October 2024 – What We’ve Been Up To

Wayne

Supporting Businesses, New Website Launches, and Autumn Adventures

As October comes to a close, it’s been another busy month for us at Twilo. We’re thrilled to be helping businesses across South and West Yorkshire take advantage of a fantastic opportunity: the chance to secure 50% funding for digital projects, from website development to custom applications. With the submission deadline set for the end of 2024, we’re here to guide applicants through the process and help make the most of this support.

This month, we’re also celebrating the launch of several new websites, each designed to give our clients a head start in their Christmas marketing campaigns. From e-commerce platforms to content-driven sites, these projects are ready to shine in time for the festive season.

Outside of agency life, I had the chance to visit Old Trafford and explore the autumn-colored villages around Yorkshire, including a picturesque trip to Haworth. There’s nothing quite like seeing our local landscapes in full autumn glory.

At the time of writing, I’m also digesting the latest UK budget announcement, which includes additional taxes that will impact small businesses. It’s a pivotal time for us to assess our growth plans and ensure we continue to deliver value for clients, whatever challenges lie ahead.

Here’s to a productive November!

Andrew

From Code to Cosplay: A Month of Web Development Challenges and Weekend Adventures

During work, I’ve pushed multiple websites live this month and have had the great opportunity to try something different with OpenCart. Normally, OpenCart will calculate prices by adding the product price with the fixed prices of each option. A new project required us to dynamically change the price of options depending on what is selected on another option. The user will enter a product journey whereby they first pick a size. Depending on what size they pick, the price of the other options will change. As the user clicks through each step of the journey, the running total is updated live on screen and a summary is provided at the end of the journey. This was a great challenge that gave me the opportunity to dive into how the cart works in OpenCart; It allowed me to better understand the checkout process from a back-end perspective.

The month outside of work has been mostly unexciting with the weekends consisting of staying home to watch YouTube videos, playing video games and making my weekly visits to my parents for Sunday dinner.

The weekend before Halloween, I had an eye appointment in Wakefield. I woke up early to catch the train from Cross Gates where I got squeezed into the train with everyone else like sardines. After finally getting away from that hot and uncomfortable mess, I got a comfortable ride into Wakefield.

During this weekend, Wakefield was running an event which was all about movie characters and cosplaying; This was all for a local charity. As I was early for my appointment I sat outside with a coffee and just watched the busy streets and occasionally watched as a giant Stich goes by or a man on a Speeder Bike from Star Wars whizzes past. It was a fun atmosphere to be around. Finally, after getting through my appointment, I headed back into Leeds where I met up with some old friends over a few pints. We were there for a few hours and then ended the day going for some noodles. They were from a local place, and they were really good.

Aleena

A Month Filled with Laughter, Growth, and Memorable Experiences

As October wraps up, I’m taking a moment to look back on an incredible month filled with laughter, growth, and memorable experiences. This October, I had the chance to enjoy some much-needed downtime with friends and family, dive into new learning opportunities, and work on projects that truly sparked my creativity.

One of the month’s highlights was a trip to Manchester with friends for a delightful tea party. It was the perfect blend of good company, conversation, and relaxation. Each weekend seemed to bring a new opportunity to unwind, whether through casual hangouts, shopping sprees, or simply enjoying quality time with loved ones.

Professionally, October was a month of discovery and learning. I spent a significant amount of time diving into Figma, where I explored the nuances of design animation, harmony, and consistency. It’s been exciting to see how small adjustments can elevate a design’s entire look and feel. This focus on detail and cohesion taught me a lot about creating a seamless, harmonious user experience.

I also had the chance to contribute to some meaningful projects this month. It’s been fulfilling to see ideas come to life, and I’m looking forward to building on that momentum. The upcoming projects are especially exciting, and I’m ready to bring my best performance and push the boundaries of my skills even further.

Reflecting on October, it’s clear it was a month of balance a mix of relaxation, connection, and inspiration. Here’s to even more adventures, growth, and creativity in the months ahead!

Matt

SEO, the Abbey Dash & Catch Ups

This month, I’ve been working to help grow Twilo by researching and finding new business. I’ve also been assisting the developers with populating new client websites with content and products ready to be launched.

I’ve also been using my learning hour every Wednesday to expand and grow my knowledge on SEO. I’ve been working my way through the SEMRush academy. It’ll be beneficial for me and Twilo in the long run to use our weekly learning hours to the full advantage.

10k PB

Outside of work, I completed the Abbey Dash 10k in Leeds, with a new PB of 45 minutes! Which I’m very happy with, and seeing my friends and family spectating and cheering me on pushed me further. My sister also ran the 10k and got a PB herself, so I’m proud of her. We celebrated our PBs with a Sunday roast at Olive Tree Brasserie, and it was delicious, I’d highly recommend it!

Also, this month two of my friends have returned home for a few weeks from living abroad in Australia and Denmark. It was excellent to catch up and spend time with them after not seeing them all year. We had some delicious food at Chaophrya in Leeds, it’s definitely been a good month for eating out!