Urban River
Urban River was set up in 2002 by Digital Development Director Paul Slater who shortly asked Managing Director, Carl Buckley to join him. Urban River is a full service agency that offers branding, graphic and web design/build design expertise to its clients.
When did you start up?
Urban River was started in 2002.
How has business grown since you started?
As we have grown and developed we have attracted a good mix of public and private sector clients and some big players in and out of the area. As the business has developed, we have found ourselves working with clients we would never have imagined we would be working for in the beginning, an example being to design and build the new website for the Tyne Tunnel. At the end of 2009 we relocated to new premises which now provides a better working environment for staff and better facilities to meet and present to clients. There is no doubt that the recession has affected all businesses and we have needed to become more resourceful in seeking work.
Did you have plans for growth when you first began?
I think every business does have plans for growth and a vision for what they want to achieve when they start out. However when you do first start out you are concentrating on getting through the short term, the first two years are the most difficult as you look to establish yourself and get yourself known. There is no doubt that any plan needs to be flexible enough to take account of changes the business will experience.
We wanted to ensure that we were able to deliver all aspects of the business in-house and not rely on external suppliers. We recognised that to meet this demand, we needed to recruit additional staff with skill sets across different areas.
How has growth affected your working life/home life?
As the business has grown I have tended to work longer hours and it tends to dominate your life. It is sometimes difficult to switch off at the weekend, but the ability to make your own decisions and have control of the business is a key factor. Holidays are a very important factor in business from the point of recharging your batteries which ultimately makes you more productive.
What have been the challenges of growing your own business?
There are three main challenges I have faced: 1- Finding the right staff who not only fit into the business but have the right skill set. 2- Finding the right premises. 3- Overcoming the lack of appreciation and understanding of what we can offer and the power of successful branding and digital work. We have found that a lot of businesses have a lack of understanding of the benefits effective design and marketing can have upon their business., 4- generating new business is always a challenge
Where do you see yourself in two years time?
Enjoying what we do with, working with more clients and employing skilled staff that feel appreciated. We will expand where appropriate and continue to deliver high quality work which makes a positive impact for our clients.
A highlight from your experiences?
For me the biggest highlight is creating a successful agency from a blank piece of paper. A number of our competitors have previously worked in the design or digital sector and whilst we have the individual skills, no one had actually worked within an existing agency prior to starting Urban River, which meant we had to create new business from scratch.
When I look back I am proud to see that we have created a well founded agency that continues to work with an interesting mix of clients. Whilst delivering high quality work.
