With David Gardner, Director
Mondays tend to set the tone for the week ahead, so they’re usually busy from the outset. The day starts at home with my wife, two daughters and our dog, Nala. Between us, we’re running around making breakfast and making sure the children have everything they need before dropping them off at school. Once the school run is done, I take Nala out for her morning walk before heading into the studio, usually with the feeling that I’ve already completed a full day’s work before 9am.
The first part of the day is often focused on planning and leadership. On a Monday, that usually means our management meeting with senior members of the team, discussing upcoming opportunities and key priorities across the practice. We also hold resource planning meetings to make sure projects are properly supported and that workloads are balanced for the week ahead.
I work closely with our project leaders, offering support and guidance while ensuring we’re delivering the highest standards for our clients. Much of my time is spent maintaining relationships with key clients, particularly across projects for Rolls-Royce and the University of Derby, discussing future opportunities and helping steer projects in the right direction.
Lunch is usually something quick and practical – so having a Greggs at the end of the road is pretty handy! Then for a quick game of pool and a chance to catch up with the team before heading into the next meeting.
No two afternoons are ever quite the same. One day I could be writing or reviewing fee proposals and responding to new enquiries, while the next might involve client meetings, networking events or discussions around how we can improve the way we work as a practice. I’m particularly interested in refining standards, developing processes and finding smarter ways of working that benefit both our team and our clients.
Once work is finished, family life takes over again. A lot of my spare time revolves around my daughters, particularly football. I coach one of their teams, so one evening each week is spent on the training pitch or preparing for the next match. It’s a completely different challenge from the working day, but one I genuinely enjoy.
By the time everyone is home, fed and settled, it’s an opportunity to relax, catch up with my wife and reflect on the day. The variety is what keeps the role interesting – balancing leadership, client relationships, business improvement and family life means there’s never really such a thing as a typical day.