PODCAST · business
Southside Stories
by Matt Whittingham
Ever wondered what it really takes to build a successful business in London? Southside Stories, hosted by Matt Whittingham, pulls back the curtain with intimate conversations featuring the city's top entrepreneurs and innovators. Discover the pivotal moments, the hard-won wisdom, and the leadership philosophies that have shaped their journeys. Whether you're a budding founder or an established leader, find inspiration and actionable takeaways to elevate your own success.
Episodes
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The architect who won the Stirling Prize with social housing
Southside Stories sits down with award-winning architect Alex Ely of Mae Architects to explore how architecture can do more than look good - it can improve health, reduce carbon, and strengthen communities. The conversation centers on two major projects, Agar Grove and the John Morden Centre, and...
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From 747 Jumbos to Nando's: Upcycling in Architecture
Waste Is Only Waste Until You Reimagine It Architect Paul Thrush of STAC Architecture joins me to explore how his South African upbringing shaped a design philosophy rooted in reuse, creativity, and sustainability. From turning discarded chopsticks into restaurant interiors to transforming car...
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What Happens When Founders Hand the Reins to the Next Generation (Part 2)
In part two of my conversation with FORMstudio, a leading architecture practice based in Bermondsey in London, I sit down with Paul Lower, who is now stepping into the leadership role following a carefully planned transition from founders Malcolm and Jeremy. What happens when an architect...
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Future Proof Your Architectural Practice
What happens when two founders decide not to sell out, but to hand their 30-year architecture practice to the people who helped build it? Matt Whittingham sits down with Malcolm, co-founder of Form Studios, for a candid look at the employee ownership trust route and why it may be the smartest...
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The City of London Office Market Is Not Dead - It’s Booming
The City of London is not dead - commercial space is at a premium and in short supply. If you need office space in London, this conversation reveals why the smartest companies are racing to secure quality space before the supply crunch hits. Matt Hall, a chartered commercial surveyor working deep...
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The Relationship First Strategy That Wins Architecture Work
Most architects try to sound polished. Andy Matthews does something much smarter: he turns his practice’s values into a filter for better clients, better projects, and a business that actually fits how he wants to work. If you care about running a creative business without losing the creative…
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30 Years in Architecture & What AI Can't Replace
Architects are being pushed to move faster, prove more, and stay creative under tougher rules than ever. Karl from GTH Architects joins Matt Whittingham to unpack how 30 years of change, from tracing paper and drawing boards to BIM and AI, is reshaping the profession in real time. They explore…
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The Boutique Agency Advantage with Sally Tarbit
Most agencies assume growth comes from more clients or bigger campaigns. Sally from The Team reveals a different secret: how a 40-year-old agency with a purpose-driven mindset builds trust, long-term partnerships, and sustainable success, all without chasing superficial expansion. Discover the...
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China Built His Metro Station in 12 Months. Here's What the UK Can Learn
Ali Mowahed's architecture WW+P firm won a concept commission for Guangzhou Metro Line 11 last spring. By the time UK planners would still be filing paperwork, construction was finishing. Twelve months. And the quality, Ali says, is genuinely good. That's the conversation that stopped me in my...
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How Orbit Architects Grew 20% Year on Year for 20 Years
Philip Atkinson, Managing Director of Orbit Architects, reveals how he built a 20-person architecture practice that's grown 20% year on year — with 85% of work coming from repeat clients. In this episode of Southside Stories, Matt Whittingham sits down with Philip to explore the business of...
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Ferrari Made Him Redesign 28 Times — What Davide Learned About High-Stakes Architecture
Davide runs Design International, the architecture practice behind Ferrari's styling centre in Maranello. But Ferrari made him redesign it 28 times. Every line had to be justified. Every detail checked for copyright. They even projected the building life-size onto a 6-metre video wall normally…
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Inside London's Housing Crisis: An Architect's Blueprint for 1.5M New Homes
Colin Veitch, founder and director of GRID Architects, joins Matt Whittingham on Southside Stories to talk about the reality behind London's housing crisis — and what it actually takes to get homes built. From a 100% women-only social housing project in Ealing to 738-home build-to-rent towers in...
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The Squeezed Middle: Why 25-40 Staff Is the Hardest Place to Be in Architecture
Matt Chamberlain knows the "squeezed middle" better than most. His architecture practice grew to 50 staff in 2019, then the pandemic hit, projects stalled, and they had to think differently. Now running a leaner team of 30 with a network of subcontractors and overseas drafting support, Matt's…
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The Secrets to Scaling an Event Business from London to Global
Most entrepreneurs face a defining moment when chaos turns into opportunity. Mark from Event Concept shares how a redundancy sparked his 30-year journey, scaling his London event agency to work with Vogue, Dior, and beyond—and then expanding into the US via strategic acquisition. His story…
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Commando Mindset - Turning military tenacity into business success
Most entrepreneurs hit rock bottom at some point — Ed Hill’s story takes resilience to a whole new level. After losing his lucrative Russian client base overnight due to geopolitical upheaval, he faced the reality of being nearly broke and starting from zero. Yet, his unwavering tenacity...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Ever wondered what it really takes to build a successful business in London? Southside Stories, hosted by Matt Whittingham, pulls back the curtain with intimate conversations featuring the city's top entrepreneurs and innovators. Discover the pivotal moments, the hard-won wisdom, and the leadership philosophies that have shaped their journeys. Whether you're a budding founder or an established leader, find inspiration and actionable takeaways to elevate your own success.
HOSTED BY
Matt Whittingham
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Southside Stories have?
Southside Stories currently has 15 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Southside Stories about?
Ever wondered what it really takes to build a successful business in London? Southside Stories, hosted by Matt Whittingham, pulls back the curtain with intimate conversations featuring the city's top entrepreneurs and innovators. Discover the pivotal moments, the hard-won wisdom, and the leadership...
How often does Southside Stories release new episodes?
Southside Stories has 15 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Southside Stories?
You can listen to Southside Stories on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Southside Stories?
Southside Stories is created and hosted by Matt Whittingham.
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