Marcus Richards
Edge of the Web a boutique digital agency based in the UK and working with clients worldwide.
Whether it’s designing a brand new website for a startup or providing online marketing services to help with growth, our aim is to help businesses improve their visibility online, creating memorable online experiences and putting user experience at the heart of it all.
Tell us about yourself?
I studied Computer Engineering at University and I always knew I wanted to work in web development. I was lucky enough to join Edge of the Web as a developer a year after graduating, and I’ve learned the business from the ground up.
When the existing Managing Director stepped away from the business to focus on other projects in 2017, it was a chance for me to step up and take on more responsibility. Since then, I’ve been Managing Director at a business I love!
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
One of the most steep learning curves for me has been in terms of time management. Early on in my career, I was young, motivated and wanted to impress. I never said no even if it meant working out of hours to get the work done.
Now I’m managing a whole business, I recognise the importance of time management – that’s the time of every individual and the agency itself. I’ve learned that taking the time to implement processes and workflows will save time and avoid wasted efforts in the long run, and it’s an important part of building the agency.
What problem does your business solve?
10 years ago it was enough just to have a website. Not anymore. Lots of our clients come to us because they have a website, but it’s just not making an impact.
But when we design websites, everything from content and imagery to design and functionality is created along a clear business strategy.
That means our websites aren’t just pretty, they’re powerful tools designed to stand out and make your business better.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
My vision for Edge of the Web is to provide bespoke digital solutions which truly stand out. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all templates – we understand that every business is unique, and your website should be too.
What is your magic sauce?
I think it’s our people! Everyone is a subject matter expert, and we are all passionate about what we do. I think it’s important to encourage productivity through the work environment.
We often treat the team to a drink or lunch, especially on the completion of a big project, and we also have two office dogs on site! The team is motivated and works hard, and rewarding that hard work with team outings (and dog playtime!) helps us all stay more productive in our work.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
We’ve worked very hard to build a business model that we’re really happy with. We’ve got a great client base and projects that we’re excited about working on. So for us, the next 5 years is about growing organically, adding more experts to the team, and taking on new challenges to help us improve even further.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
With the pandemic and Brexit, I think every business has faced challenges over the past few years! But what has challenged us the most and pushed us to adapt our business model is more the constant changes to the digital landscape – it’s so important to stay at the forefront of change, otherwise you risk being left behind.
When I started, simply having an online presence was enough for most companies, but over time websites moved from being a tick-box to be filled to being an essential tool for your business.
During my time as Managing Director, we’ve changed our focus quite dramatically to fill that need.
It means we spend much longer on our projects, but those projects are more successful for our clients, and a lot more fun for us to work on too.
How do people get involved/buy into your vision?
You can find out more and request a quote for bespoke web design, or join in the conversation by following us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
