Entrepreneur Craig ‘bears’ all in latest leaders podcast

The co-founder of hospitality and lifestyle brand BEAR has shared his entrepreneurial journey in the latest instalment of a new podcast series.

Craig is the latest to take part in the Leaders in Disguise podcast, which sheds light on the intense highs and lows that many founders experience but rarely discuss publicly.

Hosted by leadership mental health advocate Gary Parsons, the latest instalment sees Craig share his own personal experience of growing an entrepreneurial brand.

In the podcast, Craig reveals the challenges he and co-founder Michael Thorley faced while building BEAR, including financial setbacks, emotional pressure and balancing business with family life.

When discussing a major funding rejection, he says: “A little part of me wanted to go, ‘Just pack it all up, it’s done’.

“In that moment, it felt like everything we’d built was falling apart.

“But we picked up the pieces, kept going, and – looking back – what seemed like a disaster turned out to be the best ‘no’ we ever received.”

Craig talks about the setbacks, which included the unexpected closure of BEAR’s London store following the collapse of a major retail partner, being denied a critical loan while setting up a new site and the impact of Covid-19.

Despite those challenges, BEAR continues to thrive, with plans to expand its footprint and increase its e-commerce presence.

In the podcast, Craig hints at more to come but insists BEAR will maintain its core mission of creating welcoming spaces where community and connection come first.

He says: “We’re not just opening more sites for the sake of growth.

“We’re building something that reflects our values – where people, product, and place come together to make a positive impact on the communities we serve.”

The full podcast is currently available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.