The Family Behind the World’s Warmest Sock with Director of Sockshop, Alok Ruia #67 Artwork

It Runs In The Family

Hello! We're Liz & Leila Willingham and welcome to "It Runs In The Family". We're the mother and daughter duo working within the public relations and communications agency, Liz Lean PR. Running a business is hard - really hard. Every business has its challenges and it's own ups and downs - but in a family business, this is often exaggerated by the willingness to speak your mind. But it also has some huge advantages that the corporate cultures just can't compete with. In this podcast, featuring a different family business guest in each episode, we're going to be digging into the stories, values and traditions of other family and multi-generational businesses. We'll explore their history, learnings and how they've developed through the generations and the unique advantages they've had over their competitors. We discover where human relationship migrates into business; the ups, downs, twists, turns and landmark moments that seal the fate of these fascinating organisations. You’ll get to hear some brilliant life stories too; some to make you laugh and others that’ll warm your heart. Many of our clients are family businesses who we've worked very closely with over a number of years - we've heard brilliant stories that reveal true values and fun operating as a family business. We want you to feel inspired by stories of others, find their honesty relatable and reach out to us with your own experiences. If you have any questions for future guests, have a story of your own or have any feedback please do feel free to get in touch on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itrunsinthefamilypodcast/

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It Runs In The Family

The Family Behind the World’s Warmest Sock with Director of Sockshop, Alok Ruia #67

August 30, 2023 • Liz & Leila Willingham, Alok Ruia • Episode 67

‘Feel good from the feet up’ - one simple phrase underpins the decades-long history of the Sockshop brand, and its direction is guided by the keen intuition of Alok Ruia.

As Director of the brand, which lies within the Ruia Group, there’s a fascinating dynamic between his business and those of his brothers, and a philosophy evident throughout the group.

Discover Alok’s journey into the family business, the blend of strategy with opportunity recognition, and how Annie Lennox changed the way the world sees socks…

This episode covers:

The complication of family dynamics in business spaces
Unique culture and autonomy being paramount
The fascinating story behind Sockshop’s revolutionary Heat Holders
Surprising cultural impacts that have come from celebrity socks

Liz Willingham: https://www.instagram.com/lizzielean/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-willingham-09273a3/
Leila Willingham: https://www.instagram.com/leilawillingham/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leila-willingham-821530a1/

People on this episode

Leila Willingham

Co-host

Liz Willingham

Co-host