About me
Hello, I'm Lawrence Monk.
For me, growing up in the 1990's was about all technology. From being kicked offline when trying to 'Ask Jeeves' what his favourite food was (courtesy of the 'weekly catch-up calls' at my grandparents' house; those of you who were around then will be all too familiar with the hiss in trying to reconnect via a modem…) to failing to reach stardom with a home recorded 'news network show' with my best friend.
It wasn't until I was about 15 that I got introduced to Macromedia Dreamweaver in school and got to experience the art of web design. Granted, it was HTML tables but being able to experience that sensation of turning nothing into something has changed the course of my life. Looking back, I never would have dreamt I could do what I can now, things that I have achieved, the remarkable people and companies I have worked with; but most importantly knowing in myself that I'm only just getting started. If you want to read a more profound me detailing this, I'd suggest you check out 'My Personal Missions'.
If you were to catch me AFK*, I would likely be surrounded by my wonderful family to whom I'm glad to provide free tech support (though my priority order is often swayed with the promise of free food!). At the weekend I take my nan shopping, where I hear all about the latest updates in the 'Repair Shop' TV show before enjoying a walk with my lovely wife and our new puppy Moose.
TLDR; I'm a web developer and all-round computing expert who loves to learn and to use technology.
Work
Digital Media Manager
BPL Business Media
Web Developer
BPL Business Media
Designer and Developer
(Freelance)
Education
BSc, Computer Science - Digital Media
Brunel University of London
A-Levels
Haydon School - Pinner, Middlesex
Awards
Merck Healthcare Innovation Award
Sky Innovative Smartphone Application
My Career Ambitions
Throughout my career I aspire to progress into a more senior, strategic position where I can focus on future-proofing digital projects, enforcing (security) protocols and streamlining processes to navigate technology and user hurdles, whilst circumventing any shortfalls in user experience.
I would like an opportunity to be integrated deeper within a digital community (perhaps for a company or project I am involved in); so that I don't hear feedback through a 'chain', rather I get afforded the opportunity to discuss and understand successes, weaknesses and opportunities; through which, I am able to generate new revenue streams.
TLDR; I would like to be positioned in a client-facing strategic position.
My Passions
By now, were you to have skim read any of the 'about me' section above, unlike Where's Wally, it is probably quite obvious to see a recurring theme around learning and the ability to create things. So, aside from that, I would have to say: music (I listen to A LOT of it) and cooking. I'm certainly no chef, but boy oh boy do I love cooking on a BBQ. From steaks to soy-coated salmon, you name it, I'll try and BBQ it, and for those of you who are vegetarian or vegan, I do a rather decent vegetable skewer.
Some might call it an odd passion, maybe even cliché, but for me it's the attention to detail and the various ways you can cook something only for it to tantalise the tastebuds differently. You can only imagine my delight when cooking AND listening to music at the same time.
TLDR; BBQ and Music - oh yeah.
My Personal Mission
I'm a firm believer that through great design and development we can (be inclusive and can) connect people in meaningful ways. My personal mission is to enable and facilitate IT solutions that bring about positive change, whether it's helping a small business owner find their footing online to follow their passion, or providing large companies with new, innovative ways to engage their audience. You can see some examples on the case studies and designs pages.
With persistence and all I have to offer, I will continually push boundaries, ensuring that my work doesn't just meet expectations but exceeds them.
Ethos: Honesty, transparency and respect are the cornerstones of my work.
My Ambitions
My ambitions, (like my personal mission) is simplifying digital experiences, making them more secure, and ultimately empowering people to take full advantage of the amazing and rapidly evolving technologies which exist. Through technology, we have the power to change how we: think, care, earn money and protect one another.
const makeTheWorldABetterPlace = true;