The Entrepreneurs – Scott Hudson on the Craft Behind Henrybuilt Kitchens (Monocle Radio)
Date: October 1, 2025
Host: Tom Edwards
Featured Guest: Scott Hudson, Founder and CEO, Henrybuilt
Other Topics: Orion Breweries (Japan), Claus Porto Collaboration in Lisbon
Episode Overview
This episode of "The Entrepreneurs" on Monocle Radio delivers a compelling journey through craftsmanship and business innovation. The central focus is Scott Hudson, who transitioned from a software and publishing career to found Henrybuilt, a pioneering high-end kitchen and cabinetry company based in Seattle. Additional segments spotlight Orion Breweries' international ambitions and a Monocle x Claus Porto product launch in Lisbon.
Section 1: Scott Hudson of Henrybuilt – Rethinking the American Kitchen
Background & Founding Story
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Motivation for Transition:
Scott Hudson shares his journey from 12 years in publishing and software (including venture capital-backed startups) to renovating homes as a side passion. After “the second [software venture] hit the wall” in 2001, he decided to pursue his love of design and craftsmanship fully.
"I started the company in 2001 after being in publishing and software for about 12 years... I decided to take some time off and I started working on my house." (01:55, Scott Hudson) -
Opportunity Spotted:
In the early 2000s, quality modern furniture was scarce in the US, leading him to think about starting a design-oriented business. However, he soon noticed a bigger gap: kitchens were “primitive,” mostly just “boxes,” lacking both innovation and integration.
"Kitchens are so primitive in the US they’re just boxes and also the quality of most options is really low." (00:30, Scott Hudson)
Henrybuilt's Design Philosophy
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Industrial Design Meets Craftsmanship:
Inspired by European kitchen systems but aiming to surpass their inflexibility and integration issues, Hudson envisioned kitchens designed “more like a car,” industrially designed for seamless, integrated performance.
"Why don't we do this in the US? There’s really no one here that works that way, that thinks of the kitchen more like a car... We’re going to industrially design this whole thing so that it’s really well integrated." (03:36, Scott Hudson) -
System Performance + Craft:
Henrybuilt situates itself between bespoke, handcrafted feel and the system performance of modular European brands:
“We were striking a nerve, somewhere between something that feels really custom made and crafted and something that has system performance quality.” (04:24, Scott Hudson) -
Kitchens as Creative Spaces:
Hudson emphasizes organizing the kitchen like a workshop, supporting productive, tactile food preparation, not just passive living:
“The kitchen is not usually organized as well as a shop where you would make something physical... this is a really cool experience to have in a home.” (05:20, Scott Hudson)
Key Innovations & Signature Touches
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Integrated, Intuitive Storage:
Hudson demonstrates how Henrybuilt kitchens feature built-in organization that is both functional and aesthetic:
"So the goal is to have the right thing in the right place and to spend as little energy as possible doing the stuff you don’t want to do as much." (06:45, Scott Hudson)
For example, spice storage with clear labeling, slotted flatware trays, modular blocks, and hidden storage that feels “artful and highly functional.” -
Adaptability & Interaction:
Specialized tools (like a wood-and-steel colander or magnetic knife block) are movable and fit seamlessly into the environment, transforming countertops, backsplashes, and even drains into interactive, flexible surfaces.
“You can remove [the colander] from this hidden storage... and you can put it on the backsplash... slide it over the sink, rinse the lettuce... and it’s out of the way. So that’s what I mean by performance.” (07:26, Scott Hudson) -
System Approach Over Fixes:
A major challenge as opposed to software is physical bug fixes and quality control across diverse and distant client sites—he highlights how online growth, early client wins, and showrooms in markets like New York (launched 2006) grew the business.
Notable Quotes
- “You can’t fix bugs from a thousand miles away… The business grew largely online. By 2005, 25% of our business was in New York. We opened a showroom in 2006 in Soho… we just kept focusing on developing this system around what it feels like to work in a kitchen.” (05:55, Scott Hudson)
- “Kitchen things are really tailored into the space. So you’re taking something that might normally just be tile or stone or a countertop, and you’re making it interactive and flexible…” (08:20, Scott Hudson)
Key Segment Timestamps
- 00:30-01:55 – Intro to Scott Hudson; the problem with American kitchens
- 01:55-06:33 – Hudson’s career shift, inspiration, and early Henrybuilt story
- 06:33-08:50 – Walk-through of Henrybuilt’s kitchen design details
Section 2: Orion Breweries – Taking Okinawa’s Beer Global
Company Roots & Brand Identity
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Orion is deeply linked to Okinawan identity and recovery post-WWII:
"We were set up in Okinawa as our heartland and our home… to bring some happiness and opportunity for the island through beer." (09:33, Tom Edwards) -
The brand heavily promotes its Okinawa roots—water from the UNESCO Yanbaru forest, local barley and yeast, and a “chilled” Okinawan lifestyle.
Going Public & International Expansion
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On September 25th, Orion became the first Okinawan company listed on Japan’s prime market—seen as a prideful moment for the region.
“A validation of that strategy.” (10:19, Tom Edwards) -
Brand & IP Expansion:
Orion broadens its reach by collaborating with international brands (Gap, Billabong) and through branded hotels, apparel, and merchandise.
“That’s a walking billboard for us… it brings the brand greater awareness.” (12:39, Tom Edwards)
Growth Strategy
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Focus on Quality:
Can't compete on price (due to expensive logistics), so leans into brand strength and premium product positioning.
“We can only compete on quality and on the strength of our brand.” (14:04, Tom Edwards) -
Core & Foreign Markets:
Main international markets: Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, China, Australia, USA. “Focus” markets receive special attention, with authenticity (all but European beer brewed in Okinawa) and storytelling emphasized. -
Marketing Approach:
Orion “dials up” the Japanese quality element for international audiences, while educating overseas customers about Okinawan culture and justifying premium prices. “Internationally, we... explain Okinawan culture to them and our beer.” (17:10, Tom Edwards) -
Export Logistics:
Direct exports from Okinawa, including kegs for bars worldwide; only minor licensed production in Europe. -
Vision:
Expansion is cautious and aims to make Orion a top-of-mind premium choice, bringing Okinawa's story to a wider audience.
Notable Quotes
- “We are, I guess, to be frank, quite fortunate… Okinawa itself is a relatively smaller market. Perhaps there’s less focus from those giants.” (14:04, Tom Edwards)
- “Internationally, we dial up the Japanese quality element because almost without exception people… respect Japanese quality.” (17:10, Tom Edwards)
Key Segment Timestamps
- 09:33-11:04 – Orion’s Okinawan roots and IPO significance
- 12:20-14:04 – Brand extension and merchandise strategy
- 15:34-17:10 – Overseas growth strategy, key markets, and premium positioning
- 18:40-20:06 – Export logistics; future vision
Section 3: Lisbon – Monocle x Claus Porto Fragrance Launch
Key Discussion Points
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Event Recap:
Tom Edwards hosts Monocle’s Carlotta Rebelo and Fernando Gusto Pacheco, fresh from a fragrance launch in Lisbon, collaborating with Claus Porto (Portuguese fragrance house). -
Venue & Atmosphere:
The event took place at the new wing of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s contemporary art museum, designed by Kengo Kuma, attended by triple the expected crowd and featuring notable Lisbon personalities. -
Scent Details:
The new perfume, “Soleil Zest,” is described as “very citrusy… a bit of white musk that gives you a little soft embrace,” designed to capture lightness, joy, and an endless summer.
“We described it as, you know, continuing summer. It’s very citrusy, the scent, and it has a bit of white musk that gives you a little soft embrace when you spritz it.” (23:26, Carlotta Rebelo) -
Dining Experience:
The event included a dinner with a menu inspired by the scent, e.g. red prawn tartare with lemon, quail with citrusy couscous, and panna cotta bergamota. -
Craft & Artistry:
The perfumer, Daphne Bouget, created the fragrance using inspiration and ingredients from Portugal.
Notable Quotes
- “We worked very hard, didn’t we, Fernando?” (22:13, Carlotta Rebelo)
- “Focusing on the lightness and joy of summer… [the scent is] very elegant.” (23:26, Carlotta Rebelo)
- “For the past couple of days him and his team were spritzing the scent in the kitchen, trying to come up with how to replicate that scent into the dishes.” (24:32, Carlotta Rebelo)
- “If you’re visiting Porto, go [to the Claus Porto townhouse]. There’s also a museum telling the history of Claus Porto.” (27:38, Fernando Gusto Pacheco)
Key Segment Timestamps
- 21:31-23:26 – Event narrative, collaboration and scent description
- 23:53-24:32 – Menu inspired by perfume
- 26:40-27:59 – Meet the creator and shop recommendations
Conclusion & Takeaways
- Craftsmanship and Systematization:
Scott Hudson’s leap from tech to tactile design spotlights how system thinking and a craftsman’s eye can disrupt industries—even one as traditional as kitchens. - Branding Through Local Identity:
Both Henrybuilt and Orion leverage their roots—Seattle’s design-tech hybrid vigor, Okinawa’s culture and water—to stand out globally. - Experience Beyond the Product:
From Orion’s extending presence into apparel and hotels to Claus Porto’s artful, sensorial collaborations, leading-edge brands are about immersive, meaningful experiences.
Listen On
Production: Laura Kramer
Audio Editing: Jack Dewars
Host: Tom Edwards
Podcast: "The Entrepreneurs" by Monocle Radio