Special Topic: The Artist as Entrepreneur
Interview with Mary Welch Higgins, President, CEO, and Founder of Distinct Studios, Inc.
Fairfax, VA – We recently met Mary Welch Higgins, Founder, Creative Director, and CEO of Distinct Studios, Inc. Mary grew up in the Washington DC area and attended the Corcoran School of Art graduating with a BFA in 1986. She worked at the Phillips Collection in Washington and also taught art at local private schools before attending George Mason University and graduating with Masters of Arts in Visual Information Technologies in 1995.
Mary taught visual thinking courses to undergraduate students, while a graduate student, and also had the opportunity to teach a graduate level computer animation course her final year as a graduate student. In addition to these experiences, she also served as an adjunct faculty to New Century College where she taught Multimedia Design from 1999 to late 2004 when she left to start Distinct Studios. Distinct Studios is currently a client of the Fairfax Innovation Center which is a program of the Mason Enterprise Center at the School of Public Policy. Mary has been with the innovation center, since she founded Distinct Studios in May of 2005. She began as a virtual client of the Center and then moved into offices in August of 2005.
Mary, how long after graduation did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
I decided to become an entrepreneur after working for a number of years in the “trenches,” so to speak, as a production artist in small creative firms. I spent two years doing high-end computer animation for a small video production company. I’ve also worked for a web development firm, a print shop, a large federal contractor, and lastly, for a an internet start up firm where I was the Art Director from late 1998 to 2005 when I left to start Distinct Studios. My years in the “design and production trenches” were where I learned my business. I was able to observe the challenges and the "in-and-outs" of running a small business. In my last staff position, I started doing budgets, hiring and training staff, writing proposals, and producing production schedules in addition to doing creative production work.
I see all of these experiences as preparation for starting a company. I was also fortunate to have some great mentors that included clients who were very encouraging and supportive of me. One of my important business mentors taught me that entrepreneurship is about the pursuit of opportunity. I find the pursuit of opportunities in good ideas as very exciting. He also really taught me the importance of resilience and persistence which is very relevant in today’s climate. He had a saying, “persistence works.”
What led you to this decision to open your own business, and why did you decide on a design studio?
I had an unusual experience. At my last company, I started generating creative design contracts that were not specific to the core business of the company, which was insurance e-commerce. My group became a revenue generating area for the company, and to a certain extent it became it’s own division. So, really, my entrepreneurial experience evolved. I found that I was good at business and I enjoyed it.
My last company mentored and assisted me with my transition to Distinct Studios. They were merging the e-commerce division into the larger parent company, and they allowed me to transition out of the company with staff, equipment and specifically a large contract that I had brought into the firm. The president of the company told me on my last day that, "if I succeeded they succeeded.” I feel very good about that experience.
Distinct Studios is an interactive design firm. The core capabilities are designing applications and creative content for display on screen. I think that it is important to point out that print is a related but separate discipline. With my background in the arts, and also as a design and production artist, it was a clear choice for me to start an interactive design firm.
What were some of the hurdles that you faced in getting your business off the ground?
Good question. First thing – Even with preparation, you will face a lot of hurdles! I have persistence but what I was not prepared for was “the unexpected event.” There is a book out right now called, "The Black Swan - The impact of the highly improbable." I would recommend it. The "black swan theory" refers to a large-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare event beyond the realm of normal expectations. I wish that I had thought about preparing for unexpected events, before I started Distinct Studios. The specific example, that I can share, is that a company that I was doing business with was bought by a larger firm. It seems mild now, but I didn’t expect it at the time. It really threw me. I didn’t consider that an event outside of my control would require me to make even minor adjustments to the way I do business.
Also, it’s been a big hurdle for me to learn how to say no when necessary. I have a mild-mannered style, and people sometimes seem shocked when I say no to requests that are not good matches for my company.
What are some of the current projects that your business is working on?
I can talk about work that has recently been released. We revamped a flash multimedia application that is online at NLM for a museum kiosk that will be opening soon at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh.
Also, over the summer, we produced a YouTube video for Fairfax Innovation Center, and a Second Life virtual business incubator [pictured left]. Business people can reserve the space [Second Life], and hold virtual meetings in the space. We want to get people to go! We are also going to be starting a new project with the SDBC where we will produce online tutorials for Veterans that are interested in starting businesses. We just recently signed a contract with the Office of Technology Transfer at Mason to provide animations of early-stage research that is patented, and available for commercialization.
Given the turn in the economy, what are you plans for Distinct Studios?
I’m planning for the long term. My role models are businesses that have been around for 10 to 20 years. The local leaders in my area have track records averaging 13 to 17 years.
I’ve also been very conservative financially and have focused on developing my business in a field that I know very well.
Will you operate differently in the recession?
I’m still working with my clients and developing projects that I’m excited about. – That’s not different.
What’s different is my “keep it lean” and take the “long view” strategy seems to be useful in this economic climate. – That’s unexpected.
To learn more about Distinct Studios, Inc:please visit the web site at: http://www.distinctstudios.com
Do you know of a local entrepreneur who you’d like to see featured? If so, let us know by dropping us an e-mail patriote@gmu.edu.