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18
Jo Barnard
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Why This Episode Matters
Jo Barnard has led the design of products selling in tens of millions worldwide, launched her own grooming brand, co-founded circular kids-tech startup Kibu, and spearheaded Design Declares—a movement uniting 800+ designers for climate action. In this conversation, she reveals why businesses should be regenerative (giving more than they take), how starting a studio felt like small steps rather than a big leap, and why we've lost our sense of connection that historically guided human creativity. For designers building purposeful studios and anyone who believes design should give back, this is a masterclass in thoughtful making.
Key Takeaways
Businesses should be regenerative—give more than you take
Jo defines regenerative as giving more than you take. It's not just sustainability (doing less harm), but actively contributing positively to people, planet, and community through your work.
Starting a studio is a series of small steps, not one big leap
From the outside it looks like a big step. From the inside, Jo says it was just one foot in front of the other—freelancing, then a company name, then letting go of side jobs gradually.
Designers are designers, not salesmen
After launching their own product and dealing with shipping, warehouses, and logistics, Jo's team realized they love designing—not selling. Understanding this distinction is crucial for studio founders.
We've lost our sense of connection
Jo believes in a stream of consciousness connecting everyone and everything. Many people have lost the ability to feel this intuition. Tapping back into it would change how we design and act.
Write a book that people will actually finish
Jo's book is short, readable, printed on good paper, and made locally. They make no money from it—but it's a stamp of what the studio stands for and believes in.
Conversation Outline
00:00 — "Businesses should all be regenerative—giving more than you take"
02:00 — The cocktail question: designing physical products at scale
03:00 — How product design in school sparked the passion
04:00 — Starting Morrama: why it felt like small steps, not a big leap
06:00 — Why more designers are starting studios (there's less jobs)
10:00 — The squeeze on creative industries and how to find opportunity
15:00 — Launching their own product: "We're designers, not salesmen"
20:00 — Design Declares: uniting 800+ designers for climate action
25:00 — Co-founding Kibu: circular kids-tech
30:00 — Why having fun matters (Joe Foster's three tips)
38:00 — What Jo believes: we're all connected by a stream of consciousness
40:00 — Writing a book: a mark in the sand
42:00 — Next book topics: joy in design, design for resilience
Jo Barnard
→ Founder of Morrama — product design studio in London
→ Products designed have sold in tens of millions worldwide
→ Founder of Design Declares — 800+ designers united for climate action
→ Co-Founder of Kibu — circular kids-tech startup
→ Author of "Morrama: A Decade of Thoughtful Design"
→ Featured in WIRED, Dezeen, and BBC
→ Launched her own grooming brand
Show Notes & Links
Mentioned In This Episode
→ Morrama — Jo's product design studio in London
→ Design Declares — movement of 800+ designers for climate action
→ Kibu — circular kids-tech startup Jo co-founded
→ Joe Foster — Reebok founder, referenced for "have fun" advice
→ Four Things a Week — Jo's newsletter/blog on Morrama website
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