Episode Details

In this episode of The Midlife Entrepreneur Podcast Jo chats to Sophie Rowell, interior designer and founder of Cote de Folk. 

Sophie shares her transition from a 24-year career in fashion styling and art direction to interiors after a difficult period that included her marriage breaking down, becoming a single mother, her best friend dying of cancer, and a health crisis that prompted her to rethink her life. After moving from Hackney to Folkstone and renovating a Georgian townhouse, she committed fully to a career change with a three-month deadline and landed her first interiors job three weeks before it ended, quickly gaining more work through referrals. Sophie discusses relying on self-trust, managing imposter syndrome with help from a business coach, and viewing success as a mix of opportunity, effort, and determination rather than luck. She explains her intuitive approach to colour and her focus on how spaces feel, not trends. Sophie talks about scaling the business, hiring staff including her right hand Sarah, bringing in a CFO for financial strategy, and expanding into furniture, fabric, and wallpaper. She also describes her preferred working environment (tidy and uncluttered), the importance of rest for creativity, her working culture mantra 'work hard, rest hard', and generous leave policies. 

00:00 Welcome + the mission behind The Midlife Entrepreneur Podcast

00:54 Meet Sophie Rowell: from fashion stylist to interiors with soul

02:34 The breaking point: single motherhood, burnout, and a health scare

04:11 Leaping without training: the 3‑month deadline and going all in

06:56 First commissions to steady pipeline

08:54 Drive and the ‘why’

11:45 Building confidence in a new career

13:04 The signature style: colour as a gift and reading a home’s energy

15:19 Collaboration with clients: trust, pivots, and letting the building lead

16:43 Scaling the studio: hiring, interns, CFO support, and product expansion

18:11 Design philosophy: simplicity, warmth, and how spaces make us feel

22:43 Founder realities: time, holidays, rest, and creating space for creativity

29:17 'Rest Hard': Building Recovery Into Creative Success

29:28 Designing a Rest-First Work Culture 

30:33 Early Nights, Deep Sleep & Finding Your Rhythm

31:37 Kids, Co-Parenting & Looking Forward to More Time

33:29 Redefining Success

35:36 3-2-1s: Best Investments

39:43 Imposter Syndrome in Creative Work 

43:04 What I’d Do Differently

47:07 One Person to Thank

50:07 Closing Thoughts

Visit https://www.cotedefolk.com/ 

Shop https://www.cotedefolk.com/shop

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Edited and produced by Jo Glynn-Smith 2025.
Recorded at Eight Works Podcast Studios, 1 Dysart Street, London, EC2A 2BX
For bookings: eightworks@eightclub.co.uk

Jo Glynn-Smith is an entrepreneur, professional coach, writer, and speaker from London, she is an expert in career transformation and change.

Instagram @jojoglynnsmith and @themidlifeentrepreneur

Contact: enquiries@joglynnsmith.com
www.joglynnsmith.com

MUSIC CREDIT Easy Money by REX BANNER licensed by Artlist.io
PHOTOGRAPHY by JONATHAN GLYNN-SMITH www.jonathanglynnsmith.com