Business of Home Podcast From Farrow & Ball to Fermoie: Martin Ephson's surprising journey
Nov 10, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Martin Ephson, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Farrow & Ball and Fermoie, shares insights from his remarkable journey in the design sector. He discusses the transformation of Farrow & Ball into a global brand and the opportunity he saw in textile manufacturing after a decline in mills. Ephson emphasizes the importance of looking after people in leadership and details the strategic pivots that led to Fermoie's growth. He also highlights the significance of storytelling in color names and the evolving trends in wallpaper.
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Rescuing A Heritage Paint Maker
- Martin Ephson and Tom Helme discovered Farrow & Ball's historical paint skills and bought the struggling company in 1992 with 11 employees.
- They preserved manufacturing DNA while overhauling everything else to revive the brand and product.
Consumer-First Repositioning
- Ephson repositioned Farrow & Ball by selling direct to homeowners to bypass builders and decorators who dominated specification.
- That consumer focus revived interest in historic, matte finishes and drove growth via media and timing.
Saved The Sample Pot Line
- Martin persuaded a local can maker to keep producing small sample pots against plans to scrap the line.
- That decision created a huge sample-pot market and supported their direct-to-consumer sample strategy.