Helping Businesses Stand Out Online with Branding, Web Design & SEO 🔥

Your website should be working for you. If your site…

🚨 Doesn’t reflect your brand
🚨 Feels outdated or clunky
🚨 Struggles to convert visitors into customers
🚨 Isn’t SEO-friendly or mobile-optimised

Then you’re leaving money on the table.

At MadeByShape, we design, build, and optimise websites that:

✅ Elevate your brand
✅ Resonate with your audience
✅ Are fast, functional, and easy to use
✅ Help you grow your business

Don’t just take our word for it 👇

💬 "Absolutely love my new website. The team at MadeByShape smashed it." – Sacha Lord
💬 "Thanks to the team at MadeByShape for bringing my vision to life!" – Gary Neville

Drop me a message if you fancy a chat 📩

Kerry Hounslea

Don’t be sidelining your website for social media 🙅‍♀️



Yes, platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok are huge for branding in 2026.



But here’s why your website still deserves a main character role 👇



1. (First of all) you actually own your website.

Your domain. Your data. Your rules. Whereas with social media, you’re renting space. 



2. Platforms can change (or vanish).

Banned accounts. Algorithm shifts. Feature removals. One update and your reach tanks.



3. Your website = total creative freedom.

Design every element. Control every click. No template telling you what size your image has to be.



4. Bespoke user journeys

Guide people exactly where you want them to go – not just hope they click your bio link.



5. No distractions.
On your site, it’s all about you. No ads. No endless scroll. No competing content pulling focus. I’m guilty of watching endless reels … I rarely ever click on a link to find out anything more about brands. 



6. SEO > social guesswork.

Your site can work 24/7 behind the scenes – bringing in traffic long after you’ve logged off.



7. Trust factor.

A strong website builds credibility. It says: “I’m serious about what I do.”



8. Social is rented hype.

It’s fast, fun, and loud – but it fades. Your website is the long game.



9. Data, and lotssss of it. 

You get better insights on your own site – and you actually own them.



10. It’s not either/or – it’s both.

Social builds awareness. Your website seals the deal. Work them in harmony ✌️




Hey I’m Kerry and I work for MadeByShape - we specialise in web design, branding and SEO so give me a shout if I can do anything to help ya 🥰

We design standout websites & brands – so you don’t have to | Socials Manager @MadeByShape ✌️

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We all know by now that showing personality and being yourself on LinkedIn actually works right? 


Can we all agree?


No one’s sitting there thinking:
“Oooh I really loved how corporate that post was.” 🙄


Before I started building my personal brand, my posts were basically:
“I’m thrilled to announce I’ve started a new job at X company…”


I don’t think I’ve ever said the word “thrilled” in a sentence before 😂
But that was the norm back then.


We used to reduce ourselves to ‘fit’ in. 



One thing I’ll say though is: 

👉 Take what we’ve learnt from this platform and apply it everywhere.


Your website doesn’t need to be stiff, stale, or full of fluff.
It doesn’t need to “sound corporate” to be taken seriously.


I’ve seen so many websites miss the mark, – especially in areas that should feel the most personal:

✨ Meet the team pages
✨ About sections
✨ Brand tone of voice
✨ Microcopy (yes, even your 404/error messages)


Show who you are.
Lift the curtain.
Make people feel something when they land on your site.


It’s there to connect. To tell your story. To show people who you really are.


Please, I’m begging –
Let’s bring some personality into your websites too 🫶


Just take look at ours – MadeByShape. Full of personality! 




Hey I’m Kerry 👋 I share tips on web design, branding + finding a bit of balance in your 9-5. 👉 Hit follow if you’re into that kinda thing.

Allow me to introduce myself... all over again 🤍



I’m Kerry 👋


✨ 25
✨ Travel addict
✨ Planner of all the fun things – gigs, festivals, camping trips, spa days, you name it


I’ve always been like this.

Never been big on blowing my wages on clothes or designer stuff – I’d rather spend it making memories.

Last year: 

✈️ Fuerteventura
🍻 Poland (for a wedding)
🌿 Glastonbury 
🍜 Thailand
🍀 Dublin with work
🥰 Belfast with the girls


I also got to see Oasis (unreal!!), Djo (aka Steve Harrington … IYKYK), Olivia Dean, Good Neighbours, The 1975... and loads more at Glasto. It was my first time going to Glastonbury (I KNOW 🙈) but if you haven’t been before, you must!


I’ve got a crazy Cocker Spaniel called Toffee (named after Everton because we’re a family of blues) 💙


I’m a St. Patrick’s Day baby and come from an Irish family so we manage to kill two birds with one stone and celebrate all in one day 🍀. 


And … I work for a Web Design and Branding agency called MadeByShape. I’ve worked here for just over 2 years now and LOVE it. Before this, I worked as a pub manager – where I had 0 social life or time off 🙃 I can pour a decent pint though … 


More than anything – I just love spending time with my family and mates.
They’re always the priority, no matter how busy life gets.



Anywaysssss that’s me. Hello. I’ve had a lot of new connections recently so thought I’d reintroduce myself properly. 


Now tell me about you 👇

You wouldn’t build your entire brand on a platform you don’t own... would you?



Because that’s exactly what I’ve seen a lot of businesses doing.


All-in on socials.
Little effort on their website.


And I get it – social media has proved to be great for brands,
But it’s not where true trust is built.


Your dream client finds you on Instagram...

Then what?
They want to properly check you out.


But if they:
🤷‍♀️ Don’t have an account
🤦‍♀️ Can’t be bothered logging in on desktop
👀 Just want the info – not a highlight reel and 17 links


They're going to your website.


So if it’s half-baked (or doesn’t exist at all)...
You’re giving people nowhere to land.


No credibility. No conversion. No chance.


Meanwhile – your website is:
✨ 100% yours
✨ Not tied to trends or algorithms
✨ Built to actually convert


We’re treating social like the storefront
And websites like the stockroom.


It should be the other way round.


Put the same care into your website as you do your socials. 
Trust me on that one! ☝️




Hey I’m Kerry 👋 I work for MadeByShape and share tips on web design, branding + finding a bit of balance in your 9-5. 👉 Hit follow if you’re into that kinda thing.

I’m not a fan of the phrase ‘new year, new me’ – but I get it.


We all want a bit of a reset in January.

New goals. New habits we swear we’ll stick to this time 😅

I set resolutions last year and... didn’t tick all of them off. 

It happens, but they don’t disappear.

They just get carried over into the next year…
along with a few new ones too.

The list keeps growing.


So if either of these are on yours:

👉 A new website
👉 A full rebrand

...then take this as your sign to actually follow through.


Doing the work now means:

✔️ No more cringing when someone asks for your website
✔️ No more DIY logo from 2019 haunting your socials
✔️ No more explaining what you really do because your brand isn’t doing it justice


Instead, you get to: 

✔️ Show up with confidence
✔️ Charge your worth
✔️ Attract the right people and stop blending in for once


Imagine getting to December and thinking:

Yesss – I actually did it. And now it’s one less thing to stress about.


If you're still showing up as the old version of yourself or your business…it’s probably the right time to change that. 


I work for a web design and branding agency – MadeByShape - always here if you want a chat. 




Hey I’m Kerry 👋 I share tips on web design, branding + finding a bit of balance in your 9-5. 👉 Hit follow if you’re into that kinda thing.

2pm Friday finishes might just be the best perk our founders could’ve given us.




On paper, it’s only a couple of hours shaved off the week.


But in reality, it changes how I feel … every Friday.


Friday energy is real.
If you know, you know.


Your brain’s already at the pub (if you’re inclined that way 😂)
Everyone’s half checking out by 3pm anyway 😅


So instead of pretending we’re all still “going strong” at 4:45pm, we just... wrap it up at 2.


As long as the work’s done – we’re out.


I can make proper Friday plans (without praying I’ll get out on time)
I can actually ease into my weekend


Those Friday mornings are on fire productivity-wise.
Everyone’s focused. Cracking on.
No dragging our feet, just straight in.


We feel trusted and respected so it makes us give our best back. 


And I wanted to do a bit of research on this because I know for a LOT of people, Friday is one of their least productive days. 


Turns out the stats back it up:

👉 62% of people feel less motivated on Fridays – weekend brain kicks in

👉 Productivity drops off hard after 3pm

👉 Fridays are already the day most people clock off early

👉 But it’s also the happiest day of the week (no shock there)


So fair play to MadeByShape, we appreciate it!


Let people enjoy their Friday.
Give them the choice.
Get better results in return.


This weekend’s agenda:

👉 Friday: Girly night in 🍕🍿

👉 Saturday: Trafford Centre - not my idea of a perfect Saturday, but I've got things to return 🫠

👉 Sunday: Dovestone Reservoir walk with the girls (AM) / re-decorating bedroom / then prepping for the week ahead



Just a nice chilled weekend ✌️ 
What’s your plans?

Right, I’ve introduced me – now let me tell you a bit about MadeByShape 🖤



We’re a Web Design + Branding agency based in Manchester.


👉 2 Co-Founders
👉 4 Web Developers
👉 2 Brand Designers
👉 2 Content Writers
👉 1 Accounts & Finance


Small team, but we bring a lot to the table. 


Our culture is (I’d say) unlike anyone else’s. Let’s take Christmas, for example …

 
I had mates asking:
“What days you working over Christmas?”

Me: “I’m not.”
Them: 😮

“You booked it off then?”
Me: “Didn’t have to.”
Them: 😵‍💫


And when I said we went to Dublin for the night for our Christmas do, let’s just say... jaws were dropped.

I’m not saying any of this to brag at all – but MadeByShape has really built something really special here. And I’m proud to be part of it.


It’s not just about time off or the fun socials.

It’s the everyday stuff:

🤍 Being trusted to get on with your work – no micro-managing
🤍 Flexible when life outside work happens (because it does)
🤍 Proper support when you need it – whether that’s a work or personal matter
🤍 A team that genuinely backs each other



Anyway – let’s get into what we actually do 👇

✨ Branding
We create brands you’re proud of – not just a logo.
From your website to your tote bags, it all needs to feel like you.
Consistent visuals, clear messaging, proper impact.


✨ Web Design
UX, UI, wireframes, research – all the good stuff.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a startup or scaling up, we design websites that actually work and look class. Oh – and we’re Craft CMS onlyyyy (sorry not sorry 😌).


✨ SEO
If your website’s meant to bring in business, SEO is a must.
We don’t do copy-paste strategies. That just doesn’t work. 
We look at your goals and build campaigns that get results – whether that’s nationwide rankings or local leads.



In short 👇
We’re nice, we’re sound, and we’re bloody good at what we do 🤝


Now we’re back – fully reset and ready to smash 2026. Take a look at some pics from our Christmas do in Dublin. 




Hey I’m Kerry 👋 I share tips on web design, branding + finding a bit of balance in your 9-5. 👉 Hit follow if you’re into that kinda thing.

A friend of mine works a 9–5, but she’s still at her laptop most nights 'til 8pm.



That’s 3 hours she could be:
✨ Cooking her tea
✨ Going for a walk
✨ Chilling on the couch
✨ Catching up with friends


Instead – she’s stuck trying to hit unrealistic expectations for a job that technically “finished” 3 hours ago.


And it got me thinking…
It’s not the hours that give the 9–5 a bad name 
It’s how that time’s being used.


One person doing the job of five because budgets are tight, teams are stretched, and “just make it work” is the default.


But that shouldn’t fall on the rest of the team to absorb.


If someone leaves and the whole place falls apart – that’s a business problem. Not a burden you should make the team carry.


And I’ve seen it first-hand.
I’ve lived it in previous roles.
And it has the opposite effect of what managers think.


😅 You don’t get loyalty.
😌 You get burnout.


At MadeByShape, when the day ends at 4 pm – that's it.


No guilt. No “just a quick one” Slack messages. No raised eyebrows for logging off on time.


And even during work hours, there’s breathing space. Trust. Respect.


And trust me, your team respects you a whole lot more when you actually value their time too. 


It’s just about being decent.


Your team will always be there for you, yes, but don’t forget they also have to live their own lives. 🤍


Take it from me – I’ve been at Shape for over 2 years, and I’ve never felt more valued.



Hey I’m Kerry 👋 I share tips on web design, branding + finding a bit of balance in your 9-5. 👉 Hit follow if you’re into that kinda thing.

If you’re thinking of refreshing your website or investing in web design in 2026 – this is why I think you absolutely should 👇





1. Your website is your first impression.

It’s where people go first – before calling, enquiring, or buying.




2. User habits have changed (again).

Attention spans are shorter. Expectations are higher. Bad UX? People bounce.




3. Mobile-friendly isn’t optional.

If your site’s clunky on a phone – you’re losing leads. Simple as that.




4. Google’s judging you.

A slow, outdated site = SEO disaster. It affects your rankings and your credibility.




5. Trust starts online.

If your website looks 10 years old, people assume your service is too.




6. You need to show what you do – fast.

People skim. If your messaging and design don’t hit instantly, they’re off.




7. Great design = higher conversions.

This goes beyond just how it looks – it’s about using design to help guide users into take action easily. 




8. Your competitors are levelling up.

If they look class and you don’t, guess who gets the click?




9. Your brand deserves better.

That DIY website from 2018? Nah. You’ve outgrown it.




10. It’s an investment, not a cost.

This is a big one. A strong website pays you back in leads, trust, and time saved explaining yourself. 



Let your website do the heavy lifting in 2026. You’ll thank us later 🫶 




I’m Kerry 👋 I work for a web design and branding agency called MadeByShape. DM’s are always open 💬

“We’re not a creative business, so we probably don’t need anything fancy…”



If I had a quid for every time we heard that 👀


Somewhere along the way, certain industries have been told a lie. 
That they have to “play it safe” online.
– Minimal design.
– Muted colours.
– Zero personality.


Because god forbid a scaffolding company has a bit of flair 🤷‍♀️


Here’s the truth:
✨ Every business deserves a brand that feels like them
✨ Every website deserves to stand out – not blend in
✨ And creativity is not reserved for ‘creative’ industries


We’ve built sites for:
– Skip hire companies
– Accountants
– Food manufacturers
– Engineers
– Property
– And yeah, loads of creative brands too


But what we’ve found is that 👇

The results are always better when we lean into what makes that business unique. 


👉 MadeByShape is for every industry.

And we’ll make sure you show up online with confidence – no matter what you do.



📸 That’s us – the team behind Shape – living our best lives at the Christmas do in Dublin 👇






Hey I’m Kerry 👋 I share tips on web design, branding + finding a bit of balance in your 9-5. 👉 Hit follow if you’re into that kinda thing.

Iya, I’m Daniel (Not Dan and defo not Danny)

A 30-year-old, Manchester-born design agency founder. 

I started Noramble because I was frustrated seeing so many brands looking, talking, and feeling the same. Decision-making when shopping for a product becomes impossible and a chore, resulting in chasing the lowest price or the best deal.

At Noramble, we refuse to add more noise to the sea of sameness. Over the years, we have crafted a process to help brands rebel against their category and grow through proper differentiation that gives consumers a reason to give a crap.

Daniel Poll

On a shelf full of bottles. Be a big f***ing tube.

The haircare shelves are stacked with the same old, same old:
- Generic bottles
- Bold colours
- Scent-focused claims

Yawn. A shelf like this tends to become a price war because everything looks and sounds the same.

Unless you're brand loyal. Which newsflash, most shoppers aren't these days.

The answer? Throw them category cliches out the window and put your product in a HUGE tube.

being haircare stopped me RIGHT in my tracks with this exact strategy.
- Different packaging format
- Typographic creative direction
- Functional-focused claims

It spoke to me. It excited me. I took it to the till.
And I wasn't even shopping for haircare.

Bravo being!

Founder @ Noramble | Brand + Packaging design that rebels against category cliches

Packaging design fail? 🫠

Now, I love M&S.

But I saw this in their store the other day, and it bamboozled me.

There are three fundamental goals of packaging design:
- What is it?
- Who is it for?
- Why should they care?

This answers NONE of the above.

I had zero idea what it was. Who it was for. Or why I should care.
Is it skincare? Is it make-up? Is it some new protein product?!

It also lacked context because it was outside the fitting rooms.

I ended up doing a Google search to actually find out what it was.

Like I said, I LOVE M&S.
They're smashing it at the moment.

Feels like everything they touch turns to gold.

Not this, though. Soz.

Any guesses as to what it is?

Here's a 101 on how to create DISTINCT packaging from Esplosivo.

Most chilli sauce brands come in:
- Glass jars
- Bold labels
- Chilli graphics

Which is farmilair right? That's what consumers would look for on the shelf.

So, how would a brand ditch the cliches to stand out?

Simple. By reframing it.

Esplosivo still use a glass jar and chilli graphics, but they've framed it within a paper wrapper to look like a bomb.

Why does it work?
- It's still familiar
- It distinctive
- It looks more premium compared to its competitors
- It's memorable
- It looks fu*king mega

I sadly didn't buy it becuase it looked like it would burn through my jugular.

But it stopped a consumer in my tracks, and that's 80% of the battle in stores these days.

🔥 NEW WORK 🔥

A clean look for a new edible gummy range

10X ATHLETIC X Noramble

With a new product range of edible gummies, 10X Athletic reached out to us to help create packaging that set it apart from their current brand and helped create a more premium position in the category.

We created a clean visual with crisp typography and bold colours. We featured the brand's big 'X' icon in the background to lean into the brand's equity. Whilst also utilising bold colours to signal the flavour profile of the gummy products.

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⚡️ We design branding and packaging that goes big when everyone goes home | Founder @ Noramble

I started Noramble on the frustration of seeing so many brands and looking, talking and feeling the same. Decision-making when shopping for a product becomes impossible and a chore.

The team and I refuse to make more noise in the sea of sameness. Over the years, we have crafted a process to help brands find their zag and amplify, defend and grow their business.

We've worked with numerous brands from around the globe of all shapes and sizes to do just that.

We refuse to add more noise to the world without reason. So, we take brands through our Zag framework. It's that one element within your business that genuinely sets you apart. It's ownable. It's intangible. It's defendable. It's radical. It's laser-focused. And it's the thing that once we find it, we amplify it within your brand to make your brand magnetic.

What We Do - Noramble

We're Noramble, a brand and packaging design studio helping brands find their zag when everyone zigs. Since 2020, we've worked with clients of all sizes from all corners of the globe who stand for something bigger and refuse to blend into the sea of sameness.

Who We Are - Noramble

Noramble is a brand and packaging design agency in Manchester that helps brands zag when everyone zigs.

Noramble Website

10X ATHLETIC

Noramble

D2C packaging should be a brand experience. Not a sales tool.

One thing that brands seem to get wrong is treating D2C packaging like a sales tool:

Artwork full of benefits
Features
Marketing messages

But, newsflash. The end user has already bought, the job now is to keep them coming back and get excited to open what they've bought.

Something that Purdy & Figg do really well.

On-brand and clean artwork
Organised internal structure
Consise 'How to' graphics
User-friendly product placements

They just get it!

Easy. Simple. Enhancing my experience.

Not trying to ram marketing down my throat.

Lovely.

People love to say the market is “oversaturated.”

It’s a handy excuse.

But markets only feel crowded when you play by the same rules as everyone else.

They all follow the same category cues.
They all look the same.
They all feel and sound the same.
They all offer the same thing.
They get locked into price wars.

The boldest brands in even the most crowded sectors don’t chase the category clichés.
They pick a fight.
They plant their flag.
And they make people choose sides.

Think Graza. Think Surreal Cereal. Think Oatly.

Brave brands stand out because strategy beats “sameness” every time.

You’d be amazed at how much room there is at the top for anyone willing to stick their neck out.

One of our favourite projects of last year tbf

PickandMix.com X Noramble

Pick&Mix approached us to help with their next phase of growth by creating a new bag design for their brand to establish them as the market leader in this category.

We created a completely unique bag for the brand, featuring a split colour block in their brand colours to create a bold and impactful visual that looked good both on screen, on social media, and in the hands of their customers.
We gave their back of pack the same treatment by creating a nice hierarchy that was not only easy to read and consume, but also visually appealing to help grow the brand's customer retention rate.

My goal is to build a business so good that when people leave said business, 


they put "Ex-[brand name]" in their headline 🤝

We launched our new website about 3-months ago. Here's how it's going 👇

We started working on the new Noramble website with MadeByShape about 6-months ago for various reasons:

- To position us better as a studio
- To attract the right sort of clients to us
- To communicate our value better

It finally launched at the start of October 2024, and it's been mega.

Feedback from current and past clients, and even from people within our industry, has been mint.

On average, since the new website launched, we've had;

- Had a 9% increase in enquiries
- We converted 60% more of the enquiries we had
- 7% increase in revenue YTD

They're not HUGE numbers, but it's pushing us forward, and it's very exciting to see after only a short amount of time.

I think it's important to talk about the honest numbers behind a business; people are so quick to sugarcoat things on social media.

'Appeh Friday. One from the archives.

Cane X Noramble

Cane is a new entrant to the toothbrush market. The brand saw a gap in the market and offered a new sustainable toothbrush for the eco-conscious consumer.

We did away with the typical market cues to help cut through the noise. We paired a bold typeface with a brash colour palette; we put the product centre stage on the packaging with a simple illustration to help communicate the product from the outset.

Not sure about anyone else, but I actually can't be productive without music 🎧

LinkedIn gurus will tell you that to be productive, you need to:
👉 Wake up at 4:00
👉 Drink blended kale
👉 Be in the gym 27hrs a day

I do NONE of the above and yet maintain rather high productivity levels.

My secret? Music.

Get me a good playlist and a pair of sick headphones, and I'm a productive animal.

That's literally it.

'Appy Friday.

P.S. My preference is a Whitney Houston playlist. Old but gold.

My first design role almost ended my career before it had even begun

Fresh from graduation, eager to realise my dream of becoming a packaging designer.

I found myself stepping into my first job as a junior packaging designer at a cosmetics company.

The pay was crap, but my excitement was through the roof - I'd finally made my way into the industry.

Fast forward three months...
“𝙄 𝙛*𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩"

I quit my dream job for one reason.

𝗠𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼

The lessons:
👉 Work where you're appreciated. It's a non-negotiable
👉 If it doesn't bring joy, f*cking change it.
👉 Love what you do or re-evaluate.

I got my happily ever after by founding my own packaging design studio.

P.S. I was blessed with some mega tea-making abilities tbf. So, if anyone fancies a cup of Earl Grey, I'm ya' man!

Last year, we had a cash flow issue. Even though we had £40,000 in our pipeline.

I'm always open when things don't go quite right for us at Noramble
This is no different.

Around April last year, on paper, we were flying.
- Landing new projects
- Loads of enquiries
- Producing some mint work

But, we had major cash flow issues becuase we worked on a 50/50 basis with our clients. 50% upfront and 50% before final delivery.

This felt normal for the industry, but when a project takes 3-6 months, the cash flow takes a beating.

Which meant we were always chasing the next client. Also not ideal.

After some digging, I found that we had around £40,000 in our pipeline that we couldn't actually invoice for yet because the projects were still ongoing.

So, in May, we switched it up. For any new project we onboarded, it followed a new invoice schedule:
- 50% upfront
- 25% on concept sign-off
- 25% on final delivery

Honestly? It was a win-win.
- Our cash flow transformed overnight
- We had a new, clear sign-off for clients
- Clients had smaller invoices that actually helped with their own cash flow.

Thinking back, I can't believe how simple the change was, and the impact it had.

Sometimes, the smallest changes have the biggest impact. Fact.

Cheers January. It's been mega. It's been a whirlwind.

Not sure how it's already February, but we had a smashing start to the year.
- Had 16 new enquiries
- Onboarded 5 new projects
- 2 new projects started with current clients
- Sent 14 new proposals
- Drank loads of Earl Grey tea

It's times like these, where you see the hard work pay off.

The sweat, blood, tears and sleepless nights become worth it.

Cheers January 🥂

Here's how you turn a customer into a RAGING fan girl.

So, I turned 30 last month (still crying about it). 

And my accountant, Ellis Bennett FCCA did something completely unexpected.

I woke up the morning of my birthday to the expected:
- Missed calls from family
- Facebook notification
- WhatsApp messages
from people all wishing me Happy Birthday

And then buried within all of those notifications was an Amazon gift card from Ellis and his team.

Honestly? Nearly brought a tear to my eye because it was so so so unexpected.

And I've not shut up about it ever since, when people have asked how my birthday was.

Simplifying Accountancy and maximising Tax Efficiency for Business Owners | Director - EA Accountancy 👨🏼‍💻 💸

If you’ve ever looked back at a job and realised it shaped who you are, you’ll get this.

Back in 2015, when I was at Uni, I used to work for Apple in the Trafford Centre.

I'm not gonna lie, it funded my vodka-fueled nights out mostly, but it was mega:
👉 Class pay (for my age at the time)
👉 Fab discounts on the products
👉 Great team

However, there was ONE thing I was taught, and I still do it today, over 10 years later.

“𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.”

That’s it.
8 words, drilled into us from day one.
If you didn’t know the answer to a question, you didn’t bluff.
You didn’t waffle.
You said it straight.

When I started my business, I was always told to 'fake it till you make it':
If a client asked me something
👉 Make something up
If you don't understand what the client is on about
👉 Pretend you know and figure it out later

It was advice I chose not to listen to, becuase that's not me. I'm naive and curious.

If a client asks me something I haven’t got a clue about, I say the same thing I said in that shop a decade ago.
“I’m not sure, but let’s find out together.”

If a client talks about their business, and it's something I don't understand?
"Ooo, can you explain this like I'm a five-year-old?"

Pretending to have all the answers is overrated.
Being honest builds more trust than any BS ever could.
Clients respect you more for admitting what you don’t know—and digging in to learn with them.

So cheers Apple. Not only for funding my wild uni nights but for changing my mindset for the better.

We spent the last few months of 2025 strategising Noramble for this year. Here's what's changing 👇

My studio is 6 years old this year, and it's time to make some changes:

👉 We're saying 'No' more
This is a big one for me because I'm such a people pleaser.

👉 We've increased our base prices 
Last year was about building some new foundations and increasing the value we bring to our projects. Our prices are now reflecting that.

👉 We're tracking EVERYTHING, literally!
Data doesn't lie, and being creative, I've always let trackers get forgotten, but not this year.

These are the biggest things we're changing this year, and I cannot wait to see them! 

P.S. Has anything changed in your business for the new year?

We all talk about brand consistency, right? But what's more important is brand and product alignment 🤝

I'm a firm believer in product and brand going hand-in-hand.

They can't exist without each other.

Not only can they not exist without each other, but they have to be aligned.

You can't have a luxury feeling brand selling sub-par products.

There's nothing worse than buying a product because the brand and packaging look a certain way.

Only to open it to be met with something completely different.

You end up setting the wrong impression with customers, leaving a bad taste in their mouths.

Your brand perception must be aligned with the products you sell.

Signed,
Consumers everywhere ☺️

I think balancing branding and selling on packaging is something most packaging gets wrong.

Your packaging has a big job on its hands:
- It's seen by 100% of your customers.
- It runs 24/7, 365 days a year.
- It creates millions of impressions a week.

It's got to communicate swiftly:
- What is it? [𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴]
- Why should I care? [𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴]
- Why should I trust it? [𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱]
- Why is this over a competitor? [𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱]
- Who is this for? [𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴]

As you can see, your packaging is a balance between brand and selling.

With both having different jobs.

Selling is all about clarity and persuasion:
- Eye-catching product images
- Clear benefits and features
- Key details like colour or flavour

Branding is the trust builder:
- Memorable logos
- Catchy taglines
- Engaging mascots

The balance between these two depends on your brand, how long it's been around, your goals and your category.

Pringles nails this balance.

At what point do we stop starting emails with "Happy New Year..."?!?!

Asking for a friend.

I'm the friend.

Happy New Year.

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