Liverpool entrepreneur sees business grow, even during the pandemic

Stephen Murray, the Director of Liverpool-based creative studio Design Integrity, has successfully grown the business by 30% year on year since 2017; including throughout 2020 during the pandemic.

Starting the business four years ago, Design Integrity consisted of just Stephen and his laptop with occasional help from a freelance Graphic Designer. Since then, he’s managed to create an accomplished team of five including a Production Coordinator, a senior Web Developer, an Animator/Illustrator, a Graphic Designer and a Sales and Marketing Coordinator.

Since starting the business, Design Integrity has grown by a monumental 244% – an incredible achievement from a start-up.

Having initially began his career as a talented freelance Graphic Designer, Stephen went on to win a long-term contract with Very Group – formerly known as Shop Direct. He was instrumental in the high profile creative initiative surrounding the group’s national rebrand of Shop Direct. Some of the biggest brands across the globe including Nike, Dyson and Reebok were on his design desk.

Stephen, a father-of-one, took a leap of faith and went from a Sole Trader to Limited Company to pursue Design Integrity full-time.

Offering services including Brand Equity, Disrupter Content and Digital Value, Design Integrity has secured contracts with Ford Motors, Birmingham City Council, Shared Lives Plus, Barnet Council, Career Connect and Achieve North West to name a few.

The studio’s most popular workshop is their Brand Rediscovery session which helps businesses relocate their positioning, purpose and social value before racing ahead into a campaign or digital project.

Stephen said: “When I started Design Integrity it was based on helping brands connect their values to their customer so that they can grow continued emotional buy-in. The idea was born out of frustration that so many organisations jump head first into campaigns, product launches or business services without understanding who they are and why they truly exist. We know every business wants to make money, but people are value-led beings and if they can buy into a brand’s values, they’ll keep coming back time and time again.

“Four years on, this is still very much at the forefront of everything that we do at Design Integrity. I have a fantastic team who truly understands why we provide the services we do and how to help our clients. 2020 has been a challenging year for all, but I’m incredibly proud of everything we’ve achieved as a creative studio and look forward to helping many more brands and individuals in the future.”

The official trading name of the business is Design Integrity Group and Stephen’s long term goal is to grow a sustainable business that produces sub-branded niche agencies that tackle sector specific challenges. A sector close to his heart is the third sector. His wife runs a charity in Zimbabwe which he helps often and has found over the last few years some of Design Integrity’s proudest work has been helping social enterprises thrive. Will a bespoke 3rd sector agency be the first sub brand to come out of Design Integrity Group? Watch this space.