This week marks the remarkable. Nine years since FortyTwo Studio was born, registered and left to fend for itself. Nine years of explaining the name (no, it’s not a Douglas Adam’s reference).

This week marks the remarkable. Nine years since FortyTwo Studio was born, registered and left to fend for itself. Nine years of explaining the name (no, it’s not a Douglas Adams reference). Nine years of solving problems and creating cracking work. Nine years of VAT returns (eeeegh) and nine years of all you beautiful people - clients, colleagues, connections and observers - lending us your eyes, ears, brains and crafty skills. Nine years of sheer gratitude from me that you are still there and continue to be part of this cool story.

Now, how about a wee list of nine good things about running FortyTwo Studio? Last year I wrote about 8 mistakes I’ve made, this year I thought we all needed a little more positivity going into the new year. They each tell a tale that support the idea that a business is about being together - win, lose, draw - you do it together, whatever your ‘together’ is.

These may be relevant to all business, some may only be specific to us, but here they are:

Teamwork

The first may be obvious but always worth repeating - hire those that are better than you and then get out of the way. I feel no more satisfaction than when a cross-section of the team have their fingerprints on a project. Brand, digital, marketing all working together in the pursuit of creating something special. From Scotia Homes and Teasmith to Aberdeen Arts Centre and KYMYA, we have dozens of examples of such projects that thrived through teamwork.

Collaboration

Collaboration can be tough. Working with a wider group, outwith your team is hugely rewarding but demands more attention and clarity of purpose. However, like the above example, when a project sings with collaboration, there is nothing quite like it. From Snowroads back in 2018 through to last years Ashrise Exhibition, working with fellow creatives outwith our own field is key to their success.

Community

‘Getting Involved’ is one of our core values and doing our bit within the communities we are part of is very important to us. Non-profits, social enterprises, schools, colleges and universities, we’ve played our part. From our support for The Belmont Cinema, through to our support for regional students and young creatives, we aim to be active and progressive with causes we believe in.

Workspace

We believe that hybrid and remote working is a valuable choice in these contemporary times. However, for many, having a great workplace to go to is just as vital and must central to any flexible hybrid working model. Hence 35, our own creative hub - custom built space, cool vibes. Plus you know, dogs get to visit.

Colleagues

Like I say above, hire the best you can and then give them room to but this is more than just work. We spend more time with our colleagues than with most family members, so getting along is a minimum. To do great work, we have to push each other, be honest in our feedback at times and even be comfortable being uncomfortable as we look to grow and achieve as a group. That’s how the grown-ups do it.

Joy

Over the years, seeing and sharing joy amongst the pixels, words and paper samples is a privilege - babies (both the human kind and the hairy canine/feline kind), new homes, rings on fingers, hurdles hurdled and mountains conquered. It would be easy to look at the difficulties the last few years has thrown at us all but enough of that already, let’s focus on the wins.

Growth

This don’t come easy - neither as a company nor an individual. Difficult conversations and lessons learnt are often the catalyst - nobody learns when all goes right. So year on year growth (if we ignore the misfit that was 2020) alongside many of the team progressing professionally over that time should be marked and remembered. The former could not have happened without the latter.

Contentment

When clients are happy and the work is working. That look on a clients face when you have nailed it! Need I say more.

Challenge

Trying to make great work every day is difficult. It would be easier in so many ways to aim for middle ground - less stress, less complexity and less effort lies there but that’s not what we want to be. Pushing, thinking, achieving and pressing is where the work to be proud of lives, so we hunker down and make ourself at home.

—

It’s important to point out that all of this is continually a ‘work in progress’ and in no way have we got it right all the way through. But when it all ‘clicks’ it’s something special to behold. So goodbye to the nine years gone by and hello to the tenth in 2025 - that feels like something we should celebrate. More to come on that later in the year…

— Mark

What do you think? Any missing? Our door is always open for a chat or coffee, get in touch so we can prove it.

mark@fortytwo.studio.

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