Espresso: How To Build World Class Creative Teams - Ashley Palmer Watts, The Devonshire

15 May 2025 · 4 min

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In short

Podcast Episode Notes: Espresso: How To Build World Class Creative Teams - Ashley Palmer Watts, The Devonshire

Podcast Overview Title: HUNGRY Description: HUNGRY is a podcast tailored for Challenger Food and Drink brands seeking to amplify their growth. The host encourages listeners to subscribe as a gesture of support.

Episode Highlights Episode Title: Espresso: How To Build World Class Creative Teams Guest: Ashley Palmer Watts, The Devonshire Sponsor: Unleashed - An inventory management software

Key Concepts Discussed

  • Balancing Creativity and Practicality
  • Creativity vs. Operational Efficiency:
  • The episode discusses the dichotomy between creative processes within a restaurant and the practical elements of daily operations, emphasizing the need for a balance between the two.
  • Creativity is portrayed as a free-flowing process, whereas operational efficiency requires strict adherence to schedules and output.
  • Diversity in Teams
  • Importance of Diverse Thinking:
  • Ashley emphasizes the significance of having a team composed of individuals with varied backgrounds and thought processes.
  • The episode highlights the strength found in diverse perspectives, which can lead to innovative ideas and creative solutions.
  • Navigating Tension
  • Creative Tension:
  • There is a discussion about the "tension" that exists between creativity and practicality. This tension is necessary for creating something remarkable.
  • The host and guest agree that while some team members excel in creativity, others thrive in execution, and successful teams need individuals who can function in both realms.
  • Problem Solving through Creativity
  • Creative Problem Solving:
  • The concept of creativity is expanded beyond merely generating wacky ideas. It involves effective problem-solving capabilities that lead to tangible results.

Key Takeaways

  • Flexibility in Roles:
  • The ability to adapt between creative ideation and practical execution is crucial for success in the food and drink industry.
  • Managing Creative Processes:
  • Effective management of creative teams entails allowing freedom for exploration while maintaining a focus on practicality.
  • Tools for Efficiency:
  • Unleashed as a Resource:
  • The episode promotes Unleashed for its role in enhancing operational efficiency by cutting admin time, clarifying margins, and managing inventory.

Promotional Segments

  • Unleashed Inventory Management Software
  • Offers a two-month free trial for listeners.
  • Benefits include saving time, better understanding of cash flow, and improved stock management.

Call to Action

  • Listeners are encouraged to:
  • Subscribe to the podcast.
  • Share the episode via WhatsApp.
  • Sign up for the newsletter, which contains insights from industry leaders.

Conclusion The episode provides valuable insights into the dynamics of building creative teams within the food and drink sector, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, diversity, and effective problem-solving. The integration of tools like Unleashed is positioned as essential for improving operational efficiency and enabling culinary creativity.

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Transcript

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0:04You have creativity, and then you have what a restaurant does on a day to day basis. You have deadlines, You have two of those a day, in case of the fact that you have 45 people coming for dinner and lunch, and you have to be ready. So you have immense practicality and military operation, right? Massively high labor. But then on the other side, you have this huge creative side of the two things. And you have this, first of all, it's a massive team, you know, of brilliant, diverse people. and in my early years when someone is not quite like you in the kitchen or you you think that you need everyone to do what you do and how you think and then over time you realize and we work with different performance coaches and it becomes about the diversity of thinking diversity of knowledge yeah and also what crazy little idea or little thing comes into the pot you need that diversity but yet somebody has to harness this thing right so you have to allow ideas to be free to be explored and fail but then you also it's no good making something that you just cannot produce into the restaurant and there are times where it doesn't make it to a restaurant because it's completely impractical or it never works right so you've got creativity and you've got delivery military delivery and you'll have some people that can sit only on this side yeah and you've got some people that can only sit on this side but i think where i found my niche was being able to flex between the two and there's a there's a really nice tension between those two yeah but you have to work really hard at managing yourself to allow yourself to go to this side but then And actually, over time, we have to be able to deliver it over here.

1:59Yeah. See what I mean? So wherever there's really nice tension in anything, like whether it's movies or music or art, if you don't have that tension, you don't really get anything really brilliant, if that makes sense. Oh, my God, that's so good. So you can have this kind of flex between the two. And I understand some people can't get out of this bit. They are the most incredible creative people. But actually, until you can make it into something or take it forward or hand it over to someone who can make it into reality. See what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because creativity is not just about wacky ideas and really cool things.

2:34It's about actually solving a problem. Thank you so much for listening to That Espresso. I hope you enjoyed your morning coffee and are ready for the day. Let's be having you, boy. And please do subscribe, follow the podcast, share this espresso on WhatsApp if you liked it. And also there's a link to our newsletter in the show description. I spend 15 hours toiling and writing this bad boy. It's full of wonderful wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. You're not going to get these in a business book, so please subscribe and thank me later. Two months free. Yeah, that's what Espresso sponsors Unleashed are offering.

3:13They are supply chain gurus and offer inventory management that talks to your e-com and accounting software. It's helped Ireland's cut admin time in half, get granular clarity on your margins, know where your stock is, don't miss availability. Brands like Candy Kittens, Tarquin's Gin, Minor Figures and Trip all use Unleashed. And I reckon you should too. As I said, two months free in the show notes. Click there and you're gonna get two months for free.

From the publisher

Espresso's are powered by our brand new sponsor, Unleashed!

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking?

Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!

2.  Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder?

Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.

3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed

Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee

4. Do yourself a favour

GET YOURSELF 2 MONTHS FREE USING THIS magical link

♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here 🍲 

🤝 Let's Connect!

►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)

►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)



Espresso's are powered by our brand new sponsor, Unleashed!

1. What on earth is Unleashed, I hear you asking?

Unleashed is Inventory management software that talks to your financial and eComm software. We use it daily at Islands. It's BANGING!!

2.  Why Unleashed will change your life as a foodie founder?

Cut admin time in half. Save money. Lots of money. Get lucid clarity on margins. Be all over cash flow, after all cash is king. Manage stock and cash flow.

3. The biggest brands in FMCG love love Unleashed

Your fave brands like Candy Kittens, Tiny Rebel, TRIP use religiously. Tarquins Gin, Three Spirit, Minor Figures, The Turmeric Co., Volcano Coffee

4. Do yourself a favour

GET YOURSELF 2 MONTHS FREE USING THIS magical link

♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here 🍲 

🤝 Let's Connect!

►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)

►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

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