As a story of growth, the tale of Teapot Creative takes some beating. Its success has not come at the expense of a commitment to doing good and making a difference in all that it does, and the company is only just getting started.
Starting Small
Teapot started out small with a garage office, but with big intentions and bigger ambitions. What was a design agency offering branding and graphic design services and a handful of clients, relationships were made and built to become a 16-strong multi-disciplined brand growth agency a decade on from those humble beginnings.
Today, the company covers brand development, creative coding, digital marketing, and so much more. Its impact on clients is to create change and growth, done in a way that has doing good and a commitment to social responsibility at the core. That could be via its green hosting services or working alongside local charities.
Its hosting services come via eco-friendly data centres powered by 100% renewable energy. The Teapot headquarters use solar panels, eco-cleaning supplies, are an advocate of hybrid working for staff, and makes its carbon emission reporting available to the wider public. Client work is done through conscious design and through building work that limits environmental impact.
With an unwavering commitment to social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, Teapot’s dedication to responsible business practices sees it working with B Corp™ certified suppliers. Indeed, Teapot itself has achieved B Corp™ accreditation, the gold standard of ethical business.
Making Its Mark
Teapot’s founders and employees make a difference outside of work too as part of their commitment to the local communities in which it works. Barry Tottle, one of the company founders, has a role as director of Digital Somerset Community Interest Company.
It was in that position where Barry and the team had access to growth funding for intellectual property work that led to initial contact with members of Stephens Scown. As a result, the Teapot team met with Stephen Wray, Partner in the Dispute Resolution team through the Somerset Chamber, and with Alistair Tudor, Head of the Transformation and Client Delivery thanks to Alistair’s previous role on the Chamber team.
Given the nature of Teapot’s work, they also made connections with Amy Ralston, Associate in the Intellectual Property and Data Protection team, at a Taunton Roundtable event, where each shared their expertise and knowledge of the digital sector.
From its base at Bowdens Farm near Langport in Somerset, Barry and the rest of the Teapot team’s relationship with Stephens Scown has only developed, matching the growth of both organisations. Speaking about the connection, Barry said, “We have been working with several people at Stephens Scown. We have worked with Amy and her team for trade marking and setting up a new terms and conditions framework. We have also worked with Simon Morris [Partner in the Corporate team] on company articles for Digital Somerset.
“We are working with Gavin Poole [also Partner in the Corporate team] to change our company articles to B Corp™ and will be revisiting a piece of work that we started with Amy around terms for our suppliers, and our privacy policy. Stephens Scown has been a real help across a wide range of what we do.
“We find that all the team at Stephens Scown are very friendly and approachable, but also incredibly knowledgeable.”
Talking about how Stephens Scown and Teapot operate, Amy Ralston added, “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Barry and Lizzie Tottle at Teapot. From contacts, clients to now fellow Digital Somerset directors, they are passionate and hardworking and really care about the Somerset region and the people and businesses within it. B Corp™ certification is a no brainer for them, they live and breathe the values.”
Teapot’s multi-disciplinary team of makers, planners, and analysts regularly find creative solutions to client problems. In doing so, they build meaningful digital experiences for those with whom they work, forging lifelong relationships.
Its drive to leave the world a better place thanks to its innovative methods of sustainable working has seen Teapot become a standard bearer not just for Somerset’s creative sector, but as an example for any business to follow.
