As a coworking space dedicated to helping individuals and businesses develop and succeed, we were thrilled to welcome Tom Kay, founder of sustainable outdoor clothing brand Finisterre, to our Bristol event space. Tom’s talk, which was hosted by the IPA, shared his journey to success, from childhood to present day, outlining how each chapter of his life acted as a catalyst for the brand and contributed to his success.The evening began with a welcome drink and some early-evening networking, allowing IPA members and fellow guests to connect and collaborate with industry colleagues.
After the event, we reflected on some of the top take outs from the talk…
Growing up in Cornwall, surfing and the sea were two of Tom’s greatest passions and played huge roles in his life. They were also two key factors in leading Tom to create the brand.When starting out, Tom wanted the brand to replicate his passions by creating sustainable products that people actually needed. His first ever product, a fleece, was unlike anything available at the time and was designed to keep out the chill and warm up bodies of the surfers.
Remember this day because it’ll be different soon
15 years later, Finisterre’s brand ethos – here at Finisterre, we can really change the world – remains the same, as does the copy and creative around the brand. Despite significant growth, Tom was keen to keep the brand spirit alive and has achieved this through numerous collections, including the jumper knitted on the shores, his choice of environmentally friendly fabrics, a collaboration with the RNLI and hiring the first ever wetsuit recycler.
To further cement his commitment to the environment, Finisterre became B Corp certified, meaning that they meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance and are morally and legally committed to prioritising responsibility to the environment and society.
Achieving B Corp status is a big moment for Finisterre: an affirmation of what we have been working hard on since our founding and giving us more to strive for in the future.
For Finisterre, this honesty and transparency stretches far beyond a certification, it allows them to have a dialogue with their customers and represents the direction of business they want to evolve to. It also ensures that the brands purpose is aligned to his own personal purpose, despite its impact on the brands economics.
When asked what advice he’d give to entrepreneurs, Tom’s answer was simple – get on with it. He explained that too many people way until they’re 10/10 certain about everything before taking the leap but for him, this is too late. He suggests waiting until you’re 7/10 the way there and then figuring out the rest as you go.
If you’re looking for an event space in central Bristol, our event space can be transformed to suit any need. We offer bespoke packages to suit the event and have plenty of hand-selected suppliers to help bring your event to life. If you’d like more information about hosting an event at Origin Workspace or about upcoming events being held at our space, contact our team or visit our events page.
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