Best Startup
A quick introduction about what your company does/your values/mission.
Established in 2007, Handy Brand is a leader in innovative printing in the UK. It was born from a vision to bridge the gap in the market by offering high-quality, small-batch labels, stickers, and swing tags.
Handy Brands’ two sub-brands, Handy Labels and Handy Tags provide a wide range of customisable options to help businesses and individuals showcase their brands and express themselves through superior printed products at affordable prices.
Tell us about yourself?
My design career began 30 years ago as a pre-press operator at one of Bristol’s large lithographic printing companies. Working my way up from trainee to studio manager within 13 years exposed me to the industry’s dramatic shift. I was witnessing the transition from analogue to digital processes.
I saw immense potential for increased personalisation, faster production, and cost savings. Unfortunately, my managing director wasn’t ready to embrace the digital revolution. Driven by my instincts and the market trends, I decided to strike out independently. This bold step proved the right move, and I haven’t looked back since.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
While the desire and confidence to launch my own business were ever-present, I would advise starting it earlier if I could turn back the clock. Responsible decision-making, however, requires careful consideration of personal finances, especially with a young family in the picture.
What problem does your business solve?
Our business tackles the challenge of slow turnaround times and limited customisation options in printing. Through advanced machinery and efficient workflows, we significantly reduce order waiting periods. We cater to small and large orders, allowing complete personalisation at cost-effective prices while maintaining exceptional quality.
We provide a free, comprehensive online design tool to empower creativity. This tool lets you craft your own print-ready artwork or utilise our pre-made template designs that you can further personalise to suit your purpose.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
The printing trade was notorious for being a slow, analogue process. Orders were placed offline with sales reps, and the whole printing process from concept to completion could take weeks. My inspiration was to flip this on its head, with orders placed online through an e-commerce store offering customers customisation, speed, quality, and price within a few clicks, which I’m delighted to say we have achieved.
What is your magic sauce?
The small, talented Handy Brand team is our magic sauce and the main difference from the big corporate competitors within our industry. We have since moved to an employee-owned business model, EOT. All the staff members share in the company profits. By becoming employee-owners, everyone has a stake in the business. This incentivises participation, innovation, and a drive for long-term success. Our customers feel a closer connection to us and our Brand, making it a win-win.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
Handy Brand envisions a future built on customer loyalty, strategic expansion, and environmental responsibility. We remain dedicated to exceeding the expectations of our loyal customer base while implementing innovation through employee ownership. Exploring new, complementary niches like printed paper bags will be considered if they align with our core values and expertise.
Sustainability is paramount, driving us to implement eco-friendly practices wherever possible. This commitment reflects environmental responsibility and market trends, ensuring Handy Brand’s enduring legacy for generations. Empowered by employee ownership, we aim to shape our future actively, solidifying our position as leaders in quality, service, and environmental consciousness.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
The biggest challenge is finding good people who share your vision and work ethic. Building a trustworthy, hard-working team takes time, but we’ve now achieved a solid foundation and continue to grow our experience and knowledge introducing new team members when needed.
The decision to transition to an employee-owned business model gradually alleviated this scenario. The shift is noticeable; we’ve moved from a traditional “working for” mentality to a more empowering “working with” approach.
How do people get involved/buy into your vision?
We serve many customers, from business start-ups to hobbyists, artisans, and corporate giants. No matter the order size, all receive the same excellent customer service and attention to detail. We love our customers; they repeatedly show their loyalty with their returning custom, and our business is only successful with them. Our excellent 5-star verified reviews do the talking for us. We also offer a discount code for customers on their first order and a loyalty reward scheme for returning customers, ensuring they feel well looked after once they are part of the Handy family.
Visit Handy Labels for custom sticker printing and Handy Tags for printed swing tags. We offer great choice and great quality at a pocket-friendly cost.
