I’ve been visiting brand HQs for over a decade now. London blocks, converted warehouses, glossy city offices - I’ve seen the lot.
Hundreds of them.
Each one inspiring in different ways.
But last month, something happened that’s never happened before.
I visited a brand whose HQ felt like the purest expression of itself. Not just a reflection of the brand; but a complete embodiment of it.
From the moment you arrive, you’re in the lifestyle. You’re part of the mission and the energy that drives it.
It’s hard to articulate the impact, you kind of have to experience it.
That brand was Finisterre.
Cornwall on Your Sleeve
Finisterre isn’t just based in Cornwall. It is Cornwall. Founded in St Agnes in 2003, born out of cold-water surfing, it’s a business that designs for the people who live that life every day. Sustainability and conservation aren’t campaigns here, they’re the foundations.
From the cliff-top HQ, you can see the Atlantic. You can feel it in the wind the moment you step out of the car. It’s the kind of place that shapes your headspace long before you meet a single person inside.
Sea Tuesday
Every Tuesday morning, the whole team walks down to the beach at St Agnes. No meeting, no agenda. Just the sea. Some swim, some surf. Everyone gets in the water.
That’s where I met most of the team for the first time. Waist-deep in the Atlantic, barriers gone, conversations flowing. By the time we got back to dry land, the dynamic had completely changed. And when you head into work after that, you’re in a completely different headspace.
Living the Brand
It’s easy to put values on a wall. It’s harder to live them. Sea Tuesday isn’t a stunt, it’s a weekly reset. It keeps everyone, from product design to marketing, connected to the customer and the lifestyle they’re building for.
Back at HQ, there’s no rush. People drift in when they’re ready. At 9:45, the company gathers for a relaxed all-hands. This week, the Woodland Trust gave a talk on forest conservation; perfectly relevant, perfectly on brand, and absolutely not virtue signalling. Just part of the rhythm.
Then we moved into our workshop. I’ve run a lot of these sessions. I’ve never seen that level of openness and energy from the start.
Why Share This
Because there’s something worth taking away here:
Ritual builds culture: Real culture comes from doing, not saying.
Purpose fuels performance: Shared experiences before work change how people show up.
Consistency is rare: Doing this every week is what makes it special.
After hundreds of brand visits, I’ve been inspired in countless ways. But this was different. Fundamentally different. It’s proof that when you truly live your values, people don’t just hear about them, they feel them.
And of course, we couldn’t go to Cornwall without getting a proper Cornish pasty…
