1 Granary Summer School: Don't chase turnover instead of profit

Palmer//Harding’s co-founders on cash flow traps, growth myths, and the hard lessons that kept their brand afloat.

Welcome to the second edition of our four-part Summer School series. Released every Tuesday in August, each piece will take the form of a conversation between 1 Granary and the co-founders of the brand Palmer//Harding. Our aim is to provide a mini mentorship: unvarnished, hard-won lessons drawn from years of the designers’ trial and error. It’s what you aren’t taught but must learn about building and sustaining a brand.

What does a £250k wholesale order mean if it nearly bankrupts you? Part two tackles the gritty financial realities behind the gloss: cash flow traps, risky growth spikes, and the myth that more sales = more success. Palmer//Harding share the mistakes they made, how they course-corrected, and why they’ve stopped chasing scale in favour of staying profitable. Essential reading for anyone dealing with spreadsheets, invoices, and the fear of running out of money.

Only have a few minutes? Scroll to the bottom for the TL;DR.