There is an audible sigh of exhaustion, of weariness, of disturbed momentum, of deep uncertainty. So in this collection of conversations, we are going to discuss ideas, approaches and temperaments that could act as an antidote for those of us working in the arts and creative industries.

If you have found yourself retreating, becoming overly cautious or risk averse, then this is the episode for you. Francesca Strange, founder of The Proof, is brutally honest about running a business and taking calculated risks, searching for balance, facing failure and the future. There’s no sugar coating here.

The Proof are a bakery based in East London who, simply put ‘will bring pudding’. Francesca is a self-taught cook and baker who has blended an Italian background, a sweet tooth and gumption in spades to create a business full of energy and joy. A nod to style but its heart in substance, The Proof delivers the puddings we know and love with a dollop of doings things well on the side. And if you manage to get to the end of this episode without a craving for profiteroles, I will be quite surprised.

We are going to hear about the unexpected beginnings in lockdown, opening the bakery in Dalston, building a team, their current kickstarter campaign and their vision and plans for the future. Here’s a clue. It involves candy floss.