Case Study

Graphic designer

Matt Hocking of Leap Media
Information about Matt Hocking
Name Matt Hocking
Location Cornwall
Company Leap Media

"We hope we’re a small team of green superheroes - without the spandex!
"

Matt Hocking

Overview

I’m Matt Hocking, a graphic designer specialising in sustainable and environmentally friendly design.  I work across all kinds of things, from branding new projects or companies, to designing websites or product packaging.
I think what helped me most was my training in illustration and my experience as Senior Designer at the Eden Project in Cornwall.
I love being creative, I love being passionate about what I do, and I love turning my ideas or designs for others into reality.

Tell us about your job – where do you work and what do you do?

I’m a graphic designer, creating anything from branding concepts through to displays, new media projects, packaging and illustration. I work wherever and whenever.  All the team members use laptops, so we can design anywhere - in our clients’ space, working from home, or even on the train. It makes us highly adaptable and actually gives us more time.

What inspired you to do what you do?  How did you get into it, did you have a plan?

The only plan was what to do once I’d worked for the Eden Project!  I also had the realisation that design plays a phenomenal role in the future of the planet and climate change. Although Leap is a small company, if you add up the ever-increasing number of businesses involved in changing the way we work, things start to mount up and soon get better. I was already designing, but I decided to change my focus.  To begin with I changed the materials I used, from virgin papers to recycled and certified stocks, and I switched the energy that my laptop uses to 100% renewable energy. I then asked our clients and suppliers if they would get involved and help support our initiative. The only plan was to learn and become more aware of what we, as designers, do and how it affects the planet and the communities around us.

Why is your job meaningful?  Both to you personally, and in how it benefits the wider world in terms of climate change and other environmental challenges.

Design is very much a passion of mine. I enjoy having the chance to help a client create their dream business, or an advert that changes peoples’ thoughts or behaviour. To inspire change and get paid to do so is a very lucky position to be in. It’s also meaningful to me to know that everything that Leap creates has, in its making, considered the environment.  Whether it’s a business card or a shop fit out, we’ve tried to reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink and reinvent along the way. I enjoy the knowledge that we’re doing the best we can, through our job, to look after the future of the planet - even if only in a very small way; it all adds up.
Everything we do, from where and how we work, to the recommendations, products and materials we use, has been considered in respect of its impact on the environment. Not only do we try to operate within green and ethical standards, we encourage our clients to do so too. Whilst we may be a small design company, we create a lot of things  - paper, products and promotional materials - for people, and all our outputs are as low impact as possible.

Many jobs in this sector are very new, how long has your job existed?

Design roles have always existed, but only recently has the design movement become more aware of its footprint on the planet. I started in October 2004, as a freelance designer working on my laptop from my spare room, on trains, or in client offices.  People liked the slant that I was taking, and my client base and business grew.

What personal qualities do you think have got you where you are today?

Adaptability, future thinking, passion and being a people person have helped me. Even a certain naivety in how to run a business has been beneficial, because if you don’t know the rules you can make it up. Originally when I told people I would use only recycled and certified materials to produce our graphic work on, they thought it wasn’t a viable idea. Now, 5 years on, I haven’t had to compromise on that ethos unless it’s a product that I can’t currently source environmentally.

What are the essential skills for your job?

Creativity and passion are essential. Clients need to feel that you’re passionate about their projects - especially the smaller start-up types, we love those the most. It’s also important to know your field and have an exploratory nature - we like to find out where our paper products come from and where they go to; often the devil is in the detail.

What qualifications do you have? Are these typical for people in your role?

I have 9 GCSEs from A to D, and diplomas in Technical Illustration and General Illustration. I didn’t train in graphic design – I got lucky with my first creative interview.
People would normally have a degree - a design degree would be useful.  However, it’s not uncommon to be self-taught like myself. When I interview designers, one course I love to see a student having tried is an Art Foundation. It’s a sampler one year course which helps to form your personal creative direction. I find that students who have done this are more diverse in their work.

What do you think most helped you get where you are now?

I think it’s a case of getting real life working experience. I’d recommend anyone to try to get placements with agencies, studios, even printers. Get experience, learn, listen, question, assist and you will be assisted. Be diverse, try small through to large studios. For me it’s ever changing; I never stop learning.

Please describe a typical working day

I tend to start the day remotely, dealing with emails before walking or cycling to work (if I haven’t got an external client meeting). Then, mid morning, I head down to see how the team are doing and what projects the're working on, a quick bit of art direction if required, then I get down to further emails, talking to clients, or more design work. I might have to touch base with our web team and oversee their projects. My working day is always nice, it’s always different, with anything from the launch of a new logo to finalising print-based items. The team are allowed to work flexi time, although I kind of have to force them to stay at home sometimes. Music plays, there are regular drink stops (non-alcoholic) and finish for 5pm.
During the first two years, I was sometimes doing 17-20 hour days to fulfil deadlines. Then I decided to get a team, and now life is a little more 9-5.  I actually only work Tuesdays to Fridays, and even try to keep up my surfing hobby (subject to deadlines and meetings). Monday is for family and adventure. Of course there are always going to be deadlines, but with design it’s also a hobby, so I don’t mind working into the late evening if required. The team and I rarely ever work overtime or weekends.

What do you enjoy most and least about what you do?

I love seeing our work out and about, seeing the pleasure in our clients when their ideas are realised by us, and winning awards / acknowledgement for the work Leap does. Biggest of all, I love that every single job we do helps the environment a little. All our projects create awareness and make a difference. We hope we’re a small team of green superheroes - without the spandex! Design is like a hobby to me, I love colour, fonts, imagery – when they all come together it’s joyful.
Chasing money and keeping on top of payments to suppliers - the accountancy side of the business is not for my creative head. These days I have help, and we have an external accountant. Other than that it’s pretty good going.  We sometimes promise too many things at once, of course, but all we want is to try to help as many organisations as possible.

What kind of people do you meet through your work or do you work alone?

There’s Chris, Jonny, Claire, Charlie, Lee, Kieran and myself all working for Leap.  We’re a young team (I’m the oldest at 37).  Then there are our clients, who range from suited Chief Executives to boardshort-wearing individuals, and mothers (with their kids – we have toys in the studio).  Friends pop in to say hi, and suppliers drop off printed work.
It began 5 years ago with a laptop and me; today I’ve got 5.5 staff and an ever-expanding group of clients, partners and other associates.

Do you feel well paid for what you do, or is it not about the money?

I could earn more, but I tend to keep my own pay pretty lean – I base my salary on covering costs for the home and socialising, and look to the future for further money. At the end of the day, it’s not so much about money as opposed to using Leap’s skills to do our bit for the future and supporting our clients. We looked at maybe going not-for-profit, but our clients wanted to work with a profitable business as it shows success in other ways.

Finally, what do you know now about jobs, careers and the future that you wish you’d known when you were at school?

There are no barriers, just believe in yourself and train to gain. Passion is everything, and we can all make a difference.  Also, good friends are everything!

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