With Nik Clarke, Director
There’s no need for an alarm in our house – our nine-year-old son takes care of that with a 5.45am wake-up call. The early start allows for some family time before the day begins properly – usually breakfast with my children and a slice of sourdough (bought on the way back from a recent trip to London), topped with marmalade and seeds.
Once the workday begins, I’m either on the road to our studio or travelling to London for client meetings and site visits. Much of my time is spent on location at hotel projects like Hilton London Paddington or DoubleTree by Hilton Tower of London, working closely with clients, contractors, and consultants to ensure design intent is being delivered and timelines are on track.
At the studio, mornings are focused on project oversight. I check in with our teams on progress, key deliverables and resourcing to ensure we’re meeting expectations across all live projects. We hold drawing reviews, troubleshoot design challenges and ensure quality standards are maintained throughout.
Lunchtime offers a short pause – often spent in the kitchen with the team catching up on the latest Derby County news – before moving into an afternoon of leadership and operations. I meet regularly with our Office Manager Jo to review HR, recruitment and business operations. I also stay closely involved with marketing, new business and strategic communications – reviewing proposals, following up on leads and contributing to long-term planning is a key part of my role.
Toward the end of the day, I regroup with fellow Directors Pete and Dave to align on priorities, review financials and address any pressing issues across the business. These conversations help ensure that, as a leadership team, we remain agile and responsive.
Evenings are a welcome change of pace – often spent playing a board game with the children or reading bedtime stories with our three-year-old daughter (who rarely makes it a quick process!). It’s a chance to reconnect before sitting down to dinner and catching up on the day with my wife. It’s a full day, but one I genuinely enjoy – balancing creative leadership, project delivery and family life in a way that keeps every day rewarding.