So, Tom, give us a snapshot of your typical day in the Shed...
"Most days start with a check-in with the team - a mix of catching up, planning, and general 'what’s on today?' chat.
From there, it’s a bit of everything: chatting with clients (sometimes late in the afternoon if they’re in the US), planning projects, and bouncing ideas around on client and internal work.
I split my time between the Guernsey studio and home - the studio’s great for energy and chatting with the team, but home’s definitely better for calls (mainly because I’m less likely to disrupt everyone else).
Somewhere in the mix there’s usually a dog walk and a few trips as the family taxi driver."
What's the most rewarding part of leading a creative business?
"I’m really lucky - I get to have those initial conversations with clients. I hear their hopes for what they want to achieve, why it matters, and where they want to take things. Then I get to see that spark turn into something real through the creative, design and digital process.
What’s amazing is watching the team bring it all to life. Everyone’s got their own skillset and way of thinking, and somehow it all clicks together. By the end of most projects, there are half a dozen fingerprints on the work - all subtly influencing the end result.
And when you finally show the client and they’re properly wowed by it… that’s a really bloody good feeling.
Tell us your biggest design pet peeve.
"You’re probably expecting something visual here, but actually… It’s badly designed forms.
Bear with me.
With three kids, I seem to spend half my life filling in forms - school, sports, random admin. Every now and then, you come across one that’s been properly thought through (and to whoever designed those ones - thank you). But most are awful. They ask for the same information twice, or stuff that’s completely unnecessary.
Then, just when you think you’ve finished, they send you a follow-up form.
And guess what? It asks for the same information again.
It honestly feels like there’s someone out there whose job is to make forms as painful as possible. They’ve taken a task nobody enjoys and somehow made it even more infuriating.
I know it’s more 'design-thinking' than 'design' - but my inner designer weeps every time."
How do you keep your work meaningful beyond just deadlines and clients?
"To be honest, I don’t really think about it like that. Sure, there’s the usual admin that comes with any project, but we’ve streamlined most of that so we can save our brainpower for the fun stuff.
For me, the meaning comes from helping people achieve something they care about. Every client has their own goals, their own challenges, and their own version of success - and being part of that journey never really gets old.
That’s what keeps it exciting. It’s what makes getting up in the morning feel worth it."
You can listen to one song for the rest of your life. What is it?
"I’ll probably change my mind tomorrow (I’ve already changed it five times while trying to answer this), but today it’s 'Where Is My Mind' by the Pixies.
Ask me again next week and it’ll probably be something completely different."