Matt Wheeler and Sam Taylor University of Leeds Graphic & Communication Design graduates founded madeby.studio in 2019, a creative and digital design studio based in Leeds city centre- with the help of Spark, the University’s business start up support team.
Under lockdown we hear how Matt and Sam made the change to working effectively from the comfort of their own homes.
About madeby.studio
We became good friends during a final year brief for our degree, Graphic & Communication Design at the University of Leeds. With joint aspirations of combining digital design practice with strong business values, madeby.studio was born.
We now collaborate in a range of sectors from healthcare to construction, delivering progressive digital design solutions to help businesses thrive on an international scale.
Help from Spark
With the help from the University’s Spark team, we’ve been able to access business mentors, funding and facilities which have given us an incredible platform to build on. Spark has given us a great pool of contacts, from direct mentors to everyday friendships, which have been pivotal in the start-up phase of the business.
Graphic and Communication Design grads Abigail and Chloe talk about how they set up their own design business, Buttercrumble. They talk us through their entrepreneurial journey and the help and support for their business they got at Spark. If you are interested in start up don’t forget to check the blog regularly for contributions from other Spark businesses.
Our Business:
We are Abigail and Chloe, a design duo, who are also known as Buttercrumble. We are passionate about collaborating with other creative people who believe in the power of good design. We’re a super-synced twin team, born and bred in Yorkshire, who graduated from the University of Leeds in 2016. We’ve had a lifetime love of art and design so it was a no-brainer when we applied to study Graphic & Communication Design. The skills we’ve developed at university have been vital to the growth of our business.
This week, Jack, a New Media graduate talks about his experience of setting up his own business, WayWest Design – he explains how the Enterprise opportunities at the University have helped him throughout his entrepreneurial journey and what benefits this experience has brought him. If you’re interested in starting your own business, read on and don’t forget to check out the Leeds University Start up Service page on our website for more information.
About my business:
I’m Jack Weston, founding Director at WayWest Design. We provide expert services in Web and App Development, Digital Design and Illustration, Photography, Videography, Motion Graphics, SEO Consultancy, Marketing Consultancy & Digital and Marketing Strategy to our worldwide client base. Our purpose is to deliver specialist knowledge in our field as well as maintaining a personal quality for our clients.
WayWest was established whilst I was still studying at the University of Leeds. I have always had passion for design so I began designing logos, graphics and websites for friends and family members free of charge in order to gain experience and add to my portfolio. From there, I was recommended to people and businesses outside of my network, rapidly increasing my profile and has spiraled into the successful business that it is today.
In this guest post Dee Fisher, MD of 3DPrintedJobs, gives an overview of this growing industry, key job roles within it and tips for success.
The 3D printing industry is growing rapidly and with it the demand for 3D printing jobs. This article will give you an understanding of what 3d printing is, what jobs are available, what these roles involve and some useful interview tips.
What Is 3D Printing?
3D printing is a process of building a three-dimensional object. Digital files determine the shape of the objects that are printed. 3D printing is an additive process: objects are usually created as very thin layers of material (e.g. 0.1mm) and are added in succession. The 3D printing process is also known as additive manufacturing. Read more ›
Jasmine Mellor, a textile design student, has recently started her placement with the Home Retail Group. In this post, which she wrote shortly before starting her placement, she shares her top tips for placement-seeking success.
I am a second year undergraduate student studying Textile Design and I am about to start a 6 month placement at the Home Retail Group which compromises of Argos, Habitat and Homebase. The design industry is highly competitive and experience is essential. The need for this experience is what fuelled my decision to take a year out of my studies and complete a year in industry.
Don’t underestimate the importance of a CV and cover letterRead more ›
Thinking about entering the competitive textiles design industry? Our Careers Consultant, Ingrid Bale, offers her advice on how to be successful!
What is it?
Textile design is a part of the creative industries sector which encapsulates every aspect of design involving knit, weave and printed fabrics, from raw material to finished item. Textile designers often work with fashion or interior designers to ensure that the fabric/textile that they are creating is perfect for it’s expected usage, this includes having the correct pattern and fabric properties (such as thickness or tendency to crease). Read more ›
In the next of our “Getting into..” series, our Careers Consultant Sue Holdsworth offers her advice on how to successfully pursue a career in Fine Art.
Practicing as a Fine Artist
The old maxim about artists needing to spend 80% of their time on marketing and business and 20% on their art work is broadly true.
You should be aware of competitions and bursaries to support emerging artists and this will be time-consuming. A good place to start looking is A-N which advertises many opportunities for artists. Temporary work contracts such as residencies can make for an interesting and varied career, though periods of unemployment between jobs are a reality for most artists. Read more ›
This year, the Careers Centre is sponsoring 3 teams from the University of Leeds to participate in UK-wide IBM Universities Business Challenge.
Universities Business Challenge (UBC) is an annual competition in which teams from universities throughout the UK compete against each other for the honour of becoming overall winner (not to mention pocketing a tidy cash sum). In addition to this, UBC helps participants improve their knowledge of the business world, put theory into practice and develop team-working, leadership and employability skills. The challenge – and it’s called a ‘challenge’ for good reason – gives participants the chance to work as a board of directors in a series of realistic, simulated companies, making all the critical business decisions that affect the company’s performance.
We had a great response to our advertisement back in September for teams interested in representing the University of Leeds and, after a number of selection events, we whittled it down to the final 3 teams. The teams are well into Round 1 of the competition having just completed their fourth trading period and are all doing fantastically well, so we thought it high time to introduce them to you!
“The Invisible Hands”
The Invisible Hands
“The Invisible Hands” – whose team name is inspired by Adam Smith’s invisible hand theory in economics – are a team newly formed for this competition. Their mission for the business challenge is to become the Apple of the food world (the simulated business which teams are managing for this round of UBC is a food manufacturing business). They hope that their varied subjects of study will give their team a unique perspective during the challenge. They are (left to right);
Josh Walker – 3rd year Business & Financial Economics
Tom Beard (Team Leader) – 3rd year Business Ecomonomics
Kelly Wood – 1st year Business Management with Marketing
Will Higgins – 2nd year Geological Sciences
Vanessa Karsah – 3rd year Psychology
“Team FAMAS”
Team FAMAS
Team Famas have previously worked well together, having narrowly missed out on first place in the 2012 Leeds Enterprise Business Challenge. Their team mission is to utilise their diverse experience and skill-set to achieve success. They are (left to right)
Freddie Fitz-Gibbon – 2nd year Design Management. He recently started his own company at University, in which he designed, developed and distributed merchandise to sell at the London Olympic Games.
Olivia Strong – 2nd year Politics & Sociology. Was this year elected as the director of the Leeds University RAG fashion show. During her school career she was acknowledged as the Managing Director of the Year in the Scottish Young Enterprise team. Clearly she will be able to lead, delegate and structure our team effectively throughout this task.
Benjamin Alldis (Team Leader) 2nd year Geography and Economics, and he demonstrates his interest for Business innovation through his participation in the Enterprise Society. His Enterprise skill was acknowledged when he came second in the Big Business Challenge 2011.
Megan Armour – 2nd year Management and Economics. As the head of one of the Leeds Cheerleading teams, she highlights her creativity through music and dance. Megan’s internship with DDB China this Summer has given her an insight into how different economies operate and how to successfully brand and market different business ventures. Her work with clients such as Unilever and Adidas will enable us to strategically plan solid marketing concepts.
Eddie Cummings – 2nd year Spanish and has a central role in the Leeds Student Newspaper. He will enhance the team’s structuring of reports and communication of ideas. Moreover, Eddie has undertaken two marketing placements and was also involved with a Young Enterprise team in London during sixth form.
The Engineers
3/5s of the Engineers team
“The Engineers” are five second-year students studying Mechanical, Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering. They have previous experience of working well together as a team, notably last year when they designed a glider, which after competitive testing was ranked second in their year. In addition to their technical skills they have a shared interest in business and business strategy.
Pictured above are three of the five team members. They are (left to right)
Matthew Clarke – 2nd year Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
David Penny – 2nd year Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Saad Ali (Team Leader) – 2nd year Mechanical Engineering
Not pictured are;
Alistair Rodgers – 2nd year Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Robert Tuton – 2nd year Mechanical Engineering
With only one more trading period remaining in round 1, we are looking forward to seeing if the Leeds teams can maintain their form and make it through to the semi-finals!
We are Abigail and Chloe, a design duo, who are also known as 
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