Farewell :(

In 2019, a routine trip to the doctor eventually led to Mud’s Co-Founder and Technical Director Cole Henley being diagnosed with a rare immune disorder.

As he steps back from his role at Mud after 12 years heading up the development side of the agency to prioritise his health, we asked him to reflect on his time here. In his words:

“I would say it is hard to put into words but I have tried and once I started, it was hard to stop…”

The making of Mud

When Matt first approached me about working together in the spring of 2013 it felt like a no-brainer. Since moving to Somerset in 2011, I’d worked with Matt as a freelancer on a few projects and it was clear from these early experiences that our values - and approach to making websites - aligned. We were both at a similar stage in our careers - as well as in our lives (both with small children) - and we both favoured the same CMS; ExpressionEngine.

It seemed obvious that a “problem” shared was a “problem” halved.  At the time we were both hybrid designer-developers as well as running our own businesses so a union would allow Matt to focus on what he loved most - winning new work and working with clients - whilst I could focus on what I loved - the code side of things - as well as continue my teaching on the postgraduate web design programme at the University of Greenwich.

Matt had previously run a company called Made Up Design and MUD - its acronym - was born. We were extremely fortunate to have the oversight of a non-executive director in those early days with Chris Thurling helping set up some solid foundations and practices (time sheets folks!) as well as identify the core values, goals and purpose within the business.  Brian Mansfield worked with us from 2019 and Dan Fallon from 2023 and it has to be said that the company we have today would be a shadow of itself without the invaluable help of these three amazingly generous and insightful people. Three people that had the experience to guide, the trust to step back when it was required and the shared belief that a simple website can genuinely transform people’s lives.

Design plus development

From the start of our relationship it was clear to see Matt’s strengths shine through and how we brought out the best in each other. What immediately struck me was Matt’s love for design. Not just website design - the ecosystem I had forged my career in - but design as a way of thinking and as a means for communicating values and ideas. Design as transformative. Matt’s close affinity with - and intimate understanding of - brand and strategy dovetailed nicely with the careful and attentive code that we delivered and came to be respected for.

But we worked great together. A shared purpose and love for helping those less fortunate than ourselves. We were prepared to throw time and energy at something that may not help put a deposit on a speedboat in the Mediterranean but could make a real difference to somebody else. Whether that was increasing sales, improving engagement or making the world a bit more accessible, it cannot be said that we didn't slave at the altar of “doing good things for good people”.

And we loved a challenge. The more challenging the brief the more we seemed to roll our sleeves up and sink our teeth into making sure we could do the best job possible.  

Those early days in a small studio with one employee above the Bang & Olufsen shop in Bath feels like a lifetime ago. But as our reputation and portfolio grew so did our team: a designer; a project manager; further developers; a new and larger coffee machine.

More than just websites

And as our team grew so did our respective roles in the business. And also the demands of the technologies we were working with and championing. It is hard to imagine that when we started Mud all that was required for delivering a website was “throwing” files up onto a server and slaving away to make sure it worked in a long redundant version of Internet Explorer. We now have to cater for phones and tablets and desktops and laptops and wall displays.

We’ve had to engineer apps that are delivered behind firewalls in China or California (equally problematic). And websites that sell dog food and prosthetic limbs (not together). Tubes. Lots of Tubes. Reconditioned baking equipment. All manner of things. But the thing that will stick with me - and am most proud of - are the websites that shared human stories and delivered data and tools capable of improving peoples lives. Climate data. Information on countries that solicit and enact torture. Websites that help disabled people find and report places and spaces that do not accommodate them.

Over time our tools changed as well as our techniques, skills, approach and abilities.  But the underlying principles remained solid: building accessible, user-friendly, engaging and interesting websites. Websites that cared for the people that used them and worked for the businesses, schools and charities that depended on them.

By November 2019 we were flying. Mud had the energy of a team working at their peak and it felt like we were all pulling in the same direction. And we faced an exciting future. We were preparing to move office - the open-plan creative and collaborative studio space we had always craved - and had a great team of folk who were enthused for new challenges and enjoyed that spirit of making great things and improving peoples lives.

Curveball plus Covid-19

And then the curve ball (there’s always at least one). A routine trip for me to the doctor led to an x-ray which led to the possibility that I might have lung cancer. The kind of thing that is impossible to plan for; both as a company and as people.

Fortunately the team was strong and the foundations were in place for us to continue. Perhaps it was easier for it to be me. With a five-strong development team at this time the work and responsibilities were already to some extent devolved and - being staunch lefties - we’d always had a pretty egalitarian structure to the company. Plus the web had simply become far too complex for me to keep on top of. We had enthusiastic people who took ownership of - and ran with - the tools needed to make websites into the 2020s.

The lung cancer turned out to be a rare immune disorder called Sarcoidosis. Even my GP had never heard of it. The prognosis was good but the future was uncertain as the impacts and outlook of the disease changed from person-to-person. I returned to work with a mind to pacing myself - down to four days a week - and carving out a way of working that could establish some balance with this new and unpredictable illness.

And just as we were settling into a new rhythm Covid happened. On the cusp of us moving office. And - like everybody - we had to carve out a new and different way of working.

In some way we were blessed. Everyone was moving online-first and we were all well-equipped to work remotely. To some extent we had never been busier. But being busy also meant throwing ourselves into work and that was not especially healthy.

In 2020 this culminated in an eye bleed for me - Sarcoidosis again - that ultimately meant having to go down to three days a week. A recurrence in 2023 required eye surgery and an enforced break from screen use. This may seem like the ultimate dream - time off working - but for me it was impossible. My self worth was always shaped by the work I did and I had never previously had to reconcile the notion of taking time off for myself. However hard I tried. And it also meant time away from Mud and a feeling that I was not contributing to the business we had worked so hard to build, develop and grow.

After Covid we settled into our new office and new, hybrid habits of working. But due to my reduced energy levels I worked mostly from home. Further eye bleeds made work - and keeping up with technology - harder. In 2023 we took on new technological leadership with the amazing Russ Back as Development Director. And try as I might (I did) continuing to work in this environment - the fast-paced world of making and delivering websites - ultimately proved too much.

The good human effect

It is hard to look back on thirteen years and look for highlights or particular memories or experiences.

But when forced, the thing I am most proud of is the team. I look back and more than any of the websites we built I think fondly of the moments we shared and the relationships we cultivated; the Summer trips; the Christmas parties; the awards “do’s”; and lockdown quizzes!

We have been blessed to find and work with so many wonderful people but most importantly finding people that shared our belief in delivering quality and transformative work that championed those that needed it most.

And perhaps this is what I will miss the most. That striving together; those conversations and deliberations with Matt over a new hire; that post-launch trip to the pub to offload and unwind. Or just checking in with how each other are doing. That effortless pursuit of connection that became so much harder over a remote Zoom or Slack connection.

Of course there were some headaches along the way but there always is. If anyone tells you otherwise they’re lying. I remember when we started working together our non-exec Chris saying that running a business as partners was very much like being married. If anything we would probably spend more time together than with our wives! And like a marriage we are made of the things we overcome as much as the things we are good at. Mud is testimony to this: thirteen years of a team of passionate people all pulling in that same direction and successfully circumnavigating the flotsam, contours and detours that life inevitably throws our way.

Looking back I would say I’m not especially a better developer or coder than I was in 2013. But I am - without doubt - a far better human being than I was and that is hugely down to the lessons and experiences I’ve had over that time. And to my team — and above all to Matt — I owe a huge debt of thanks for that.