Will Butler-Adams OBE: Brompton CEO Interview
In this conversation, I speak to Will Butler-Adams OBE, CEO of Brompton. Will joined the company in 2002 aged 28, when it had around 40 employees; he became Director in 2006 and…
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In this conversation, I speak to Will Butler-Adams OBE, CEO of Brompton. Will joined the company in 2002 aged 28, when it had around 40 employees; he became Director in 2006 and…
In this interview, I spoke to Jesper Kouthoofd, founder of Teenage Engineering, about why he still refuses the title of designer, why he thinks every product is an illusion and the honest…
From the archive
The factory isn't something to hide away or outsource to the cheapest option. It's something to cherish, to be proud of. We can be trendy, we can be a brand, but it means nothing if the product that goes out the door isn't exceptional.
— Will Butler-AdamsToo often, businesses today are driven solely by academic numbers. But customers aren't numbers. They're human beings who care about storytelling and integrity. You can tell when a product is made by people who care.
— Will Butler-AdamsWe spent a lot of time explaining to our dealers who not to sell the bike to. Their mindset was just 'sell, sell, sell.' But we told them: no, don't sell it to people who don't need it, because they'll never love it.
— Will Butler-AdamsI realized: I'm working for a company that makes people happy. You don't leave that.
— Will Butler-AdamsOpportunities come, sometimes very subtly, gently floating by. The typical response is, 'Yeah, cheers mate,' and back to Middlesbrough you go. But if your antenna is up — if you're someone who listens, runs with things, and grabs hold of opportunities — they can lead somewhere.
— Will Butler-Adams