Chris and Nicola Cox met in art school in the mid-1990s, neither knowing that they would one day co-found one of England’s most celebrated design brands. Chris, who hails from North London and comes from a family of antique dealers and restorers, connected with Nicola when they were both studying sculpture at Wimbledon School of Art. After graduation, the couple initially lived in her home country of New Zealand, where she worked for a glass artist and he in antiques. By 2004, they returned to London and opened their own studio, specializing in antique restoration and metalwork commissions. Quickly, their focus began to shift.

“It was 2007, and we’d already started selling some of our own pieces, but we were still making work for artists [and interior designers],” Chris tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of The Business of Home Podcast. “Not long after that, we had to decide and steer the business in the direction that we wanted it to go in, and we both knew we wanted to make our own designs more than anything.” Today, the Cox London team has grown to over 100 employees and is known for its sculptural lighting, furniture, mirrors and decorative objects.

As neither of the founding partners came from a business background, they had to learn what it takes to run a company and scale their brand. “We’d got to a certain point where we were almost in a burnout situation,” says Nicola. “We took on a business coach who gave us some methods and ways of thinking, and introduced us to a lot of ideas and books to read. That steadied our nerves, because I think something we should have done in the earlier days was ask for more advice.” From their coach, they learned the importance of setting up systems, and found the most inspiration from the book The E-Myth, about how an individual with good skills and a good idea can turn those into a profitable venture.

Hiring makers had been no problem; the couple now needed to learn how to hire the people who could make sure the back end was working. “We’d forever been able to place makers, artists, craftspeople in our business, because we spoke the same language we always had, and we [knew] where their skills would be useful,” says Chris. “But when it comes to selling and keeping data, and being client-facing all the time, that wasn’t something that we were adept at or necessarily wanted to do. … Formalizing your artisanal business is a strange notion for two artists.”

Crucial insight: The Coxes, who prioritize investing in the next generation of makers, started a training program for young artists. “It’s something that we know is the key to the sustainability of our business, and in passing on all of our skills and knowledge and ensuring people are well-trained in secure positions. While a lot of our craftspeople do come from fine art or design, [and] they’ve been fortunate enough to go to university and study, not everybody has that opportunity,” says Nicola. “We’ve launched an apprenticeship for 18-plus college students who can do a three-year paid apprenticeship on a proper salary. My vision is for it to be that same experience that we had—the first year a foundation [period] where you dip into all areas within the business, all different processes, and then move forward into specializing in a particular skill, perhaps in the foundry or in the fabrication workshop or patternation.”

Key quote: “I think putting yourself out there [as a professional creator], either on Fulham Road [in London’s Brompton Design District] or in Los Angeles, there’s a sharp spike in learning. You’ve really got to pull yourself together and get your head around stuff that you never experienced before, [and] I think that breeds resilience,” says Chris. “We’ve always been ambitious to make bigger and better pieces; we’ve never wanted to slow down. I got excited when we could suddenly spend a thousand pounds on a piece of exquisite marble to put on a table, or a beautiful bit of glass. That was our driver—not to become rich, but to keep on creating more and more and more.”

This episode is sponsored by Loloi. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The Thursday Show

Host Dennis Scully and BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus discuss the biggest news in the design world, including the latest on tariffs, an update on Charles Cohen’s legal drama, and what designers can do when showrooms go dark.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.