- Services
- Web Design & Development
- Ecommerce Development
- Creative Branding
- Mobile App Development
- Digital Marketing
- DevOps
- Does the brand communicate the business more clearly?
- Does the website build trust?
- Does the eCommerce platform make it easier to buy?
- Does the marketing generate the right enquiries?
- Can what we’ve created continue to develop as the business grows?
25 years of ideas, relationships and helping businesses grow.
Rak Design was founded in 2000 with a simple belief: good design should do more than look good. It should help a business move forward.
More than 25 years later, that belief still drives us.Today, Rak Design brings together experienced designers, developers, digital marketers, photographers and technical specialists to deliver.
At the heart of it is our founder and Creative Director, Rakesh Patel.
Rakesh remains personally involved in every project, supported by a trusted team with the specialist skills to turn ideas into results. It is a model deliberately built around our clients: senior attention, direct communication and the right expertise when it is needed. Just experienced people who get to know your business, understand what you are trying to achieve and care about what happens next. No unnecessary layers. No being passed from person to person.
Grow. Develop. Achieve.
It is what we want for our clients and, in many ways, it is the story of Rak Design itself.
Meet Rakesh Patel – Founder & Creative Director
Rakesh founded Rak Design in 2000 and remains its creative lead and the familiar face of the business.
He takes time to understand each client’s business – where it is today, what is working, what isn’t and where its owners want to take it next. From there, he shapes the direction, brings together the right specialists and remains closely involved throughout the project. But his own journey into design and business was anything but conventional.
Rakesh Patel – founder and Creative Director. It started with someone seeing potential.
When Rakesh arrived in the UK in 1981, he couldn’t read or write in English.
He did, however, have a talent for Mathematics, Art and Computer Science. A supportive art teacher (Alison Veazey) recognised his ability and suggested graphic design. Rakesh had never heard of it.
She encouraged him to find out more and consider applying for a graphic design course at Northampton Nene College. The course normally required five O-level passes. Rakesh had three. But the course leader looked beyond the qualifications, saw the strength of his portfolio and gave him an opportunity. Rakesh completed the course with the second-highest grade in his year, was shortlisted for several design awards and went on to win two.
It taught him something that has stayed with him ever since:
Potential matters. But so does having the right people around you to help turn it into something.
From graphic design to the digital world
After further studies in design management, Rakesh began his career as a junior artworker, progressed into senior design and later became a freelance graphic designer. Working directly with businesses helped shape a principle that remains fundamental to Rak Design: Good design isn’t simply decoration. It needs a purpose.
As the internet began transforming the creative industry, Rakesh taught himself Flash and HTML and explored how branding and design could work in a digital environment. That eventually led to a two-year contract with Accenture as a website designer.
Working alongside experienced technical specialists showed him what could happen when creative thinking and technology came together. It also gave him the confidence to build something of his own.
Rak Design begins…
In 2000, Rakesh founded Rak Design. Initially, he designed and built websites himself. But as technology became more sophisticated, he realised the best results wouldn’t come from trying to do everything himself. They would come from working with people who were exceptionally good at what they did. He began building relationships with trusted developers and other creative and technical specialists, allowing him to concentrate on understanding the client, shaping the creative vision and leading the project. That collaborative approach became part of the DNA of Rak Design. It still is.
One relationship. A whole team behind it.
Today, Rak Design brings together specialists in design, development, digital marketing, SEO, paid advertising, photography, video and technology. Our work spans branding, WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, Shopify, bespoke development, SEO, paid advertising, photography, video, hosting and long-term website support.
Many of the people we work with have been part of Rak Design for years. We know each other’s strengths, share the same expectations and can bring together the right combination of expertise for each client. That gives our clients the best of both worlds:
A direct relationship with the person leading their project, backed by a trusted team with the expertise to deliver it properly.
More than a launch date
We don’t judge success simply by how good something looks on launch day.
For us, launch day shouldn’t be the end of the relationship – quite often, it is the beginning.
Relationships measured in years, not projects
Some clients have worked with Rak Design for more than 15 years. We’ve watched their businesses change and grow, creating new websites, developing brands, improving eCommerce platforms and supporting them through new technology and changing customer expectations.
We continue to provide hosting, maintenance, development, digital marketing and practical advice long after the original project is complete. Those relationships matter because they are built on something that can’t be manufactured: Trust, and trust has to be earned.
25 years on. Still curious.
The digital world Rakesh entered more than 25 years ago is almost unrecognisable today.
Flash came and went. Websites became platforms. Mobile, social media, eCommerce and search transformed how businesses reach their customers. Now artificial intelligence is changing the landscape again.
Through all of it, Rak Design has continued to learn and adapt. We’re curious about new ideas and technology, but we don’t adopt something simply because it is fashionable.
The question is always: Will this genuinely help our client?
Those three words describe what we want for our clients, and our own story.
Rak Design began with one designer, an idea and the confidence to try something new. More than 25 years later, it has developed into a collaborative creative and digital agency supported by experienced specialists and trusted by long-standing clients.
We haven’t forgotten what got us here:
Listen. Be honest. Bring in good people. Care about the details. Keep learning, and never lose sight of what the client is actually trying to achieve.
Where could your business
go next?You don’t need to come to us with a finished brief. Some of the best projects begin with a conversation. Tell us about your business. What’s working? What isn’t? And what would you like to achieve next? Rak Design will take the time to understand it, give you straightforward advice, and, when we can help, bring together the right people to make it happen.
More than 25 years of experience. One team. One relationship. And a shared ambition to help your business move forward.
Fancy a coffee? Let’s talk.
You can give us a call on
+44 (0)1933 825456Complete our online contact form, or even pop down to our offices in Sywell for a chat. We’re a friendly team who loves to talk ideas through over a cup of tea or coffee, so come down and see us and chat through ways of boosting your business brand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rak Design is founder-led, which means clients work directly with Rakesh Patel rather than being passed between layers of account managers.
Rakesh remains closely involved throughout each project, supported by a trusted team of designers, developers, marketers, photographers and technical specialists.
This gives clients the personal attention of a smaller agency, together with the experience and skills needed to deliver more complex creative and digital work.
We help businesses with branding, website design, eCommerce, digital marketing, photography, video, hosting and ongoing technical support.
Our work includes WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento and Shopify websites, as well as SEO, paid advertising and bespoke development.
Some clients come to us for one specific project, while others rely on us as a long-term creative and digital partner.
Every website is different, so we do not use a one-size-fits-all price.
The cost depends on what the website needs to achieve, how much content and functionality is required, whether products or systems need to be integrated, and the level of design and development involved.
Once we understand your business and what you need, we will provide a clear proposal explaining the work and costs involved.
Timescales depend on the size and complexity of the project.
A straightforward website may take several weeks, while a larger eCommerce or bespoke development project will usually take longer.
At the beginning, we agree a realistic programme covering planning, design, development, content, testing and launch. We also keep you updated throughout, so you always know what stage the project has reached.
No. Rak Design is based in Sywell, Northamptonshire, but we work with businesses across the UK and internationally.
For local clients, we are always happy to meet in person. For those further away, projects can be managed effectively through video meetings, email and regular progress updates.
Wherever a client is based, the aim is the same: clear communication, personal service and work that supports the growth of the business.
Yes. Launch day is often the beginning of the relationship rather than the end.
We provide website hosting, maintenance, technical support, development, SEO, paid advertising and ongoing improvements.
Some clients have worked with Rak Design for more than 15 years, relying on us to help their websites and marketing evolve as their businesses grow.
The right platform depends on the size of your catalogue, how your business operates, the systems you need to connect and how you expect the website to grow.
We work with WooCommerce, Magento and Shopify, and we will recommend the option that best suits your business rather than pushing one particular platform.
The aim is to give you a system that is reliable, manageable and appropriate for your long-term needs.
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