Heads & Tales – David Hieatt
Episode 30: David Hieatt on the power of great storytelling
Long a hero of Oppidan Education's co-founder Walter Kerr, our latest guest on Heads & Tales is the incomparable David Hieatt. David is the founder of Hiut Denim Co and The DO Lectures, and a devout loyalist of the timeless art of writing and storytelling. On the episode, he shares his journey from tuck shop hustler at school to creating leading consumer brands.
🎙️ Episode recap:
David's views on mentoring: he advocates for a 'horses for courses' approach, with multiple mentors supporting a variety of areas.
His early entrepreneurial days: David's entrepreneurial spirit was apparent very early on, recognising a gap in the market to sell ice lollies at school in Wales. Only the resulting litter put an end to it all...
Lessons in leadership: he admits that the toughest part of his journey is dealing with wasted talent and how important it is to shrug off false hope.
The revival of Hiut Denim: David tells the story of how Hiut Denim came to be, breathing life back into the Welsh town of Cardigan, once the largest denim producer in the UK.
His controversial opinions: from WFH to fundraising, David challenges the status quo in a typically no-nonsense approach.
Writing is a superpower: master the art of writing, he says. It's not just about the words on paper, but also the clarity of thought and the ability to connect with others on a truly profound level.
