Kinfolk: The Entrepreneur Review

As with everything produced by the Danish lifestyle publication, Kinfolk, 'The Entrepreneur’, as a product, is aesthetically stunning.

It’s undeniable that the book makes for a great decorative object – regardless of whether you leave the clean minimal dust jacket on or opt to peel it away, exposing the earthy tones of its sophisticated hardcover. It’s hardly surprising then that we’ve come to see it pop up so frequently on the Instagram grids of our favourite accounts in 2018. But once that visual appeal is stripped away, does it have any substance?

Author and Kinfolk co-founder Nathan Williams introduces ‘Kinfolk: The Entrepreneur’ by remembering a study in which Studs Terkel interviewed over 100 working Americans in an attempt to better understand what they do and how it makes them feel. Terkel concluded that work was ultimately a search; ‘in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying’. 

It was this idea that inspired Kinfolk to meet up with more than 40 creative business owners from around the world for whom work is more than a simple job to be discarded at the end of a long day. 

"A search for daily meaning, as well as

 daily bread"

Studs Terkel

Among those featured are people I hold in extremely high regard; Rolf & Mette Hay of the eponymous Danish design brand, former pro athlete turned perfumer (and founder of ByRedo) Ben Gorham and furniture design duo Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec to name but a few.

The result is an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at entrepreneurship, offered up as a collection of real-life stories, valuable advice and business tips. Split into four sections; A Single Vision, the Power of Partnership, Creating a Community and Tips, Kinfolk get answers to the questions you’d not normally get the chance to ask. Rather than just offer business advice, Kinfolk as they so often do, invite you to dream; in this particular instance, of a more meaningful approach to work.

Kinfolk: The Entrepreneur is available to buy in the UK here, and worldwide here.

You can find Shaun at - Manimalist Blog | Instagram | Twitter  

Waterstones Blogger Murder Mystery

The Evidence - mat_buckets is brown bread!

In celebration of the Agatha Christie Festival this week, Waterstones is holding the first ever Blogger Murder Mystery event.

Waterstones needs your help, dear reader. There's been a crime most horrid committed against Matthew Pike. We need your help to find the culprit and be in with a chance of receiving a £100 reward of Waterstones vouchers. Detective Michael Scott is on the case, so be sure to follow him on twitter @DCIMikeScott where he will be revealing clues throughout the week until Friday 20th September. You can question any of the bloggers using their twitter handle and the hashtag #BloggerMystery to find holes in their alibis. 

The list of suspects are:

Naomi @Bewitchery_ - Bewitchery

Jane @ITYDarling - Is That You Darling

Lucinda @ljbarton - Bakes Books and My Boys

Katrina @carouseldiary - Carousel Diary

Sophie @sophiepatricia6 - I Left My Heart In Miami

Kel @kellovesclothes - Kel Loves

Eleanor @ebsnare - Three Word Outfit 

Here's the story as we know it;

From DCI Michael Scott 

"Waterstones invited six prestigious fashion and beauty bloggers - Elly, Kel, Sophie, Naomi, Katrina Louise and Mat - to its very first Fabulous Fashionista of the Year Award, held amid a lavish cupcake dinner at Cryptic Hall. However, events have taken a dark turn and Mat, the winner of the award, has been found dead in the bathroom. Foul play is most certainly suspected. 

Details of the night are still sketchy, but we know all six fashionistas were known to each other at the time of the killing and enjoyed a friendly rivalry in the world of fashion blogging. Also in Cryptic Hall at the time were Jan, the owner of the manor, and a chef, Lucinda, who was hired to put on a delicious spread of cupcakes for the guests. 

According to my interviews, the guests arrived at Cryptic Hall at around 6pm or just before. They sat down to enjoy Lucinda's cupcakes and discuss their blogging with one another. There was a short break for coffee at around 6.40pm, during which time many of the guests seem to have left the table for various reasons. At 6.55 or thereabouts, we received a phone call from the suspect who found the body, claiming there had been a murder at Cryptic Hall. 

Unfortunately, many of the suspects seem unwilling to cooperate, for reasons that are still being established. If you think you can tease more information out of them, ask them about their activities on that night via Twitter - and when you think you ascertained the culprit, the motive and the method, please relay your suspicions to me, DCI Michael Scott. Together, we can get to the root of this tale of intrigue, jealousy, high fashion and sweet, sweet cupcakes."

Once you think you know who the culprit is send a tweet to the detective giving the name of the killer, the motive and the method by Friday 20th September at Midnight. The winner will be selected on Monday 23rd September. 

Good luck, sleuths. 

Note - This competition is only open to UK residents.

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