Our History
A look back at the key moments that shaped our journey, the products we built, and the experience that defines how we work today.
2010 Founding Years
Ben Harrison founded Web Optic from a small office in his flat. Early work came from local small businesses, a market research company, and an ice cream brand in Birmingham, focusing on bespoke web projects.
2013 First Office and Team Growth
The company moved into an office inside a self-storage building in Cannock. Dan joined full-time, and Shane followed between 2014 and 2015 to handle more complex back-end work. During this period, Web Optic launched Textplode, an SMS marketing tool, and Fitphase, a personal training platform for selling online coaching.
2016 Global Projects and Client Success
The team relocated to a rented barn-style office near Shugborough in 2016. Meg joined part-time to support admin, accounts, and client communication. Web Optic expanded globally, building hundreds of websites and web applications, with several clients later selling their businesses for eight-figure sums.
2017 E-Commerce Expansion and Shopify Partnership
In 2017, Web Optic launched Beyond Shakers, a fitness product brand. Running a direct-to-consumer brand gave valuable insight into e-commerce. That same year, the team became a recognised Shopify Partner and was officially listed in the Shopify partner directory.
2020 Bottle Lodge and Diversification
Web Optic purchased the Grade II listed Bottle Lodge in Tixall, a locally known building. It briefly served as an office before being renovated into a holiday let, adding a new strand to the business.
2021 Scaling Beyond Shakers
With Beyond Shakers growing, Web Optic leased a larger industrial unit in Rugeley with extra space for stock and operations. This marked a more structured split between web services and product-based business.
2023 Permanent HQ and Eco Build
In 2023, the company bought and renovated its own industrial unit in Hixon on a former WWII airfield. The space was made eco-friendly with solar panels, heat pumps, and smart LED lighting, becoming the permanent home for both Web Optic and Beyond Shakers.
2025 Recognition and Results
By 2025, Web Optic had delivered over 800 custom websites and applications, including more than 50 Shopify stores.
- Textplode: Over 25 million SMS messages sent.
- Fitphase: Over £2.5 million in client revenue.
- Beyond Shakers: 50,000+ products sold, expanding into Germany and stocked on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Tesco, Rackhams, TikTok Shop, and TK Maxx.
Web Optic is now the highest-rated web design company in Staffordshire, with over 100 five-star Google reviews, continuing to lead with practical tech and commercial experience.
The story keeps moving, but the focus stays the same: practical, high-quality digital work.
If you want to build something with a team that understands both the technical and commercial side, we'd love to hear about it.
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