Meet the Team
Before becoming co-founder of MadeByShape, Andy had dreams of being the next football legend. Spoiler alert – it didn't quite pan out, but hey, design over pitch any day, right? From the age of 18, Andy knew the design scene was for him, and he worked hard to make it happen. By 28, he had spent 7 years as a University lecturer at Salford Uni.
Then came MadeByShape. Andy's top priority? To do good work and enjoy what we do. That's why it works. When he's not working, you might find him in the K stand at Old Trafford, eating a cheeky pie that he swears he doesn't even like. And if the game's not going his way, you might find him elsewhere with a Guinness in hand – because some things just pair perfectly, even if the match didn't.
I've been in the design industry for 18 years. I worked at some of the UK's top agencies but always had a passion to create my own studio. Long story short, Jason and I created MadeByShape, an agency that people and clients want to work with. Our ethos is simple: do good work and enjoy what we do.
This is two-fold. The people here at Shape. I absolutely love coming into work each day. We have worked very hard to create an atmosphere in the studio so that every team member feels comfortable. If we enjoy working together, the results will show in clients' work.
The people I meet on a daily basis. I get to meet entrepreneurs every week, listen to their stories and help their ideas evolve into businesses online. This also allows me to see the world and visit new places. So, if you're reading this and not from Manchester, do not worry — we have clients from all over the world.
There are so many. Obviously, we have clients close to home — lots in Manchester and Cheshire. But we also have several clients in London. Further afield work has taken me to Dublin, Krakow, Prague, Zurich, Amsterdam, Paris, and Barcelona. We also have a longstanding client in Miami, Florida — so I've got my fingers crossed that an opportunity will arise to visit them and enjoy some sunshine.
I thought I was going to be a footballer like every other teenager, but that didn't work out. I knew from the age of 18 that I wanted to work in the design industry and I worked very hard to make that happen. I had around 200 freelance clients whilst at University and worked at 4 of the top agencies in the UK. I wouldn't change my career path at all, and I'm very proud of what we've created here at Shape.
At the age of 21, I was offered the opportunity to become a lecturer at Salford University within the degree course. I loved teaching, but I also loved spotting the best talent in Manchester and helping them grow into very talented individuals — some of whom came to work for me here at Shape
Yes, I've been a season ticket holder since the age of 5. I go with my dad and his friend. We sit in the K Stand at Old Trafford (and by coincidence, Joe, one of our Web Developers, sits a few rows behind). I was used to watching fantastic football under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson; then, we went through a rough patch with Moyes and Van Gaal. Then, I thought Mourinho was the right choice and would bring us back to the top and sign some world-class players. But I just don't think his style of management and tactical guidance was the way our fans wanted to play. Solskjaer understood the club, but he didn't have enough experience to run such a huge club... or the tactical capabilities. Erik Ten Haag seems like the right choice, but the biggest task now is to completely rebuild the team and get rid of all the players who can't even be bothered running. And I won’t even go into the Glazers…
Fun Fact: I buy a pie every time I go to Old Trafford and just moan about how bad they are. But I still have one every game.
