We're good eggs.

What started as a side-hustle in summer 2015 is now an established team of five designers and engineers, focused solely on creating software that benefits not only the organisations we work with, but their users too.

Where are you based?

We’re a remote company, and have shunned the traditional office in favour of the many collective benefits brought about by distributed working:

  • More time for loved ones.
  • No daily commute.
  • Access to the best talent.
  • Freedom to live anywhere.
  • Increased productivety.
  • Less distractions.
  • Reduced overheads.
  • Lower carbon footprint.

What makes you different?

We look after our team so that they can better look after you. We strive to work smarter, not harder, and believe a good work/life balance and a calm working environment are key to producing happier, more effective teams. An engaged and highly-skilled individual is infinitely better prepared to do great work than someone working all hours to meet an unrealistic deadline.

Did you know

We have an entirely remote workforce. Rather than working from a physical office, our team are based in various parts of England, with ambitions to spread globally.

An abstract map of Europe and Africa showing our locations. Curt is in Nottingham, England; and Chris, Mike, and OJ are in Kent, England.
An abstract world map showing our locations. Curt is in Nottingham, England; and Chris, Mike, and OJ are in Kent, England.
An abstract world map showing our locations. Curt is in Nottingham, England; and Chris, Mike, and OJ are in Kent, England.

Curt

Nottingham, England

Chris, Mike, and OJ

Kent, England

What is important to you?

We believe that work should be something that doesn't fill you with dread, that you should be passionate about your craft, but that work comes second to family. We also believe the key to good software is simple; understand the problem, refine your product, and repeat the process.

Things we do

  • Clear and measurable KPIs.
  • Iterative improvements.
  • Long-term relationships.
  • Talk often and honestly.
  • Design inclusively.
  • Think deeply and ponder.
  • Prioritise effectiveness.

Things we don't do

  • Big reveals.
  • Work to unrealistic deadlines.
  • Pull all nighters.
  • Work 40+ hour weeks.
  • Long-term planning guessing.
  • Hold unnecessary meetings.
  • Knee-jerk reactions.
A photo of Curt's dog Barney, looking very happy with his front paws leaning against a stone wall.
A photo of OJ with his pet cat Orion.
A photo of Mike's dog Bramley, who's just pulled the stuffing out of one of his toys. He looks guilty.
When work isn’t crazy, there’s more time in the day to enjoy the things that really matter.

Who have you worked for?

We've delivered various projects for the likes of RIFT and Holiday Extras, and have long-term relationships with well established digital companies like Laced and Isode. Along the way, we've worked with a variety of clients on smaller projects, such as Majestic Casual, Snowplow, and Zendesk.

  • RIFT
  • Laced
  • Majestic Casual
  • Zendesk
  • Holiday Extras
  • Snowplow

What sectors do you specialise in?

There’s no single sector we consider ourselves experts in, although previous work on various booking flows, online applications, and tax claims have given us considerable experience in the financial, insurance, and travel industries. We do, however, consider ourselves experts in gathering high-quality information from your customers, whatever sector you’re in.

A photo of Mike and Jack taking in the Roman sunshine.
A photo of someones ice cream from the trip.
A photo of Mike outside the Pantheon; an ancient Roman landmark.
We helped Holiday Extras make a travel-planning app, so naturally we tested it by planning (and taking) a trip to Rome.

How long have you been around?

We started Leaf in June 2015, initially as a part-time venture, and it has been our full-time focus since December 2016.

Did you know

Apple Music launched in the UK on the same day we registered Leaf Software Ltd, with both announcements attracting similar levels of fanfare.

Why should I choose you?

Capturing data from your customers is difficult, and we've built our entire company around specialising in just that. Most agencies offer a range of services, some of which they are better at than others. For us, every ounce of energy goes into making sure we're the best at just one thing.

A photo of our Leaf branded t-shirt.
A photo of Chris sketching an idea while sitting next to his Macbook Pro.

Meet the team

The first team

We’ve assembled a small and reliable team who have repeatedly shown that you don’t need huge numbers or even an office to add genuine value. These are the names and faces you’ll get to know throughout your project.

A photo of Chris before he grew his beard and hair longer.

Chris Annetts

Design Director

A photo of Mike looking content in the great outdoors.

Mike Carter

Engineering Director

A photo of Curt looking very happy with himself while standing in front of a tree.

Curtis Lee

Product Designer

A photo of OJ taking a walk on the beach.

Oliver Standeven (OJ)

Software Engineer

A photo of Ryan looking very happy in his wedding suit.

Ryan Smith

Project Delivery Manager

Our bench

When needed, we have a trusted group of talented, external designers and developers we can call upon.

A photo of Chris Arnold.

Chris Arnold

Frontend Engineer

A photo of Jack Clark.

Jack Clark

Software Engineer

A photo of Matthew Spence.

Matthew Spence

Software Engineer

A photo of Liam Tucker.

Liam Tucker

eCommerce Specialist

A photo of Colin Young.

Colin Young

Software Engineer

The Leaf timeline

A chance meeting

Mike and Chris met when the former joined local start-up Virally as a Software Engineer. Chris was already at the company, having joined himself a few months prior on a secondment from Fruitbowl Media.

New beginnings

When Virally closed its doors, Chris joined Red Bullet via Etch, later becoming their Lead Designer, and Mike left for travel specialists Holiday Extras, helping lead a team of more than 100 engineers.

A side project

After flirting with the idea of starting their own studio for well over a year, they decided to trial working together in their evenings and weekends. Leaf Software Ltd was registered shortly after.

A first client

Our very first client was Conference In A Box (later BoxedUp), where we redesigned their existing lead generation tool, managing the delivery of brand swag for organisations running online events.

A full time gig

With project enquiries picking up, and the company winning a steady stream of work, Mike was the first founding member to take the plunge, leaving Holiday Extras to make Leaf his full-time focus.

All hands on deck

Chris soon followed Mike’s lead, leaving Red Bullet to become the second full-time Leafer. What had started as a 'side project' was now starting to feel like a real company all of a sudden.

Our first mobile app

Having worked with Mike previously, Holiday Extras approached us about helping with a new trip-planning platform HEHA!, which became the first iOS and Android applications we worked on at Leaf.

Our first hire

Two years after landing our first client project, we made our first hire, bringing Oliver in to help share some of the engineering workload with Mike. That was probably the last time we called OJ ‘Oliver’ too.

Our biggest client yet

Following the success of the HEHA! project, Holiday Extras asked us to help simplify their mobile booking flow. They were our most established client to date, and the first of many collaborations since.

Another big client

In what was a pivotal 4-week period for Leaf, we secured our second established client by landing a project with tax specialists RIFT. The project was a success, and we're still working closely with RIFT today.

What happens in Canterbury

With OJ onboard, we decided to throw our first ever Leaf Christmas party. Our new developer stole the show, showing the full range of his abilities by excelling in an impromptu mince pie eating contest.

Another set of hands

Various long-term projects meant we needed another developer, and in Tina we hired our most senior engineer yet. Her experience in leading and managing key projects have proved invaluable.

Working with the cool kids

Laced were in their infancy when we were introduced, and they wanted our help putting sneaker enthusiasts in touch with sneaker traders. Two years on, we're still working with Laced today.

Continued growth

Four became five when Curt joined the company, adding extra firepower to our design team. His enthusiasm and lust for knowledge have made him a wonderful addition to the team.

The new normal

We stayed strong during the 2020 pandemic, taking on major projects for our clients while working from the safety of our homes. Not quite as big an adjustment for a remote company!

A new adventure

With Tina settling into her new life in the Netherlands, she decided it was time for a change. With that, she landed herself a Senior Engineer role at Clever Franke.