My Working Day – Pip Murray – Founder of Pip & Nut
Story by
March 7, 2022
As the leader of a company, you are there to set an example, to lead and inspire a team of individuals to achieve a series of business goals. But how do these business leaders go about their daily routine? Business Leader spoke to Pip Murray, Founder of Pip & Nut, about her working day.
What time do you wake up?
My alarm goes off at 6.30 am every day.
What do you have for breakfast?
Granola topped with almond butter, berries and banana. After 7 years of running the business I still eat Pip & Nut almost every day for breakfast- I love it!
What is your mantra for your working day?
Done is better than perfect. There’s always too much to do and not enough time and it’s easy to get into a cycle of always wanting to perfect something. Over time I’ve learnt it’s better to do something to 70-80% as the final 20-30% has diminishing returns on effort.
As a business leader, is it hard to separate your business and personal life?
Pip & Nut is the first business I’ve ever done and holds a special place in my heart (and brain!) which inevitably makes it hard to separate my personal and business life. In the early days, it was all-consuming, probably to the point of being a bit unhealthy, but as both the business and I have matured I’ve created better boundaries around work/life. A key part of that is making sure that I’m working on things that deliver the biggest impact for Pip & Nut. It’s easy to be a busy fool and let the company take over and it’s critical I make sure that I’m being as effective as I can so I can carve out more quality time for things outside of work.
What advice would you give to aspiring female entrepreneurs?
Be confident in your capabilities, don’t be overly apologetic and think big! In an environment where there’s so much noise and competition, you’ve got to make sure that you’re being bold in your thinking and shout about it as loud as you can. Nobody’s going to sing your praises like you, so try to get over the idea that you’re being brash or boastful and celebrate the business that you’re creating.
Who is your business idol? Why?
Ed Perry from Cook. I’ve known Ed for a couple of years now but followed his business, cook, for longer. COOK were the first-ever B Corp in the U.K. and they’re an incredible example of how to run a hyper-successful brand whilst also giving back to your community and protecting the environment. As leaders go, Ed is one of a kind. He’s down to earth, open and honest. Regardless of how busy he is, he’ll always get back to me with advice if I’ve come to him for some.
What motivates you?
Thinking about the positive impact our brand has and could have in the future. I love the fact that I can use Pip & Nut as a vehicle to do good in the world and find it so empowering that, as a B Corp, we can help protect the planet whilst at the same time creating incredible products that people love to eat.
How do you persevere through challenging times?
For me, it’s about perspective. Ensuring that I’ve put any issue in context and reminding myself that it shall pass. It can be easy to get into a spiral when something goes wrong, but more often than not I’ve been through worse and that perspective really helps remind me that any obstacle is just a problem that needs solving and that eventually, I’ll move past it.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a female entrepreneur?
It’s often difficult to interpret whether being a female has impacted me during my journey as more often than not any bias or discrimination is unspoken. Having said that, one of the challenges I’ve found is finding female peers to connect with by the very fact there are less women running growth businesses.
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
Showing emotions isn’t a sign of weakness but of strength. Whilst this doesn’t mean that it’s ok to burst into tears every two minutes (!) it’s about making it ok to be open and vulnerable about your experience.
Are you hopeful about the future of female entrepreneurship in the UK? Why?
Absolutely. There are fewer and fewer barriers to entry for businesses today which helps make the idea of running a business more accessible and less of a risk. This is key for women, who are often more risk-averse than men. On top of that, moments like IWD really help raise the profile of women in business and in turn helps inspire others.
