Mike Bell

1. What is your name, and what is the name of your business?

My name is Mike Bell and my company is Fab Architects.

2. What does the business do and who are your customers?

We are an architects practice and we do architectural design for several different kinds of clients.  Primarily we work on residential properties with homeowners and their families who want to improve their homes. We work with restaurants looking to do refurbs and improve the quality of their design for their customers. We also do some exhibition design – coming up with ideas of how exhibitors can show their work in new and interesting ways – this is mostly in London and can be immersive exhibitions, that kind of thing.  But 90% of our work is domestic residential, working with families to either improve their homes or build new ones.

3. What’s the history of the business & what’s your role within the business?

We started the business seven years ago in London, me and a friend Will.  We studied together and then worked for some big practices in London. Working in those practices is a bit frustrating because you work for big clients and only get to speak to the developer, not the people who actually use the space.

So we decided to strike out with our own practice and do more private residential work which would mean actually getting to speak to the clients rather than being trapped in boring meetings all the time! It is so much better. You get to see the difference you make, the smiles on people faces and take photos of the beautiful, completed projects.

With the big firms the designs were amazing but it was quite a cold way of working.  I mostly worked on high-end flats in central London which are often sold off-plan and never really lived in, just bought as an investment.

I am now lead designer and sole director. Will isn’t working with me anymore so I just bring in people ad hoc. I have a guy who helps out with drawing side of things and a few freelancers as and when I need them.

4. How long have you had been a resident here at Freshmill and why were you looking for a space like this?

I’ve been here about two years in the open plan space.  We had a series of offices when I was with Will in Brighton and Lewes but once it was just me there was no real need for an office of my own.  I had a look around a few different coworking spaces, some were way too corporate! I found Freshmill via google and saw some reviews and thought, that sounds like my kind of place! I came for a tour, and I think I moved in a week later!

5. Why does Freshmill work well for you and your business?

Freshmill works well for me because it is good to have a basecamp – a lot of my work is in Brighton, Haywards Heath or Lewes, and if I do need to go to site visits, the station is just there, or I can cycle or park here at Freshmill and then drive to clients. The location is excellent.  The flexible hours are really helpful too; it means that I can get in early because a lot of the building sites start early and I need to be here to answer questions.  The services-  the printing and the concierge team are great.  Also, I feel very comfortable bringing people here – it’s such a nice environment and that is important to me.

I really like the informal booths and seating for talking to suppliers etc and I also have the option to book the more formal meeting rooms if I need to which is great.

6. What is the most important lesson you have gained from your career so far?

Pick up the phone.  So much can be misinterpreted though a text or an email or WhatsApp.  If anything is starting to go wrong, pick up the phone because it can be resolved much more easily.  In an increasingly digital world, creating a relationship with clients and sorting out problems is so much easier if you actually speak to them.

7. Where do you hope to be in 5 years’ time?

I would like to still be working on creative, interesting projects.  I have found a nice groove working with freelancers – so I am enjoying it right now.  Potentially finding another partner might be an option as it’s always good to have someone to bounce ideas off – but I’m not in any hurry.

8. What advice would you give your younger self just starting out?

For my first job out of university, I worked with a big firm and spent two years on site every day just inspecting panels etc. I would like to go back and tell my younger self to go and do something else!! However, saying that, the experience did instil in me the desire to do more fulfilling work so I guess you learn something from everything you do!

9. What is your favourite quote/mantra?

I read something that stuck with me a while ago and it said, ‘Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress’. If you try and strive for the last 1%, all of life will pass you by!  Obviously, it is important to do a good job, it is all a balance, but don’t be impeded by perfection.  It’s a good one to remember.

10. If you could, who would you switch places with for the day, and why?

If it was right now in 2025, it would probably switch places with my favourite skateboarder so I could skate as well as him – Greyson Fletcher.  If I could go back in time, I have always been interested to know how the pyramids were built.  So I guess I would be a pyramid builder and watch and learn!