving the Guild Mark and what it represents
4. Validation skill and confidence in craft
5. Building a network within the woodworking community
6. The gap between functional furniture and art furniture
7. Balancing form function and longevity
8. The challenge of storytelling in furniture design
9. Exhibitions galleries and visibility
10. Promoting work without compromising values
11. Developing a recognisable creative identity
12. Tactility interaction and physical engagement with furniture

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction to Laurent Peacock and his background

00:34 Early fascination with making and design

02:20 Industrial design and dissatisfaction with mass production

03:31 Discovering furniture making and working with wood

05:10 Submitting work for the Guild Mark

06:45 Validation confidence and opening...

This episode of Yours for the Making dives deep into the world of chainsaw sculptor Ella Fielding. Her story offers a clear view of how creativity takes shape when instinct, physical craft and neurodiversity come together. Robin Johnson talks with Ella about her early start in sculpture, the impact of dyslexia and ADHD on her creative thinking, and her discovery of a fast and intuitive way of working with wood.

Ella explains the emotional experience of carving fallen trees for clients, the practical challenges of working with different timbers and the therapeutic presence she feels when cutting. She also explores the flaws of traditional education, the value of hands-on learning, the influence of play, and the importance of making without the pressure to display or impress. This is a grounded and honest conversation that celebrates the maker mindset and the spirit of curiosity that drives creative work.

Key Topics Covered

Ella’s journey into sculpture and chainsaw carving

The impact of dyslexia and ADHD on creative problem solving

Limitations of traditional art education and the value of practical learning

The importance of play in early creativity

Mindfulness through physical craft and focused making

Working with different types of wood and the challenges each one presents

How personal stories and environments shape commissioned pieces

The emotional role of tree carving and honouring fallen trees

Social media use for creative community building

Building confidence in handmade work without public pressure

Enjoying the show?

Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.

Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction to Ella and her unique creative path

00:52 Discovering chainsaw carving during her sculpture degree

04:30 Finding confidence through fast and instinctive making

05:47 The uncertainty of a career in fine art

09:19 Ella leaves school at 14 and discovers hands on learning

13:02 Discussion on the flaws in the education system

18:26 Creativity, play and permission to fail

20:51 The joy and discovery that happens through making

21:10 How the tree itself shapes the final sculpture

23:19 The emotional process of carving fallen trees

25:48 How Ella designs commissions that reflect people and place

26:24 The influence of neurodiversity on her creative life

33:34 The sensory link between materials and creativity

36:50 The importance of making without public pressure

40:20 Mindfulness and presence in chainsaw carving

43:37 The role of surfing and making in mental clarity

48:51 Working with different types of wood

52:18 Respect for ancient trees and the emotional impact of loss

55:38 Public commissions and where to see Ella’s work

57:22 Social media and creative