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Conversations of Inspiration

S9: Turning past failures into future success, with Will Beckett, co-founder of Hawksmoor

Conversations of Inspiration

Holly Tucker MBE

Education, Society & Culture, Entrepreneurship, Self-improvement, Business, Personal Journals

5.01.3K Ratings

🗓️ 14 September 2020

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hawksmoor is a restaurant built on strong values but how do you experience fast growth and retain those values as you scale?

Described by critics and customers alike as world-class and the best in London, Hawksmoor was founded in 2006 by Will Beckett and Huw Gott with the brilliant philosophy that steak isn’t a dish, it’s an institution!

Right from the start their vision was to offer a superior dining experience in beautifully relaxed surroundings and how an obsessive eye for detail and commitment to their core values has helped build an ethical brand to be truly proud of.

In this episode we discuss building a strong company culture that allows the individuals to shine, the rocky path to success as well as the vital ingredient to any brand - detail!

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? It's worth following Holly Tucker MBE and Holly & Co on Instagram, and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on our website, where Holly downloads her thoughts, and exclusively shares small business finds and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

My guess this week is Will Beckett, the incredible co-founder of Hawksmore restaurants.

0:05.6

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed talking to Will about everything from his childhood growing up

0:11.6

in a self-confessed foodie family to building one of the

0:15.1

country's most iconic steak restaurants. In a time where eating out feels like a

0:20.3

privilege more than ever, I adored hearing Will's deep love and connection with the brand

0:26.1

he has painstakingly built. Passionate and brilliantly funny in recounting his entrepreneurial journey with several failed restaurants

0:34.7

under his belt before embarking on Hawksmoor. Will's story is testament to that

0:40.0

true entrepreneurial spirit, grit and determination to build a business doing what he loves.

0:47.0

Bough your head and let your eyelids close on down where we're going you won't welcome to conversations of inspiration. Back in 2006 I found it not on the high street from the kitchen table and since then I've gone on to launch Holly and Co.

1:08.0

I'm the UK Ambassador of Creative Small Businesses and I believe that having a business doing what you love is the key to a happy

1:16.6

fulfilled life. My dream is to help everybody start theirs. I'm here to offer advice, inspiration, wisdom and encouragement and

1:26.1

and in my view the best way to do this is by sharing stories. So I've reached out

1:31.8

to my favorite small businesses, entrepreneurs and those who simply

1:36.1

inspire me and ask them to share theirs with thanks to NatWest who have helped bring this

1:41.8

free podcast to life. Here are my conversations of inspiration.

1:47.0

Hello, Will. Thank you so much for your time today. I'm a huge fan of your restaurants. I was just telling you

1:54.6

before I started recording your face has been cut out on my wish list of

1:59.2

podcast guests for so long and so I love the fact that I'm able to look at you now and we're going to do

2:08.0

this so welcome to conversations of inspiration.

2:11.0

Thank you very much. It's a lot of pressure you've put on with your intro there.

2:15.2

I think you're going to rise to the challenge. I know it's been a labor of love over the last decade.

2:20.8

We're along with your co-founder Hugh and you've built something pretty cool.

...

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