What is your coffee order and where is the ideal place to get it? Any essential snacks on the side?
I don’t drink coffee, so mine would be a fresh mint or chamomile tea. I recommend an amazing coffee roastery called The Lost Barn in a little village called Tilston in Cheshire – near Pura HQ. They do incredible cakes, and I love a lemon drizzle!
What was the moment you realised you needed to create Pura?
At the time, there was a lot of noise around plastic pollution and sustainability. Greta Thunberg had come onto the scene, and David Attenborough and the BBC were producing powerful documentaries like War on Plastic, highlighting the devastating impact of plastic pollution. We were also on our own journey trying to become parents, and I felt strongly that real change needed to happen. Back in 2020, 90% of wipes in the UK contained plastic, and 3 billion nappies were being thrown away annually, and still are. Looking at emerging brands and shifts in the market, I just felt in my bones that it was theright time to drive change in the baby industry.
Can you walk us through the earliest days of building the brand? Did you have experience in business?
After running a wholesale business buying branded FMCG products and supplying them globally, I had a lot of business experience, but Pura has been a completely different ball game.
We also launched in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made things interesting, to say the least. We always say that Pura is like a family, and I think that’s down to the culture we built early on. Daily Teams meetings weren’t just about building a business – they were about supporting each other through the craziness of lockdown.
Founder of Pura Guy Fennell with his wife Abi and their 2 children
How do you balance running a business with managing the daily realities of parenting?
My wife Abi and I work hard to maintain a balanced family life, including picking up the boys from school and taking them to after-school clubs ourselves when we can. Like every parent, we rely on family support where we can, and we set boundaries.
One thing we don’t compromise on is leaving work behind during family holidays. We switch our phones off, decompress, and focus on being present. The first time I did it, I was nervous, but I left Pura in capable hands and came back recharged. Now it’s something we always commit to.
What are you most proud of about your business?
There have been so many proud moments from seeing our products on supermarket shelves for the first time to breaking into the US market. But what I’m most proud of is the impact we’ve made in the area of sustainability. We were the first baby brand in the UK to educate consumers about plastic in wipes and now plastic is being banned in wipes.
We’re also the first brand to recycle nappies in Wales through our Pura NappiCycle project. Now we’re working towards a national rollout of nappy recycling and hope to have the same impact we did on helping eliminate plastic in wipes.
Have you made any mistakes that helped you in the long run?
At the start, I made the mistake of thinking I had to do everything myself and wanted to be heavily involved in every aspect of the business. I quickly realised I was spreading myself too thin. I had to learn to bring the right people on board, let go, and trust others, especially those with expertise in areas I wasn’t as strong in. Now, I’m surrounded by an amazing team who I trust implicitly to propel Pura forward.
Are there any lessons from being a parent that have helped you as an entrepreneur?
Becoming a parent was a huge motivator behind starting Pura and I actually became a parent within weeks of launching our wipes. Our second child, Ezra, arrived as we were launching in the US. It’s definitely a juggle, but parenting has sharpened key skills like efficiency, resilience, and perspective. And of course, we’ve had some very handy product testers along the way.
What do you do to wind down after work?
Go for a run. It’s the best way for me to clear my head and switch off. I don’t always feel like it, but I can’t think of a single run I’ve regretted.
What’s next for Pura?
We’re continuing to expand nappy recycling in the UK and grow our presence with more retailers in the US. There’s a lot to look forward to.
Which entrepreneur would you most like to have coffee with?
Richard Branson. I’d love to get his take on the wipes and nappy market.
What is your favourite family meal?
A Sunday roast. We try to sit down together most Sundays – it’s precious family time I don’t compromise on.
What is your favourite smell?
Freshly cut grass, especially in spring when it signals a change in the weather.
What is your favourite family holiday destination?
We love Anglesey in North Wales. The boys enjoy going abroad, but given the choice, they’d pick Anglesey every time. We sometime go with extended family, so they love having grandparents, aunties, and uncles there too.
The Menai Suspension Bridge spanning the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales.
Favourite childhood book?
The Twits by Roald Dahl. I loved the outrageous tricks they played on each other, like replacing spaghetti with worms. It both horrified and delighted me.
Favourite book you’ve read recently?
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, the creator of Nike. It’s a brilliant memoir about building something from scratch and overcoming adversity.
Favourite film?
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. I prefer it to the first one because it’s set in New York City. It’s the first Christmas film I watch every festive season, and now the boys love it too.
