Welcome to our latest blog post! Today, we explore the journey of a Graphic Designer turned Web Development expert, Simon Cooke. He shares industry insights, tech predictions, and believes that treating your community like genuine friendships is the key to lasting success. Read on…

Can you share a bit about your background?

I’m originally a Graphic Designer that moved into Web around 2010. My career spans 25 years of Design, UX and Development for SMEs and large organisations. I now help digital marketing professionals unlock the full potential of open source web development. As a former creative agency owner and commercial director, I focus on the journey from initial ideas right through to launch and continuous optimisation.

My role as Enterprise Strategy Director EMEA at Human Made sees me helping organisations face the challenge of crafting web solutions at scale. Typically I work with international businesses who may have a large estate of web properties, ranging from Saas sites, corporate or ecommerce. Human Made has particular expertise in the fields of higher education, finance and publishing.

I’m also a huge WordPress fan, I’m interested in the future direction of the world’s largest CMS and always trying to find the boundaries of its capability. I’ve spoken at WordCamp conferences in Europe, and the US and co-organised the very first Automattic Design Awards. In my spare time, I’m a portrait artist.

Did you come up through a “traditional” techie route or has your career taken twists and turns along the way?

I’m not a traditional techie in the sense that I have a design background, my degree was in Graphic Communications. About 15 years ago, I shifted into web design and started a business designing and building websites. At this point, I had to learn the full production cycle and get to grips with how developers liked to work. I’m not a coder, but I do have a good grip of development principles. I love technology for how it can help people and businesses. I’ve always been drawn to it – as my career has progressed I’ve learned more and more about the strategic side of technology in business, and how making the right choices early own can make a huge difference in the fortune of an organisation.

Reflecting on your career, is there a specific moment that stands out as pivotal or defining?

Yes, starting my own business with two incredible friends, Dan Collins and Richard Copping. We had no idea what we were doing really, the business ran on pure enthusiasm and complete lack of fear. The first few years of running our agency were tough, however it taught me so much about how businesses were run, and the sorts of concerns business owners had because we were experiencing it too. I learnt how to empathise very early in my career and that has always stayed with me.

What piece of advice would you give your younger self as you embarked on your professional journey?

Save for your pension! Just kidding. Stay curious and embrace that entrepreneurial spirit and don’t be afraid of failure. Young entrepreneurs are gifted with an abundance of ideas, if something doesn’t work out, you know 100% there will be a new idea to take its place soon.

Looking ahead, what’s your big prediction for the tech landscape in 2024?

I think the subject of sustainable tech is going to grow and become a major point of discussion in 2024, to the point where businesses all start to sign up to a sustainable technology charter. One of the downsides of AI for example is the significant increase in energy use and carbon emissions from the tech industry. The demand on processing power has gone through the roof and it seems almost no one is talking about it. Big businesses are already obligated to report on their technology supply chain, it’s only a matter of time before SMEs do the same. For any business within that supply chain, if you can’t measure your carbon emissions and demonstrate a commitment to lowering them, you’ll be left out all together.

Considering your involvement in Silicon Brighton and community-building, what does the concept of ‘community’ mean to you personally? How important is it in the tech industry?

Community is no different to friendship really, I’m pretty sure there is science to prove that life expectancy is longer for those with supportive family and friendship groups around them. It’s the same for business. Having an honest network of people who are willing to help and advise is surely going to extend the life of your business and make the whole thing more rewarding.

How do you balance staying updated with the latest industry trends while ensuring continuous personal and professional growth? Any specific resources or practices you find particularly valuable?

I have a few online and offline subscriptions that I like to read like, Wired Magazine. I spend a fair amount of time on LinkedIn engaging with people and hearing what they have to say about the latest trends. Most people, including me, love to share trends, it’s interesting and makes good content, so it’s not too difficult to combine learning with socialising. I think social platforms and the likes of LinkedIn are great for that.

As someone who has contributed significantly to the community, how do you see mentorship playing a role in the development of the next generation of tech professionals?

I do believe in the principle of mentoring, I think knowledge sharing is rewarding for everyone involved, mentor and mentee. In the past I’ve received great advice from mentors which has helped me carve out a career in the direction that was right for me. Good mentors and good listeners, you can tell when you meet one and they hardly say anything, you can end up spilling out your life story and realising exactly what you need to do, with hardly any input from a good mentor.

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