Then and now... Al Bruce

In the latest instalment of Bdaily’s Then and now... series, Al Bruce, founder and managing director of London, Worcestershire and Leamington Spa-based kitchens firm Olive & Barr, discusses his early working life as a fruit picker, his passion for creativity and why technology is ready to help the business' next phase of growth.

You’re founder and managing director at Olive & Barr. What does your role entail?

I still work really closely with the day-to-day running of the company, whether that is working with the design team to look at new collections, day-to-day operations or the brand building side of things.

Did you always want to work in the handmade kitchens and interiors sector? Or did you have other ambitions when you were growing up?

I always knew I wanted to do something in design – it is how my brain works.

Combining that with the fact I had a personal passion for building within the interiors sector, I probably did know.

What was your first job – and did you enjoy it?

Like so many people, it was a paper round.

I soon realised, though, that the hours didn’t really suit a young teenager.

My second job, and what you might call my first proper job, was seasonal fruit picking in Kent.

I really enjoyed it – I’d spend the day picking apples then winding down in a field, cooking big stews over a campfire and sharing a bottle of cider.

Were there any mentors or individuals that helped shape your career? And are you still applying lessons you learned then to your workforce of today?

So many designers across a wide range of disciplines have influenced me.

In business, I’m aware of the areas I fall short, so I make a point of surrounding myself with people who are far more knowledgeable in their fields.

In that sense, the people around me are all mentors in their own way – every day is a school day.

What attracted you to the handmade kitchens and interiors sector?

When I was younger, my mother always said she never knew where the bed would be when she came into my bedroom.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve used my little space as a canvas for all my ideas: painting walls, rearranging furniture and so on.

I’m constantly designing, working out how to live in a space.

It’s an old cliché, but this profession chose me, not the other way around.

How do you feel you’ve changed as a person over the years? Have career roles brought new dimensions to your personality?

The creativity and enthusiasm are as strong as ever.

Now, with Olive & Barr’s rapid commercial growth, the business side has come into play.

I love working with the people, but the financials don't really float my boat.

You learn to keep your eyes on what you enjoy and leave the rest to those who are better at it.

You’ve seen many changes to the employment world across your career – how do you see the workplace evolving in years to come?

Like most people right now, artificial intelligence feels like a massive game-changer, and I find it genuinely thrilling.

The idea that it can take on repetitive, time-consuming tasks and give that headspace back to people? I’m all for it.

That’s where real creativity lives.

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