64. How to convert visibility into sales and long-term growth | Penelope Chilvers

How do you build a creative business from scratch and ensure it steadily grows without compromising on quality, craft, or values?

In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Penelope Chilvers, English footwear designer and founder of the eponymous luxury brand, and they talk about building a resilient business rooted in craftsmanship, customer closeness, and long-term thinking.

Penelope shares her unconventional journey from training as a painter to launching a footwear business in London as a single parent. She reflects on learning her trade from the ground up, building a brand without formal business training, and why necessity — not strategy — drove her early entrepreneurial decisions.

Penelope talks about the importance of craftsmanship, materials, long-term supplier relationships, and how staying close to customers has shaped everything from design to retail strategy.

James and Penelope discuss growth, from opening stores and expanding internationally, to raising investment and introducing clothing alongside footwear. Penelope shares why steady, organic growth has served her better than chasing trends, how slow fashion has become a competitive advantage, and why durability, purpose, and trust now matter more than ever.

This is a thoughtful conversation about learning your craft, respecting the people who help you build, and creating a business designed to last.

Timestamps:

02:59 From painter to designer

07:59 The first big orders

15:00 Sustaining quality and craftsmanship

22:52 Family and business dynamics

29:50 Expanding into the American market

35:52 Men's range and iconic products

47:58 Slow fashion and ethical production

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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk