If you’ve just watched Grand Designs and found your way here, then welcome. It’s been quite something sharing our family’s story and seeing so many messages from people who connected with it. What’s meant the most are those who said they related to my outlook on life the idea of staying positive, tackling challenges head-on, and enjoying the process rather than just the outcome.
I thought I’d use this moment to share a bit more about that philosophy, and some of the other journeys I’ve been on beyond building the castle from sustainable fashion and childcare to health and home energy.
A recent Telegraph article touched on one of my core motivations: my interest in death. Not in a negative or morbid sense, but as a reminder of how fragile and precious life is. I think about it often and I’m grateful every day that my family and I are healthy. Life can change in an instant, and my family has experienced that firsthand. It’s what drives me to make the most of each day and to build things that matter.
Being dyslexic, I’ve never enjoyed classroom learning. I learn by doing. When I wanted to understand business, I started one my first at fifteen. I loved creating something from scratch: finding customers, sending invoices,and realising that once you’d started, you had to keep moving.
At eighteen, I was almost wiped out by scammers. A few years later, a key supplier went bust and nearly took my fledgling business with it. Those experiences taught me something essential you can’t ride the emotional rollercoaster. You need resilience. Don’t get too high when it’s good, and don’t get too low when it’s tough.
Like most entrepreneurs, I’ve learned that problems are just puzzles to solve whether they’re about product, people, customers, or cash. You deal with what’s in front of you, one challenge at a time.
When I wanted to learn more about politics, I didn’t just read about it, I got involved. I became a donor and then a county councillor. Representing others gives you a whole new perspective. Politics is hard, and I discovered it doesn’t suit my personality of ideas and disruption but I learned a lot about empathy, patience, and public service.
Around the same time, my local childminder wanted to open a nursery. I ended up helping negotiate the land, finance the build, and mentor the founders. That became one of the largest single nurseries in the country, with over 300 children enrolled, 40 staff, and nearly 20 apprentices.
Building that business gave me huge respect for early years education and for anyone running one. We didn’t build it for profit; we built it to give children from any background the best start in life. It grew to over £1 million in annual revenue and, after six years, we sold it successfully. In truth, running that nursery was far harder than building the castle. With construction, mistakes are usually fixable; in childcare, every decision has human consequences.
Another venture was Jellymud, www.jellymud.uk a sustainable clothing brand I started with my cousin Lizzie. The name came from my eldest daughter when she was four. We set out to make sustainable, family-friendly clothing using bamboo and recycled materials.
It’s been a brilliant creative outlet and taught me a lot about fashion, supply chains, and brand-building. The products are genuinely great; now our focus is on growing awareness.
Health from the Inside Out
Then there’s Gutology, a company on a mission to help people understand the microbiome the bacteria that drive much of our health. From helping our own daughter overcome dairy intolerance to supporting people with chronic issues, I’ve seen firsthand how treating the cause rather than the symptom changes lives.
I’ve been involved since the start as an investor and chairman, and I’m proud of how the team has grown the business. The science around gut health is still young, but it’s one of the most exciting frontiers in wellness.
Finally, there’s Tewke, the business that ties together everything I’ve learned about design, technology, and sustainability. Our mission is simple: to stop wasting energy. Around the world, over $1 trillion of energy is wasted every year in homes. The EU recently estimated that smarter energy use could save the equivalent output of 200 nuclear power stations.
At Tewke, we believe that change starts in the home. By making devices that understand how we live and use energy, we can make homes dramatically more efficient without compromising comfort. Our first product, Tap, reimagines the light switch turning it into an intelligent, beautifully designed control for lighting, energy, and wellbeing.
The castle has been our living testbed for Tap each switch filled with sensors that learn, adapt, and improve through software updates. It’s simple, elegant technology that makes smart living effortless.
Looking back, the through line across all these ventures, from the nursery to Tewke, is that they each took years. The castle took four. Tewke has been five. The nursery was six. None of these journeys happen quickly.
If you only enjoy the end, you’ll spend most of your life feeling frustrated. The secret is to enjoy the process the small wins, the setbacks, the learning.
After selling my telecoms business, I thought slowing down would make me happy. It didn’t. I got sick from not being busy. What I’ve learned since is that momentum matters. It doesn’t mean rushing, it means moving forward, even a little, every day.
So whatever you’re building a home, a business, a family enjoy the journey. Because the real reward isn’t at the finish line. It’s in the act of building something that lasts.
If you’d like to follow my projects:
Hi, I really enjoyed watching the castle you are building. It truly is amazing and I love how you are trying to build something so sustainable and something that lasts! I’m doing a renovation that’s in its 3rd year (it’s a small terrace, not a castle!). I’m finding it really tough but reading this page has given me a boost and put things into perspective, so thank you. I wish you Emma and the family the best of luck and look forward to seeing the finished castle! Ps the switches you are developing seem pretty cool
Fair play mate, keep going and don’t stop, I really hope you complete your castle and get to live in it with your family, if you don’t im sure you’ll sell it and start again, don’t look back keep looking straight Piers best of luck for you and your family Dave
Hello Piers,
I so appreciate your outlook, particularly your self belief, coupled with optimism, realism, and humour.
A mix that is staggeringly absent in our society.Although a lot of that might be down to your mum (!) I sense that your greatest contribution could be working out how to stimulate others to develop that mix for themselves (and the benefit of others).
Well done, you.
You are an absolute inspiration. I’ve gained so much from watching your Grand Designs experiences along with reading about your businesses. Wishing you every health and success to you and yours.
Firstly, I love what you have done. Im not talking about the outrageously oversized home for 4 people, No one else’s opinion on that really matters. I’m talking about sticking to your dream at all costs. Congratulations! We had 4 properties when we started our retirement home. Two engineers and me who started first in architecture. I designed it and with great effort we are at the very tail end of finishing. We sold three properties to build the dream on the lake property. It’s our legacy for our children and grandchildren. It wasn’t their dream. My three sons preferred the 80sm cottage to the 300sm house. Similarly to your construction we used Insulated Concrete Forms(ICF). Not on a scale such as your by any stretch but it is more than the two of need. …Your generosity in your entrepreneurial adventures to help others is commendable. More of the two of you are what this world needs. I struggled with ADD so I understand learning through doing but was forced to educate myself the traditional way. It taught me to persevere and not look at what others can do but what I can do despite what others might think. My husband and I wish the two of you continued great success and let your love for and respect of eachother move you continually forward through all your hurdles. We certainly understand these challenges. All the effort is worth it when you are together. Jasna
Hi Piers – Firstly – AMAZING – you are truly inspirational. Sounds crazy but I would love to connect as I have an idea but don’t know the first thing about how to take the first step to implement it. NO, I am not after your money I just would like to “chat” and share my idea with you. Of all the ‘entrepreneurs’ out there you are the first I have seen whose vision is selfless. Hope we can connect
Hi Piers, I just watched your episode of Grand Designs in Australia. When I saw someone building a castle, I just had to watch. Living in Oz I really miss the countryside of England and the history. I grew up in a village in Hants called East Meon, my house was a 500 year old thatched cottage and I loved it. Anyway, I found myself here and noticed you have a business researching the Gut biome, it hit home with me as in 2019 I started getting severe body pains, so bad I was bed ridden, it got so bad I attempted suicide on May 4th 2020, luckily I failed and continue the fight. I managed to find a specialist who eventually figured out that my issue is a gut brain biome, changing my diet, reducing stress has made an amazing difference. This had all led me to follow my dreams of travelling the world and seeing amazing things, I am coming to England next year and I would love to walk by your castle to see it in real life, would that be ok? I am a 57 year old dad with 3 adult kids, so now it’s time for me to live. Love this page. Cheers
Just watched the show here in Australia. Loved the programme and both of your outlook on life plus enthusiasm and soh. Particularly interested in your gut health projects as I am an ex nurse educator and work as an allied health practitioner here in Perth. Australua.