Get to know our Co-founder & Managing Director, Dawn Campbell
We sat down with our Co-founder and Managing Director, Dawn Campbell to find out how Bell & Swift came to be, what a typical working day looks like and what Dawn does to switch off.
How did Bell & Swift start?
Craig and I had been working in hospitality for over 10 years and we’d worked together for 7 of those years. We were working in a large design studio; my role was focused on guiding my team, winning new projects and the management of staff. I felt I was getting further away from the design and the bits that I loved doing. We decided to set up Bell & Swift so that we could be more collaborative with clients, be involved in all stages of a project and ensure we stay true to the clients’ vision.
What’s a typical day like for you?
My day-to-day work can be pretty varied! As Managing Director, I deal with the business side of things. I’m responsible for making sure every project has adequate resource. A big part of what I do is quality control. We pride ourselves on the quality of work we deliver so everything we produce needs to be the best it possibly can be. I’m very much involved in the day-to-day running of projects so I do a lot of client relationship work, ensuring deadlines are met and supporting each individual team member across their projects.
Why did you choose to enter the Interior Design industry?
I actually started in Graphic Design but felt it was too limited. I did a course at the Glasgow College of Building and Printing and within that I got to do a bit of everything which included high level architecture and interior design. The next step of that course was to do a degree in interior design. I really liked the variety that comes with interior design, every project was different and allowed me the opportunity to be as creative as I wanted to be. I really fell in love with it at university and on finishing my degree, got a job which focused on hospitality. It’s a passion which has stayed with me ever since hence why Craig and I chose to focus on the hotel and hospitality industry with Bell & Swift. I love working in this area because it gives me the opportunity to work on a whole host of spaces – guest rooms, bars & restaurants, ballrooms, meeting rooms... the list goes on. Every project is completely different and great fun!
Hospitality is very much commercially driven too so, as interior designers in the industry, we really need to understand the business side of things and we need to ask ourselves, is it worth the client’s investment? It would be a waste of everyone’s time if we designed something that a client can’t afford or wouldn’t provide the return on their investment, so we really ensure we understand the parameters of the brief from the outset. A lot of our clients come to us because they know our experience, we understand their industry and know that we will consider how our ideas will impact the business.
Where do you find everyday inspiration?
Everywhere! It could be from watching TV, going a walk, even going clothes shopping.
We always start a project by doing lots of research. The majority of our projects have been refurbishment based so we start by researching the history of the building and the location it’s in which gives us plenty of inspiration! It’s great to do this research right at the beginning as it gives us plenty of content to refer back to as the project moves on and helps us make each project unique to the community it’s in.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I confess I’m a bit of a workaholic, although I do like to try and switch off. The best way to do this for me is by going on walks. I absolutely love countryside walks. I do have young kids so lots of my time is spent at swing parks and soft play!
If we were to meet outside of work and we’d already spoken about work, what else should we chat about?
If we weren’t talking about hospitality and hotel design the conversation would probably switch to talking about my kids! I do like yoga as well; I find that a good way to switch off so would talk about that too.