We Dev Digital didn’t start in a boardroom or with a big investment. It started with a care assistant in Lancashire—someone who grew up in one of the UK’s most deprived areas, struggled through school with undiagnosed ADHD, and failed exams that were supposed to “shape the future.” Instead of feeling defeated, I took the first job offered to me: caring for others. But my love for computers never left.

While working in care, I met a remarkable woman who had once been a teacher. She was the first person who truly insisted that I could go to university—even if I had to take the scenic route to get there. She told me I was clever, that I could do it, and that I should start believing in myself. She wasn’t my dad, so naturally, 19-year-old me actually listened.

Fun fact: she was right. (And, to be fair, so was Dad—but don’t let him hear that.) So next, I quietly applied to university, told no one, and then just casually announced I was off to learn to be a journalist. Yes, that’s what I went for!

It didn’t take me long to realise I was far too opinionated for journalism, so I started sampling a few other modules. That’s when it happened: I stumbled upon my metaphorical beacon of light, guiding me towards my true calling.

For the next decade, I balanced study with care work, family commitments, and picked up life lessons you won’t find in any textbook—like resilience, and how to solve problems when it really matters.

That’s where the seeds for The Kick Ass Donkey Group (our first name!) were planted—a side hustle to get a foot in the door of a crowded digital industry, and a place to learn new skills the hard way: by doing.

My journey then took me to Halewood Artisanal Spirits, where I finally learned how to spell “artisanal” (artist-anal, anyone?) and got to know all the quirks of the pub, club, brewery, and distillery world—not to mention how people in suits with fast cars operate. I even picked up a bit of Liverpudlian, which came in handy when my nephew introduced me to my new niece—although she’s already speaking a completely different kind of Liverpudlian at home. (Young adult… I must look clueless constantly Googling what the “kids” are saying.) Honestly, I think the biggest sign of my age is realising I can’t really call two successful business owners—who keep teaching this old dog new tricks—“kids” anymore. Even if, once upon a time, I did let one of them bury me in the sand.

Along the way, I got to work on some really cool things for some amazing brands: Whitley Neill Gin, Lambrini, JJ Whitley Gin and Vodka, Dead Man’s Fingers Rum, Crabbie’s Whisky, and Crabbie’s Ginger Wine. Not-so-humble brag: that’s 52 brands in total, and I built the framework for all of them.

Next, I joined a law firm and received a crash course in precision—where every detail had to be spot on and nothing could be allowed to slip through the net. My main contributions were in improving web security, accessibility, and performance, making the firm’s online presence far more robust and user-friendly. It was also here that I truly realised just how dysfunctional the NHS can be; I heard more horror stories than I ever expected—often from clients, but also from colleagues—and, having witnessed my fair share myself, that’s really saying something. I also deepened my understanding of project management during my time there, disappearing down a rabbit hole of Lean, Agile, DevOps, and PMBOK.

(And if anyone reading this actually speaks to my dad or my wife, please don’t mention that I listened to their advice about this stuff too— or they’ll only start expecting me to pay attention the next time they’re nagging me about something.)

From Fletchers Solicitors to the corridors of government, my next step put me right in the middle of things. AS SUDDENLY AS I ARRIVED AND WAS ASSIGNED MY TASK the war in Ukraine broke out. QUICKLY I FOUND MYSELF tackling complex problems with almost no resources. It was a crash course in just how challenging it can be to make things work when your support really is needed elsewhere.

At JD Sports, I gained firsthand experience with the inner workings of a global enterprise and collaborated with large development teams managing multiple international brands. I played a key role in uniting teams to build a new blogging platform for Footpatrol, which was intended to be rolled out across all JD brands (well, at least that was the plan!).

At Lancaster University, I had the opportunity to see academia from the other side of the fence. During my time there, I made it a point to engage with a wide range of people—stakeholders, customer service agents, front of house teams, admin staff, educators, developers, and a few other interesting characters along the way. It was a period when the university was actively seeking solutions to some big challenges, so these conversations were both timely and enlightening. One of the most valuable skills I picked up was learning how to communicate effectively with academics—a group with their own unique language and way of working.

By September 2023, I’d seen enough of projects stalled by bureaucracy and half-hearted work. So I brought together a small crew in Lancashire who all believe in one thing: if we say we’ll do it, we do it properly, and we do it on time. We don’t hide behind jargon. We test until things just work. We keep you in the loop—no surprises, no waffle. The result? Fast websites, clear calls to action, and a marketing budget that lands where it matters most. We might be a young company, but our real-world experience sets us apart. We turn obstacles into opportunities and help businesses—across Lancashire and beyond—grow online with confidence.