Putting 'Great' into Great Britain
It's not often that Liv Design comes across a company with a similar view, outlook and approach as ours. Passionate. Dedicated. Friendly. Open. Honest. Trusted. Determined. Values that many may say are lost in business. Or maybe in the modern age of cut and thrust, of the single-minded grab for market share and the desire to make money, that brand values and character are left by the wayside.
When I set up Liv Design four-odd years ago I wanted to create a business that was proud of the work it did. I'd had enough of the conformity and sacrifice of creative goals for financial ends. Our aim was to work with clients in an open and honest way, providing complete transparency, from our pricing, through planning, and down to the finished designs. We don't lie, we don't overcharge and we don't paper over problems. And where does that get us? It's built us a reputation. We don't use the cheapest suppliers on the market and we don't cut corners, and to date we've never let a client down, overcharged them, or failed to meet a deadline. We've even politely declined to work with companies and individuals that we don't feel are right for us.
A year or two ago I discovered a British motorcycle manufacturer called Mac Motorcycles. They're a small outfit (they'd be the first to admit it – but so are we) but with a big soul and big vision. Founded by Ellis Pitt, his goal (with Xenophya Design – a motorcycle product design company) was to create simple 50s and 60s inspired bikes that put a smile on your face and handled like a modern bike. Something with character and soul. Something that used specifically a Buell Blast 492cc single cylinder engine. Check out the bikes at mac-motorcycles.com Beautiful creations. If setting up a motorcycle manufacturing company isn't hard enough (especially during a recession) last year Buell owners Harley-Davidson announced the closure of Buell. That meant no Buell Blast engine, despite all their efforts to secure engines from H-D. Did they give in? Throw in the towel? Or did they carry on and design the way out of the problem? Persistence and dedication are key to any business. But what about their honesty and openness? The fact that they share their troubles with their supporters rather than being a sign of weakness, for me is a sign of strength and confidence. If only more companies were this open.
I love the bespoke look of the Mac bikes (and their website too), the no-nonsense approach, the stripped down grittiness. It's hard-core Britishness. It's a one-foot-in-the-past and one-foot-in-the-future approach that sets the bikes apart from the current trend of 'modern-retro' bikes. It's about team spirit, about family, about never giving up. It's British design and manufacturing at it's best – facing forward. And it certainly creates a brand unlike any other.
Makes you proud. Good luck to them.
Scott – Creative Director of Liv Design, Nottingham
When I set up Liv Design four-odd years ago I wanted to create a business that was proud of the work it did. I'd had enough of the conformity and sacrifice of creative goals for financial ends. Our aim was to work with clients in an open and honest way, providing complete transparency, from our pricing, through planning, and down to the finished designs. We don't lie, we don't overcharge and we don't paper over problems. And where does that get us? It's built us a reputation. We don't use the cheapest suppliers on the market and we don't cut corners, and to date we've never let a client down, overcharged them, or failed to meet a deadline. We've even politely declined to work with companies and individuals that we don't feel are right for us.
A year or two ago I discovered a British motorcycle manufacturer called Mac Motorcycles. They're a small outfit (they'd be the first to admit it – but so are we) but with a big soul and big vision. Founded by Ellis Pitt, his goal (with Xenophya Design – a motorcycle product design company) was to create simple 50s and 60s inspired bikes that put a smile on your face and handled like a modern bike. Something with character and soul. Something that used specifically a Buell Blast 492cc single cylinder engine. Check out the bikes at mac-motorcycles.com Beautiful creations. If setting up a motorcycle manufacturing company isn't hard enough (especially during a recession) last year Buell owners Harley-Davidson announced the closure of Buell. That meant no Buell Blast engine, despite all their efforts to secure engines from H-D. Did they give in? Throw in the towel? Or did they carry on and design the way out of the problem? Persistence and dedication are key to any business. But what about their honesty and openness? The fact that they share their troubles with their supporters rather than being a sign of weakness, for me is a sign of strength and confidence. If only more companies were this open.
I love the bespoke look of the Mac bikes (and their website too), the no-nonsense approach, the stripped down grittiness. It's hard-core Britishness. It's a one-foot-in-the-past and one-foot-in-the-future approach that sets the bikes apart from the current trend of 'modern-retro' bikes. It's about team spirit, about family, about never giving up. It's British design and manufacturing at it's best – facing forward. And it certainly creates a brand unlike any other.
Makes you proud. Good luck to them.
Scott – Creative Director of Liv Design, Nottingham
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