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the crazy idea that built Innocent (shhhh don't tell anyone)
Dan Pope
December 05, 2025
an 18 year old girl died.
Last weekend, I found myself in the exact same spot, on the exact same mountain in the exact snow blizzard.
But, first, legends, let’s reeeeewinddd Pon DJ Mr. REEEEEEPLAYYYYY
10.38pm, the Sunday previously
I was sinking voluptuously into the sofa, hanging out my glitterbox, nursing-nay-canoodling a KFC Zinger Box Meal (extra Piece Chief) entering a Youtube Rabbit Hole about the History of London and all it’s glorious architecture.
My mate belled me,:
“Oi, what you saying next weekend? Fancy coming Snowdon with me and Ezen?”
“Romeo in” I volleyed back.
My mind craved Mutha Nature, Golden Dreams of climbing a mountain.
In all honesty, I thought Snowdon would be a piece-of-absolute-piss. At least, Primrose Hill with snow and rocks. At most, BoxHill with more Bother, Bozzas n’ Chaffed Bollocks.
Alas, Stride On… Wade In Brother… Let’s Be Havin’ Ya…
We arrived out our Naff hostel. Where I met THE most AMAZING man of 2026.
If David Brent & Alan Partridge fornicated and produced a Mountaineering Baby. He was it. It was like being inside a living and breathing and heart beating sitcom.
The reception area hummed a brash and cheesy beige colour. With naff play area purple and green and red.
The reception was a throbbing Hiking Hurricane. Vortex of Gortex. Avalanche of Alpen Bars. Poncho Plonkers. Bacchanalia of Bad Breath. Jaffa Cakes Juggernaughts.
The General Manager, managed his bar like a Napoleonic General manages his troops in The Battle of Trafalgar. The General Manager was called Dan. He spoke in thick carvery gravy tones. Gloopy and snarly Yorkshire accent.
He wore a green fluffy gillet that looked like a cat blanket covered in hair, crumbs, ale, drips of tea. A brown goatee harboured his mouth, flecked with slightly-stale Rich Tea biscuits and little bombs of Brown Sauce (Daddies Brown Sauce not HP).
The General was serving Hot Chocolates to Happy Campers.
He was flipping-spinning-catching the “Whippy” Whipped Cream dispenser like a flame thrower in Cirque De Solio
Every Happy Camper he served hot chocolate he’d say
“CHOCOLATE … of the Hot Variety”
Ezen said:
“Oi lads, shall we get a coupla Bacon Sarnies before we set off”
Ezen, said to The General: “Excuse me mate, do you serve Bacon Sandwiches”
The General turned around. Befuddled. Aghast. Offended. Confused.
As if my friend had asked him if he could shit on his face….
“Waaaiiit…. Waiiiit…. WHY? Would we serve bacon sandwiches?!!!!”
The General tilted his face over the bar, with a phenomenally condescending glare, his eyes shouting “you absolute thick fucks”
“Can’t you see the sign BOYS… it’s ALLL YOU CANT EAT BREAKFAST FOR £9.95”
“That’s why we don’t do individual Bacon Sandwiches BOYS…spend £9.95… you could make 10 bacon sandwiches for that price BOYS ?”
“Fuck it… make 20 if you want BOYS”
After witnessing his Alan Turning Enigma Breaking Key Stage 2 Maths, we politely declined the ALL YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST BOYYYYYSSSS option.
Immediately, The General looked us up and down and said:
“Which route you BOYS climbing today then?”
We replied: “Pyg path up Snowdon”
“PYG… that’s easy some proper easy shit BOYS… do it once a week… could do it backwards in my sleep”
“I do the proper hardcore shit.. break your leg sorta shit… you need to know how to use a map and compass for my sorta shit”
“The PYG path BOYS…practically the M4 up there…”
As we walked out the door, he said
“Enjoy the Hill lads”.
We like Frodo Baggins and Samwise set off up the Hill (which was definitely a fucking mountain).
Suddenly,
A huge mist clouded over Snowdon.
We could see absolutely fuck all.
We had no idea where we were going.
No idea how long it would take.
No idea where the top was.
The fog kept us Naive.
Naivety kept us going.
the lesson:
Everyone, right now, is scrambling around planning 2026.
This is great.
But, I believe allowing a sense of naivety into your plans is important, too.
If I knew how hard it was to build a podcast into a business, I’d have never started.
If you knew how hard it was to build your brand to where you are today, would you have started?
Adam Balon, founder of Innocent, has a principle called Naïve Intelligence.
Naivety is really important in planning.
Accept your 2026 plan may end up in strange places. Allow yourself to go off piste. Allow yourself to explore.
As Rumi says, “Walk the Path and the Path Will Reveal Itself”
Check the poddy we did with Adam last year.
Have a top weekend chiefs
Popey xx
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