This is How We Work: July Edition

From honest conversations to high-impact visuals, July has been a month of doing the work and talking about the stuff most people avoid: grief, change, and what it takes to rebuild. Here’s everything that’s been keeping us curious, creative, and occasionally knackered.

We’ve just launched two new case studies for our long-standing client DS Smith, both created in partnership with HammerSpace Video, who brought their trademark polish to the live-action side.

Project 1: Telling a Circular Story Through Motion
How do you make circularity feel tangible without drowning in jargon? That was the challenge. Our animation focuses on clarity and calm, supporting DS Smith’s narrative around sustainability without ever oversimplifying it.
→ See the full project

Project 2: EUDR Compliance
The EU Deforestation Regulation isn’t exactly light reading. But it is important. This internal explainer breaks it down into something confident, clear, and incredibly watchable.
→ Watch the EUDR explainer

Both were built on a tried-and-tested collaboration model: HammerSpace on camera. Alchemy on script and animation. DS Smith on big-picture thinking. No silos, just solid teamwork.

This month, Jess and I were invited to speak at Talk Event, a Cardiff-based gathering of small business owners built around one thing: real conversations.

We weren’t there to talk about growth hacks, lead gen, or shiny new launches. We were there to talk about something most people avoid: what happens when your business fails.

We went back and forth on whether to tell the whole truth. There was a lot of shame wrapped up in closing Tiny Wizard Studio. It felt humiliating at times like a story better kept quiet. But in the end, we decided to show up and say it as it was. Just honesty.

The group welcomed us with such warmth that the nerves didn’t last long. There were laughs, especially when we spoke about running a business as a married couple and kids (turns out, people do enjoy hearing about the chaos). But as we got into the harder chapters, the grief, the burnout, the slow process of rebuilding, it got raw. And strangely, that rawness felt… good.

By the end, it was emotional. But also cathartic. A huge weight off our shoulders. The fear of being judged never materialised. What we got instead was understanding and the kindest, most thoughtful responses you could hope for.

If you ever get the chance to share your own hard story, take it. Running a business is tough and often lonely. But the truth is, most of us are carrying the same fears. Getting it out there helps. And sometimes, others can help too.

That morning reminded us why we built Alchemy the way we did. But what matters more is the people behind it and the stories they carry.

If you only listen to one podcast episode this summer, make it this one.

In Episode 4 of Brand to Scale, Jess sits down with leadership coach and behavioural specialist Sam Heighway, and the conversation cuts straight to the core.

They talk about inflexion points, dysfunctional team dynamics, and why behaviour (not strategy decks) is what actually shapes a business.

Sam’s got 30 years’ experience guiding leaders through complex transitions from boardroom fallouts to cultural reboots. But this episode isn’t theory. It’s grounded, clear, and full of the kind of insight you’ll want to scribble down mid-walk.

If you’re growing a team or trying to stay sane while running one, this one’s for you.

→ Listen to Episode 4 with Sam Heighway

Here’s what’s coming:

We’ll unveil the full breakdown in August. But if you’re feeling stuck, one of these is probably the thing you need.

If any of this hits home, whether you’re rethinking your positioning, craving some clarity, or just fancy a straight-talking partner, you know where we are.
Say hello.

And if you’re still here… thanks for reading. We don’t take your attention for granted.