Tom Kay: Low Ego Leadership

In this episode of Who’s Elvis Around Here?, Chris Baréz-Brown sits down with Tom Kay, founder of Finisterre - the pioneering outdoor brand born on the cliffs of Cornwall.

From humble beginnings in a flat above a surf shop to a global, purpose-driven business, Tom shares the real story behind building a brand that stands for something more. This is not just about business growth - it’s about culture, purpose, and the power of people.

Tom reveals why “low ego” is the most underrated leadership trait, how a clear purpose can unlock creativity and ownership, and why staying connected to nature (yes, even cold-water swims!) shapes better teams and better decisions.

They also explore:

• The highs and lows of building a brand from scratch 
• How to maintain startup energy after 20+ years 
• Why purpose-driven companies attract better people 
• The role of the ocean in shaping Finisterre’s identity 
• What gives Tom hope in a challenging world 

If you're a founder, leader, or anyone interested in building meaningful culture - this episode is packed with insight.

👉 “Never underestimate the power of a small group of people to drive change.”

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:08

So, welcome to the Who's Elvis Round Here podcast. This is where I get joined by some of the fun, energetic, magical leaders from around the world and understand what makes them tick and how they get the best out of their people. And uh and this week, we're in for a little treat. I've got my mate Tommy Kay here. It's great to have you here, Tommy. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Yeah, good. No, thanks for having us.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

It's an absolute pleasure. So, can you explain to the world who is Tommy Kay?

SPEAKER_00 0:35

Yep, I am the founder of Finister, which is a brand I started back in 2003 now. Here in St. Agnes, where we're still based on the cliffs, and it's really born from my love of the sea and a belief there was a better way of making product. Um, and yeah, it's pushed me a lot along the way, but I'm really proud of where the brand sits today.

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Yeah, well, you know, it is quite something, and did incredibly well. I mean, I've I've been a part of that journey, and it has really it's really moved on.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

Yeah, I mean, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

From making uh fleeces uh years ago, it's it's quite a different business now.

SPEAKER_00 1:13

Yeah, so I mean it's you know it started here in Snagnus, uh flat above a surf shop about 20 metres from where I'm sat now, and um it was really you know built from a need for a product that functional product that when you get out to see from a cold surf, you put on when you get changes in the car park. And you know, that was back in 2003, and there wasn't really that sort of product around the head, you know, around then. And um, I guess my formative years were sort of 15, 16, 17. I really got into surfing, and the sort of surfing I was doing was in this country where it's like today, it's windy, it's rainy, it's cold. But the sort of product that this, you know, the brands are selling to me were bikini and board shorts. So I said about Finister to make those sort of products, make them in a better way, preferred fabric, sustainability, and also make it into hopefully um a really great place for people to work.

SPEAKER_01 2:01

Yeah, well, and look, and that's that's a lot about what this podcast is about. So look, the brand and the ethos are fantastic, yeah, but um, but you've actually got quite a unique culture because actually you run the business in quite a different way to to any I've seen, actually. Um which is why I wanted to get you on to get you know a slightly.

SPEAKER_00 2:18

Yeah, I just also like to say before that I just want to say um, yeah, the one of the one of the one of the coolest moments is always always been seeing our people, you know, people, our customers and our products, and they just sort of when you said, like, you know, you've been on the journey a long time, and obviously when you go way way back, and you know, thanks for the support. But the first time my mum, um, I saw someone who wasn't my mum or my sister or my friend or you wearing our product. It was uh it was it was a big deal, so that was always big moments for us. So yeah, it's um yeah, it's grown from my bedroom to what you see now, yeah, from Fleece's.

SPEAKER_01 2:52

Well, it's amazing, it's amazing. Look, and I know there's tons of stories about uh you know your your growth and development, but you know, it what's the story you love to tell that people love to hear?

SPEAKER_00 3:04

Um yeah, it's a really good question. I mean, I think the story, I mean, like, I guess like we as a brand, um, you know, always try and tell good stories, not like some some strategic kind of decision, but it's just like a good thing to be able for a brand to do, and we've always done that since the start, uh, through our content, through our product, through our retail stores, that sort of thing. So telling you know, telling really good stories. And I guess the story that I feel I've told a million times, and people still ask to hear about it is how the brand started. Um even now, because there's like 200 people in the business, there's 15 or 16 stores, we got you know, going in the US and abroad and stuff. Um, I uh every two months I sit down to do the founders talk. Uh, and there's all there's loads of people there, some have been new people, some have been there a long time, and I feel I've told the set that story. So I guess it is that founders' story, how the brand started, you know, starting something from nothing, really putting a uh brand business agenda about driving change and doing something differently. And I guess that journey, because it is lonely, it is hard, um, it nearly hasn't happened many times, but having that kind of true north in terms of what the brand is and who you are and what we're going to become kind of carries you through those through those troughs, basically. And um, yeah, so that that I guess that is this that story is the one that I tell the most, I suppose.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

Yeah, and and look, and it's um it serves you really well, right? Because it was a business born of passion and it had a singular focus, yeah, and therefore that gives you an energy, definitely. But I guess it also gives you, as you say, when it's a north star, it means that everything else can build off it really well. You know, there's a there's a passion for the sea, uh, and it's a cold sea in your life, as it is in mine, and therefore, and therefore there is a very different energy that comes to that. And I guess the way that people show up and the type of talent that actually work with you in the team.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Yeah, I think um, yeah, that I mean it's um yeah, so so I guess that that that's like a you know been a big thing since the start. And I guess I'd say that I'm I was I was not a businessman, I wasn't a clothes designer, you know. I did sort of biology, the marine focus at university, a seed being in my life, and then I sort of you know twitched switched into you know building a brand that represented things that I was really passionate and believed about, and also what a brand should do beyond being a business. So um I guess the you know that that that that that's always been there. And I think um, you know, that passion and belief and sort of you know focus and conviction, I suppose, in terms of what you're here to do, is hopefully an interesting, exciting place for people to join and be part of. And I always say, you know, I mean, I got these calls and thought, oh my god, it looks so old, but I it still feels like we're 23 years and we've still just got so much to do. So it is this sort of exciting sort of startup mentality where there's so much more for the brand to do, drive change, preferred fabrics, you know, content, the foundation, all that sort of stuff. So um, even though we're it's like a you know it's a startup energy, I think, in culturally, I hope, in the brand, in the business, uh, and I think that is exhausting and exciting and exciting at the same time. And I hope, and I guess the thing that I'm most proud about, if you come into Wheel Kitty Workshops, where we are uh located here in St. Agnes, and it's like, I don't know, it's like 100 metres from Steve being there, like from this from the from the surf and the cliff and the sea and stuff like that. Um, it's the same, the spirit of the brand to me is the same now, albeit with all the stuff that's going around it, as it was, you know, 20 years ago. And that for me is a really important um sort of feeling to, you know, I'm I'm really proud and quite quite kind of protector of that feeling, basically, because that's kind of how you can kind of be ambitious and grounded at the same time, which I think are two things we we try and work on quite a lot.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

Yeah, and look, and the energy is palpable there, there's no doubt. You know, I've I've had the pleasure of being down there numerous times, yeah. And there is a buzz, and I know what you mean about it's really exciting and it's exhausting. That is the nature of a startup, but when you get the right people who have the same beliefs, it makes such a difference, right? So that kind of brings me on to my next question. So sure. If there is one thing that you think is absolutely vital in bringing out the genius of your people, what would that be, Tommy?

SPEAKER_00 7:39

Um I would probably say low ego.

SPEAKER_01 7:42

Ah, interesting. Tell me more.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

I yeah, I mean, I think it's you know, we're quite a low-ego, um, I hope you know, low ego kind of uh team culture business, I think. And it's you know, I I think if you're low ego, you're more up for collaboration, and that that's the that's the power of a team or a group of individuals or like uh a part of the business really working together well. And I think in low-ego environments, you you know, you you look after each other, you look out for each other, you support each other, you can challenge each other. I'm not saying you know there's not like innovation and pushing each other. Um, so it's not laid back, it's sort of driven. There's a drive there, but it is generally low ego. And I think that for me, um, I like I like you know, I like people who have energy, um, uh have you know that you can get an affinity energy if they are driven and they um also are low ego.

SPEAKER_01 8:38

Um look, and I think there'll be a lot of people listening to this going, oh, that that's interesting. Because actually, I've asked this question to quite a lot of leaders. I I've never heard low ego. So that's gonna prick people's attention. Now, what the next question is gonna be in the head is how do you lead for a culture that's low ego? How do you make sure that happens and lives and brings every day?

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Uh, I mean, I think that's like so I I can I kind of brand higher purpose, that sort of thing that put button on the buttons always been at the start, it's about you know connecting people to see, and that can be you know, in it, on it, surfing is you know, that I so as a brand identity is surfing, and that's that's kind of my my connection, my primary connection on the sea all the time, do all kinds of things. But we believe we can do that as a brand, uh, you're better off as an individual, spiritually, emotionally, physiologically, a lot of evidence to sort of show that now. When you're back on land, uh, you can you'd be an advocate and a guardian for the sea and the ocean, which it needs, um, and it's something we're never gonna get there. But that that's that that's the sort of the brand brand sort of uh higher purpose. So, how do we live and breathe that every day? Um, you know, bring the product to life that can support the business, can create the impact, uh, can let people do things. So I think for me, it's basically giving people ownership and you know, allowing them to creatively fill uh the role that they're in, obviously within the constraints of the brand purpose and direction and commercial objectives, but there's a there's a certain sense of freedom and ownership um in the space they're in. Also with the brand, we have you've been on Sea Tuesday, every Tuesday we start work at 10 o'clock, and they'll go for swim or surf in the sea. Um, or if they you know, retail they'll they'll do something like that near where they are. Um, and it's about sort of setting up the sort of structure around the teams that mean they can remind themselves of why they're here, uh you know, help them hopefully on a daily basis be, you know, be um motivated and um fired up and creatively uh fulfilled, I suppose, to do to do their work and um and and the job, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

So so uh just listen to that as a couple of things that resonate with me. Number one is you've got clarity about where you're going and what's important to you, so that gives you the opportunity to have freedom around how people deliver it. Because actually the direction's quite well set, but how people show up and deliver that is kind of up to them. So you you're celebrating the individuality of them, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 11:07

Yeah, I think I think the irony is that you think that the you know, if you have like a you know, you have you have like your your true North, like I said earlier, like about you know what the brand is, but then around that there's certain sort of you know, there's creative flex that means that a creative team can come up with an ad campaign that they know is in line with where the brand is going, but they've come up with themselves, and so it's sort of they have ownership and and it and it's a really it's actually like a really it's a really kind of um fruitful and sort of I think um yeah empowering way for people to work.

SPEAKER_01 11:40

Yeah, yeah. No, I I like that. The other thing that's just struck me is um there's something about the sea that takes your ego away a bit, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 11:49

All the time, yeah. I mean, you know, you're gonna sometimes I mean, you know, uh yeah, you go in it and you get spat out sometimes. You go I I guess I guess the thing is every time you know you never know what, you know, like it's it's unknown when you go in there for a surf or swim, whatever. Something always happens that um, yeah, yeah, you know, it reminds you of um, yeah, I mean, and you could argue in getting in nature's the same, you know, there's these big moments that oh, these little moments are big moments, and they are they are you know remind us, you know, uh in a hopefully like a positive way of our you know, of uh our place, you know.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Yeah, it's it I I certainly find the scene quite humbling. I am I have deep respect for it because I've seen it when it goes wrong, and um and there's something about that that maybe keeps us in check. And I know there's a lot more than that, but actually your purpose is connected to it. And I know that actually, you as a founder, and I know you know that some of the leaders in the business, you you know, you tend to be more humble. You you're not there uh bragging about stuff, you tend to show up very much living the values of what you believe in. And I guess that filters through.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

Yeah, I hope so. I mean, there's something you know, like we I know you know we worked with you guys before, which has been awesome, um, and you've really helped us. Um but I think um yeah, living those, living those brand values every day, and you know, they they should be you know livable any scale, like a like a micro scale, right up to um you know, like a like a big brand scale. So um they are really important, and hopefully uh we set good examples and the whole the whole business is guardians of those brand values, and you know, and it's not you know, you have to work out them they they have to really kind of bring them to life and really commit to doing that uh and help each other do that.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

Yeah. So um my big question of the day. Yeah, what gives you hope, Tommy?

SPEAKER_00 13:43

Um, what gives me hope? I think the resilience of the human spirit is my um, yeah, that's kind of yeah, I often get asked, you know, who's your inspiration, all that sort of stuff, and I don't really have any one person I go to, but there's loads of you know, there's people in my friend network, in my family, right up to you know, people doing these big inverted component inspirational things that um, you know, or you know, people standing up for the planet or the ocean, and uh that that kind of I guess you know, you look at the world and it's a lot of bad stuff going on, yeah. Both, you know, particularly the last few weeks, and then you know, the environment, and um yeah, but I guess I'm kind of I'm a realist, but most optimistic in the resilience of the human spirit. And uh, you know, my favorite quotes is um by this lady called Margaret Mead, and it's never underestimate the power of a small bunch of people to drive change. In fact, that's all that ever has, and that's kind of that's like a real mantra for me. And I guess that was there when we're four people, and it's there when it's 200 people, and um, you know, it's still it's still a growing business, but it's still not it's not huge. So, but you know, we believe in the ability to to to you know uh power of change and the power of uh the the the resilience of the human spirit.

SPEAKER_01 14:56

Beautiful, yeah. Uh I mean that is a place for some uh inspiration, I think. Uh the resilience of human spirit. I love it. So look, what's uh what's coming up in the future that you're excited about?

SPEAKER_00 15:07

Um uh what's coming? I mean, there's always I mean, there's just so much on the brand right now. Um, you know, we um what's been happening? Uh I mean the collaboration's always big for us and stuff to you know, drink with the RNLI or uh shoot with your own Vasia footwear. Um we do those always good McGurems to brand. Um product's always growing, we're kind of getting some real traction in the US, which is cool. Um, and I think our impact and our sustainability stuff, you know, we just reserved our B core and increased our score to 116, so that was a lot of work in that. So there's a constant like evolution and growth in the business and who we are and what we're doing. So um just signed a really amazing ambassador who's like uh indigenous Hawaiian called Cliff. Um who actually came over here to do scientific research 10 years ago and he was literally had no wetsuit, so I gave him a wetsuit. Um, he was doing surf uh research into gut by end of surfers as an indicator of pollution. Um and so he came back and we're now working with him, and he, you know, just and I guess you know, I love me the people who have met along the way, some are here, some are have have gone with like you know, to new adventures and stuff like that. Um, that's always really exciting for me.

SPEAKER_01 16:25

Yeah, and look, everything that you just described then, it's it's all about kind of newness, it's about adventure, it's about trying new stuff out, which is a big part of it with what your brand is. But I can see I can see your eyes light up when you describe those. So you've still got that startup mentality. I mean it's very exciting, but it can be exhausting at the same time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I guess you get carried away on a wave of newness all the time, right?

SPEAKER_00 16:48

Yeah, I mean, you know, like it's you know, there's and you also have to celebrate the the milestones because there's so much going on, it's quite easy for like a season to come in, a real beautiful collection to get launched, go in the stores, and the products amazing, great fabrics, that sort of thing, and then suddenly you're like onto the next thing. And it's like we have to really kind of, you know, you're kind of you're you're on a you're on a kind of ambitious sort of uh, you know, not treadmill, but sort of growth journey, um, staying grounded, um, you know, recognizing those moments when they come up, uh, but excited about where the brand can go, really, and the impact we can have, and the change we can drive, and the conversations we can have. And I always get really excited when we do stuff beyond a transactional, beyond a business. Um, and so that's always there as well.

SPEAKER_01 17:32

Wonderful. I've always enjoyed playing with you guys. I I I have a vivid memory, and this is the only time it's ever happened to me in my life. Uh, we we did uh a gig down um down at Kitty Wheel. Uh we had what 70 odd people. Uh it was in February, and at lunchtime we went, right, we're all going for a swim. And everybody got in the water. And I think there were only about three wetsuits. That's why I think that's a good thing.

SPEAKER_00 17:56

Yeah, no wetsuits, just some broads and broadshores. Yeah. Yeah, no, and you got to be fair, you and you and Lusty got straight in there, so you were you were living it with us. So, and you know, I thought I wouldn't say thanks for all the help. You know, you've been friends for a while, and you've really helped us, you know, in terms of that that brand culture piece, and um, you know, when we didn't know what was going on, you know, a while a while back. So uh we still don't know, we're still building as you fly it a bit now, anyway. So uh, but yeah, you know, you know, always admired what you guys do and the work you you you have done, yeah. Well I'm doing that.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

Oh, it's it's always been a pleasure. And by the way, I think knowing is overrated. I think we just keep experimenting and see what happens, right? Yes, exactly. You but you've created it, it's been amazing, and um, you know, it's there's a there's a very clear purpose on it, but I love the culture, I love the vibe, I love the energy. But it's been an absolute pleasure having you on. Thank you so much for sharing the insights and looking forward to see what the next adventures bring.

SPEAKER_00 18:48

No problems, thanks a lot, Chris.