It’s hard to believe that we’re all grown up, but this month Mancala turns 7!
It’s been an interesting 7 years to say the least, having started quite literally in a cupboard under the stairs of Deryck’s flat back in 2003 and ending up in our gorgeous offices on Westgate Road with a team of seven web and SEO experts.
So to celebrate, here are seven random facts about Mancala…
1. Mancala is named after an ancient Egyptian game you play with beads
I bought a gorgeous wooden set with pink, blue and green glass beads for Deryck after he got addicted to playing it on his mobile phone. It’s really strategic and we were hooked (and very competitive). You can still see the beads in our logo and the set is still in the Mancala office if you fancy popping in for a game.Or you can play an online version for free.
2. The first Mancala office was a cupboard under the stairs
Or more accurately, in the space under the stairs where there used to be a cupboard. They weren’t even Deryck’s stairs, but the flat aboves! Poor Deryck slaved away all day in a space not quite a metre square. But heck, the commute was great.
3. We now live in a pink building with an iron man guarding the door
Our new offices are in a listed building in Black Swan Court on Westgate Road; our unusual guard is part of Newcastle Arts Centre. At Christmas he was decorated as Santa and he has also been known to don a grass skirt.
4. Tracy, Alex and Andy all share their birthday month with Mancala.
Yup, February is a good time to come into the office as there is usually lots of cake. March is when we get back to the gym.
5. We have worked with two ex-International Rugby stars
One used to play for England and currently we have an ex-Scotland International. Deryck has even asked one for a signed photograph for his mum.
6. Shane from Boyzone has visited the Mancala office
We weren’t expecting him, he just popped in with a client who was a friend. Unfortunately for Shane no-one in the office recognised him. Oops. Our receptionists at the time were aghast.
7. Over a Million people visited a Mancala website last year
And that number is going up all of the time thanks to our expertise at getting good quality leads and visitors. That’s a lot of sales and enquiries for our clients which makes them very happy indeed. And that gives us a happy feeling inside too.
Find out more about Internet Marketing in Newcastle on our shiny new website www.mancala.co.uk
Gillian has been with Mancala since 2003 and lends her expertise on language & technology as our resident Internet Marketing Copywriter. A bit of a stickler for details she can often be found auditing our clilent's websites for search engine friendly copy (and errant spelling mistakes) and making ridiculously weak tea. 
If I had of been here when a member of Boyzone was in the office I would have recognised him! And probably screamed so perhaps it is for the best!
Happy B-Day!!!!
Glad to know everything is going OK up there! Hope you had a party for such an event, or at least one of those supermarket (I cannot remember the name of the supermarket near The Gate…) cakes that are so handy for this kind of celebrations
In Spain all is running smoothly, I even managed to actually see the sun for the last couple of days, and it was really great to finally do it, last time was in…June 2009?
Take care up there and Happy Easter!