The Humans of Hancock and Rowe: Liam
The Humans of Hancock and Rowe is a series of interviews that introduces you to who we are and the people we work alongside. From our team to our clients, we’ll be sharing the stories of those who our agency help, support and collaborate with.
Introducing Liam, founder of Branch, our specialist WordPress web development partner.
Where do you come from?
I’m originally from Burnley, Lancashire but left when I was 18 to attend the University of Plymouth.
Growing up, life for me and my 3 brothers was really difficult. In 1999 we ended up homeless, sleeping on the floor of a dilapidated shop stock room. I still have vivid memories of watching the Millennium celebrations on this old black & white tv someone had donated to us, whilst eating a microwaved roast dinner on the floor of a very cold room.
We eventually moved on to a council estate in Padiham, it was better than sleeping on the floor and we finally had a shower and inside toilet. But life on a council estate isn’t easy, avoiding the gangs and just feeling a sense of hopelessness with the situation.
Moving to Plymouth was the escape I needed.
Where are you now?
Having spent over 14 years living down south, we moved back to Lancashire in 2019 to be closer to my family. We’re now settled here with 2 young boys.
I now run Branch, a web development agency that specialises in developing bespoke WordPress websites. I have a passion for developing websites that are accessible-first and sustainable. We’re a small team of 3 senior web developers.
We’re fortunate to work with brilliant agencies like Hancock & Rowe, providing our web development expertise. We also partner with some brilliant organisations such as Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, providing them with support on their digital platforms.
How did you travel between the two?
When I started my degree at the University of Plymouth I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. It was the first time I had full access to a computer and the internet -, I quickly realised that I enjoyed designing and developing websites. Seeing a blank screen evolve into a finished website was immensely rewarding. I’ve been hooked ever since!
My first year at university didn’t go to plan though - I failed a module and had to resit my exams during the summer break. I was extremely embarrassed and Helen (my wife, who I met at uni) really gave me the kick I needed. I eventually turned things around and graduated with a First and won an award for the best final year project - a social network website for book lovers.
After graduating I started working for a video production company in Bristol producing live streaming websites for global brands such as Nintendo, Hewlett Packard and Marriott Hotels. It was really intense, with tight deadlines and a lot of travelling, but equally it was really rewarding and it opened my eyes to developing bespoke systems.
Further along, I eventually joined an agency called Rubber Cheese (yep, it’s a real name!) and I worked my way up to become their lead developer. I spent a lot of time building bespoke systems, including a ticketing platform for Pernod Ricard and a course booking system for the Cambridge Postgraduate Medical Centre.
I loved my time at Rubber Cheese, and would have stayed had I not moved back up North. I was due to start a role as Director of Digital for an agency, but then Covid hit and they cancelled my contract before I started. I was left in limbo with no clue what to do.
A friend sent me a link to a competition being run by InnovateUK. It was quite an open brief, but you had to produce something that could help communities or people during the pandemic. I pitched a live streaming platform for musicians and was fortunate enough to win a £50K grant to develop the platform.
We eventually raised a pre-seed round and we developed a platform that at its peak had over 100 musicians regularly streaming and earning decent money from it. But everything came tumbling down once the final lockdowns were over and people started going back to real-life concerts.
Even though it didn’t work out, I’m forever grateful for the experience. It made me realise how much I love running my own business and helping people.
What are your hopes for the future and the digital world?
I hope more businesses and organisations become more aware of the impact digital has on the environment. Communication technologies emit more carbon emissions than any country except China, India and the United States. And this is continually rising, especially with the rise of AI and video streaming.
I’d like to see more organisations be more mindful of the digital content and platforms they use. When designing websites, we do it in a way that’s more sustainable.
What do you find most enjoyable about partnering with Hancock and Rowe?
It’s the positivity that shines through and is reflected in everything they do - the way they communicate and the work they deliver. I can sense they truly care about the client and the end-user and they just want to do the best job.
It's inspiring to collaborate with a team that are brilliant at what they do.
