During a late night or an early morning in 2005, I was working in a nightclub searching for a name for an R'n'B room at an club night I was promoting and had the brain wave of faR'n'Beyond - perfect for the event. With this set up as a business, I used this 'temporary name' for a few orders... little did I know it would become permanently associated with me.
As we celebrate 20 years of Far’n’Beyond, we thought we would take a look at how the company has developed from the perspective of founder and managing director – Adam Moody.
In 2005, I was working full-time at Evolution - Leeds' Largest Nightclub, following a year's placement during my four-year Events Management degree.
From lugging boxes as a cellar lad, I covered virtually every role, ending up as Marketing Manager and Technical Manager. I collaborated with some of the UK's top promoters, organising iconic events in a 3000-capacity venue.
The first significant move, leading to my career in 'Design, Print & Digital Marketing' came when the club's technical manager, Andy Loughton moved to Australia with one of my Aussie flatmates. He handed me the keys to the club’s lighting, sound system and website, and I continued his work, building an online presence that was unrivalled in the industry at that time.
The role also included responsibility for creating graphics for the UK’s only 360 degree video wall and providing support for live broadcasts with Radio Aire and Galaxy FM.
As time progressed, the digital graphics for the website and video screens evolved into flyer designs and marketing strategies to attract visitors to the venue. In addition to an incredible list of international DJs, to the highs of booking Chesney Hawks, Jason Donovan and Pat Sharp, we also had more challenging events with London Gangster Dave Courtney, and the more extreme British version of Jackass - Dirty Sanchez (who wanted to make their entrance by jumping off a balcony).
At a time when radio adverts came on cassette and MySpace was just becoming popular, finding ways to target and encourage visitors to attend an out-of-town venue was challenging, but a great opportunity to develop visual communication skills across design, print and digital media.
It was at this point I joined forces with Edward. We had started to operate a couple of events together, including our music event Far’n’Beyond.
At this stage I had been asked to take on several other nightclub websites and was working freelance as a designer. Ed agreed to leave his job so we could test the concept and successfully grow the print aspect of the business with the security of my earnings from the club. After several months of working from my spare room we established enough business for me to leave the nightclub.
The experiences and education I received at Evolution, along with the brilliant people that I met, will always be fond memories. I still reflect on the stories, the connections and the learning curves (mistakes) today.
The early days of Far’n’Beyond continued in the fast-paced leisure industry, helping us quickly learn about the values we wanted to place at the core of our business.
From my own experience, I knew that not having flyers to distribute and posters to display would have a catastrophic impact on the success of an event. Ed and I would often be found driving to Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle to drop off print or finding ever unique solutions to our own errors.
A particular favourite was the delivery of a banner to my house in Leeds, which was to be displayed outside a venue in Manchester. When it arrived, the length of the rigid tube the banner was packaged in, went from my front door, through the lounge and kitchen, and out of the back door. This was our first venture into planning and logistics!
As the business grew, we relocated to offices in Headingley, first to a studio above some shops before settling into our first permanent home on St Michael's Terrace, where we renovated and worked for over six years.
The new office in early 2007 had parking and enough space for us to start expanding. We hired our first designer, Tom, who was/is a Photoshop wizard, and we continued to grow our reputation in the leisure industry, working on some great projects and venue launches over the six years he was at Far'n'Beyond.
Finding the first person to join the business was a big change. I could work day and night and know everything about the business and our clients. Starting to delegate, document, and implement systems for tasks that I could just as easily do myself was, and remains, a personal challenge.
Shortly after our first hire, my ever-entrepreneurial business partner saw an opportunity to purchase an armoured personnel carrier for promotional events, and before I knew it, Far'n'Beyond owned an Army Tank!
Proving successful, 'Ride My Tank' saw Edward take on increasingly unusual events and he decided to leave Far'n'Beyond in 2017 to pursue vehicle and venue management whilst also helping to build one of the UK’s largest national student events.
I don't think I would have had the confidence to start my own business without Ed's influence, as those first few steps were probably the most daunting; as we grew the idea into a functioning design, print and digital marketing agency!
To fill the void and assist with the accounts, I enlisted the temporary help of my mother!
Having agreed to take a look over things for a couple of weeks, she has now been working diligently for Far’n’Beyond ever since.
A former Finance & HR Director, and then a Commercial Director & HR Director for an international recruitment firm, she is more than qualified to provide the guidance and support to help Far’n’Beyond’s sustainable growth.
Working together is a real privilege. Having honest and trusted advice has been key to my decision-making. It isn't always easy, but having worked with both my mum and wife, I can testify that I have always received a frank and valuable evaluation of my plans and ideas, enabling me to make better choices.
The first two years were a roller coaster, from safe employment to a project with a friend to the sole director of a business with three members of staff.
Having refined production and our processes, it was at this stage we began to develop our order management system, which started as a Microsoft Access Database before growing with regular investment into a custom-built system that enables us to project manage each order.
Named Glide, its mission is to provide an overview of the business for all users, whilst making the key areas of each order as straightforward as possible.
In an industry where many printers were using paper slips to track orders through a factory, it was a significant step change. Its straightforward process has been critical in ensuring it is easier for the team to use Glide than to circumvent the system - a common failing of many CMS programmes.
With a new focus and streamlined processes, we were enjoying success with several key clients who were looking for more unusual and elaborate products, leading to a different set of challenges that provided the skills which we still value today.
It also helped us attract creatives looking for their first opportunities in design including Holly, a brilliant individual in every way, our receptionist Emily and creative packaging specialist Tony alongside Zine, who is one of the most formidable administrators I have ever worked with.
Managing a team was another big change. I still feel like an imposter, searching for the answers - but I have learned to trust my judgement, appreciate critical feedback and make decisions with the best intentions. I take work very personally and have always tried to do the best for employees, clients and partners.
This doesn’t always mean I have made the right decisions or that the stress/anxiety of the ups and downs of running a business haven’t affected me. Something I spoke about on the Ethical Business Podcast a few years ago. I don't think i will ever stop learning.
What is true, is that in business, you are only as strong as your weakest link. However the strongest influencers can also raise everyone’s game and transform the direction of a company.
I am lucky to have worked with some incredible people (past and present) at Far'n'Beyond - all bringing something different and helping shape the direction of the company.
One of these key people is Gavin, who joined Far'n'Beyond in 2009.
With a background in print finishing, he has provided valuable insight and support helping us develop into new specialisms and become market leaders in several industries. A highly influential member of the team, his print finishing experience and commercial expertise has been vital to our success. He consistently manages to achieve more in an hour than any of us can do in a day.
In the early 00’s there was a print shop in almost every town and following a similar model to Printing.com (but offering websites) we opened a shop in Burnage, Manchester.
A great place to work, with a brilliant team headed up by Laura and Beth who welcomed everyone to the business and several designers including Damian, David, Matt and Jonny, we quickly established several key client relationships, but being a 'high street store' brought its own set of challenges.
Taking business card printing as an example, if i was asked who our customer is, I would have said everyone. I want everyone who wants a set of business cards to order from Far'n'Beyond. This approach on the high street, attracted my target audience... everyone!
What I now recommend to all our clients, is that you spend time being specific about the customer that your products are best suited to and tailor your brand experience to identify and attract them.
We can't offer Iceland prices with M&S quality and John Lewis Customer Service - so we learned to be specific in identifying our audience and developing processes that would offer the best experience.
It was with this in mind that our Senior Designer, Jonny, joined the team in 2009 and took a strong lead in our creative direction.
Similar to Gavin, his influence has been vital to our success. He is our brand guardian and has grown with the business, ensuring we maintain high standards creatively, which is why so many clients have continued to trust Far'n'Beyond for so many years.
Initially targeting the leisure industry and utilising the brand we had developed for our nightclub event, we started with a ‘Hed Kandi’ inspired character which was hand drawn by my good friend - Samantha.
A bold statement at the time, our initial branding was recognisable and attracted attention, which was an advantage in our early days - however, as we matured and with Jonnys clear direction, we retired the ‘Far’n’Beyond Lady’ in 2010 when we launched our more corporate logo, before the current branding was developed (again by Jonny) in 2015.
Working proof that spending time developing a clean and simple brand can pay dividends. We have a recognisable identity that fits with our business ethos and continues to stand the test of time.
Other elements of our identity include our Design, Print, Digital & Marketing icons, which help denote our services. Designed by Matt, who after several years at Far’n’Beyond, launched his own successful digital agency. He is the second Matt to work at Far'n'Beyond and go on to start a successful creative agency.
I have never liked the phrase ‘one stop shop’, but it does describe what we offer to our clients. We have probably taken this to the extreme, finding ways to make, manufacture and create some unusual products, but it has given us some incredible experiences.
Several highlights include a printed toilet seat for the worlds smallest gig by JLS, a miniature set for Britain’s Got Talent Bratz dolls and print and signage for several major sporting events.
We have also seen our products on TV shows like ITV’s This Morning and BBC's Dragons Den. We have also worked with several successful candidates from The Apprentice.
It also saw us launch our ever-popular and often imitated 'Spin to Win' and 'Selfie Frames'.
Our willingness to find and challenge new products has ensured that every day is different. It requires a lot of research and testing, but has led us to grow into market leaders in several areas, including branded gardening and festive products.
Initially we were fairly unaffected by the financial crash of 2008 as we had a mix of clients, across several industries and a relatively streamlined system. However, as we headed towards 2010 and with social media marketing beginning to replace flyers as a method of communication, we started to notice that many of our nightclub clients were beginning to struggle.
From printing over a million flyers a week at our peak times for many of the biggest nightclub events in the country, social media was beginning to become the primary method of marketing and the larger venues were beginning to show signs of difficulty.
We even had a lorry on the side of the M1 advertising our flyer printing under our ‘PrintMyFlyer’ brand.
At this point, my effectiveness was diminished by travelling between Leeds and Manchester every couple of days; also, the industry was changing, with location less important to our success. This coincided in with many of our contacts in the leisure and radio industry moving into senior positions in corporate companies across the UK.
With a newborn baby on the way, a couple of staff leaving, the cost of operating two studios increasing, and a break-in at our Manchester studio, with the bricks being taken out of the wall, so that thieves could steal all our computer equipment, it became a difficult but necessary decision to close Far’n’Beyond Manchester.
The period leading up to the birth of my first son is probably still the most difficult phase of being ‘the boss’. With the tough decisions needed over the future of Manchester, a clear direction forward and the impact of the financial crash all coming to a head at the same time as a baby, I could see it wasn’t financially viable to continue Far’n’Beyond on its current trajectory.
I was fortunate to have the support of my wife, Anne-Marie, to discuss the options and realities of the situation. As well as thinking about the best outcome for the team, I also considered what career would be open to me if Far’n’Beyond closed... and every pathway led me in the same conclusion.
After being 'self-employed' for so long, I realised I would be a terrible employee, and to do anything freelance, I needed the infrastructure we had built and the key people who had shaped and supported the company's development.
So, just before Matthew was born in 2013, I closed the Manchester studio and Jonny started to work from home (before it was all the rage).
We also took the decision to change our focus away from nightclubs and leisure venues (which at that point was over 50% of our turnover) and focus on a core commitent of Quality, Service & Expertise aimed at a more corporate audience.
Our Headingley office had become less strategically located, so we also took the decision to move into our first serviced offices, alongside organisations who were looking for our Design, Print & Digital Marketing services.
I took on all the website development, whilst Jonny headed up design and Gavin took control of print and production, whilst we all developed client relationships.
At the time it was a big risk, but consolidating our offering turned out to be a key milestone on our journey.
Our 2015 move to 'The Springs' business park in East Leeds helped build strong relationships with like-minded businesses and see us find the stability to focus on the environment and CSR.
Authenticity is an important value within the Far’n’Beyond brand, something I have been keen to maintain across everything we do. Regarding charity and the environment, this has meant getting involved with local organisations where our contribution makes a difference.
Far’n’Beyond has been a corporate member of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust since 2010 and has supported community projects such as Old School Junk, Yorkshire Children’s Trust, Children’s Charity for Nibberdale, completing the Three Peaks Challenge and donating our time to tree planting projects or print campaigns.
One of the key developments was The Tree Project, our own initiative to encourage the development of local products and highlight the benefits of eco-friendly alternatives, such as our 100% recyclable cardboard selfie frames, which can be domestically recycled.
Unsure about the claims of cheap, corporate tree planting schemes, we wanted to build a network of UK organisations which plant and look after trees for a minimum of three years, so we can be confident they will be standing strong well into the future.
We are also fortunate enough to be in a position to regularly support several charities and enjoy sponsorship of Leeds Knights, Carlton Cricket Club and Leeds Low Mow Areas.
As in all organisations, the strong financial leadership of Far'n'Beyond has been critical to identifying potential issues and managing cashflow. We have always prided oursleves on paying our suppliers ontime and managing our funds so that we are never overtrading.
The accounts team are also the ones who rarely receive any recognition for their contribution to this vital area of operations.
Dominika, Kate, Joe, Caroline and Nikki have all played an important part in securing payments for the work we have undertaken, with Joe building systems that have been developed further to offer efficiencies and Nikki not only making us laugh every day, but ensuring we are always in control of our accounts.
With new offices in place and after celebrating our ten year birthday in 2015 we were increasingly being asked for marketing advice. Although our Design, Print and Digital services had been underpinned by a marketing philosophy, we hadn't formalised the service, so we added the fourth of our pillars, with marketing strategy being a key focus that has helped differentiate us from other companies.
Underpinning each of our core services, we quickly began working with new and established brands, to help them communicate their message more effectively through creative design, printing and digital media.
One of our highlights included our first formal recognition in London, where we were finalists at the Digital Print Awards for our Keys for the Light campaign, with further success following, as we found our groove helping companies as they launched and evolved with our stragic marketing support.
This narative brought all our services together and provides a unique platform, but we still needed to take control of one aspect of the print industry that had a poor reputation and a difficult supply chain
Really Good Branding (our merchandise division) was launched following several requests from customers who had been let down by their suppliers. We decided to place our promotional items under a separate brand as we didn’t have the same control over the products that we had over our core items at Far’n’Beyond.
As the requests for branded products grew, Nathan joined the team in 2018, bringing a wealth of experience, contacts, and a can-do attitude. This enabled us to push the boundaries of what is possible and start our move to developing strong partnerships with a European and UK supply chain.
With Sam, Liam, Jen and Zoe also joining the team at similar times, we had good momentum and a strong team. Liam was taking the lead with marketing projects, Zoe was developing websites which still look amazing today and Jen was the first account executive processing customer enquries.
After several years of steady growth, one of the biggest changes to our business was Covid. I vividly remember the moment when it became clear we were going to be sending everyone home, quickly followed by order cancellations as events and promotions were cancelled.
My first priority was to assure the team that work wasn’t something they needed to worry about and, with government support announced and relatively low overheads, we were able to weather the storm.
The one strategic decision I did make was to avoid becoming a COVID-19 supplier. Whilst branded facemasks and antibacterial hand gel were popular, our focus was on developing new and existing products that would extend beyond the pandemic.
Key to this was the development of products that could be manufactured with the support of local businesses, such as our Branded Candles, Wax Food Wraps and gifts that we could make inhouse, such as our seed packets, Christmas Crackers and Corporate Gift Boxes.
This was a step change in our merchandise offering, as we quickly became a full-scale manufacturer.
Moving all the desks, we turned the studio into a fulfilment centre and quickly built a collection of responsibly produced products.
It also required us to develop our mailing and logistics services as instead of delivering a couple of hundred products to one location, we would be sending them to a couple of hundred individual addresses and quite quickly we had courier vans queuing in convoy outside the office.
As life returned to normal, the fulfilment area of the business evolved into The Vault, where we now manage our hand-finishing, print storage, and fulfilment services with a brilliantly experienced team led by Penny and supported by Kate and the team, which continues to grow.
I have always wanted Far’n’Beyond to reflect my values - being fair with all our stakeholders and aiming to achieve the best results. Finding a reference to explain our approach, pricing, and ethos was the first step, and John Lewis seemed like a good place to start!
As a solutions-focused business, we take ownership of each project to make every experience as stress-free as possible for our clients, whilst, like a swan... we may be paddling like hell!
With this in mind, I tell every member of staff to treat each order as their own and explain how our reputation is my priority, so we never take on an order we know we can't fulfill and ensure that we add value through swift and accurate communication, doing our very best for each customer.
The people at Far’n’Beyond are the reason we have been a success. Having a great team, all with a strong work ethic and commitment to their roles, makes each day enjoyable and rewarding.
Not every hire has gone to plan, but on the whole, it has been great to see members of the Far’n’Beyond family develop within the business or go on to have successful careers with several running their own businesses.
What has become clear over time is that there is no substitute for the right attitude and a good work ethic.
Having an established team with a wealth of expertise ensures we remain efficient, act quickly, and make pragmatic decisions when needed.
Ensuring we are specialists in the areas that we operate has also meant a lot of learning. Sam can verify this, having completed his three-year BSc (Honours) Packaging Degree with Sheffield Hallam University, where he was Apprentice of the Year Finalist and also secretly nominated me for Mentor of the Year - a real honour and surprise. His hard work and dedication have seen our printed packaging and point of sale department grow exponentially.
There are so many people who have made important contributions to the first twenty years of Far'n'Beyond. The team, our clients, suppliers and my family have all been instrumental in forming an established brand which has a positive reputation and strong values.
From our days being paid in cases of WKD, working till 2am in the morning in my spare room, to a brilliant team of experienced professionals, the business has transformed.
When I first started Far’n’Beyond, people used to comment on how young I was to be a director. That stopped quite a long time ago – and while twenty years seems like a long time, I still have well over another twenty years until I am close to retirement.
Fundamentally, I enjoy working with great people, making quality products and developing the business. I doubt it will ever be finished, or that my desk will be tidy, but I do take a step back and reflect on how lucky I am to have had such a great first twenty years in business.
That being said, it is still a rollercoaster, and none of it would have been possible without the support of the people around me. - particularly my wife Anne-Marie, who has always provided perspective, an objective viewpoint and valuable advice, whilst keeping me focused on what's important at work and at home. It is a team effort, and I am very fortunate that she provides balance and support so that we can enjoy our time away from work with adventures with our boys and together as a family.
This year has seen the completion of another significant investment in our order management system, further improving efficiencies and expanding new features such as stock control and logistics. We have expanded our print hand-finishing team, storage and fulfilment capabilities, and have several plans for growth over the next few years.
Far'n'Beyond continues to evolve into new arenas, finding solutions and working in different industries, keeping me and the business fresh and agile.
Gavin and Nathan manage to keep every aspect of the business operational, with Becky and Abi building exciting client relationships. Jonny is producing international marketing campaigns with Chris and Laura working on some incredible design projects. Marvin straddles design and digital with Leigh, developing fabulous websites.
Sam continues to develop our packaging processes, and The Vault and our fulfilment services are expanding with Penny and Kate at the helm, enabling us to manufacture more products in-house. The accounts team, with Diana, Nikki and Caroline, are ensuring the ordering processes are as straightforward as possible, whilst Anne-Marie provides strategic guidance and keeps our marketing on track, with new members of the team joining to support our growth.
