Spotlight on Business - "Multi-preneur" Aki Durham, Owner of Studio A

Aki Durham, owner of Studio A, is the quintessential multi-preneur.  The multi-venture or multi-preneur approach in a nutshell is simply being a jack of all trades and mastering a few.  It’s committing to more than just your day job to achieve your financial and professional goals.  Sounds as if it can’t possibly be done, especially with a family, extracurricular activities, and a somewhat enjoyable quality of life right?  Wrong.  By day, Mr. Durham is in digital signage sales with Choice Media Group where as the sole sales person for the company, he utilizes an entrepreneurial approach to sales and marketing.  By night, he’s a graphic designer, a voiceover artist, an actor, a radio personality, and a real-estate investor.  He’s also a very committed father and doting husband.  How does he do it all?  I had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Durham to find out just that.

-Mr. Durham, what motivates you to have your hands in so many things?  Several things come to mind.  Fear is one of the motivators, believe it or not.  I found out at an early age that busy people tend to be more fulfilled in life.  They tend to live longer and happier lives and often leave a legacy of work behind them.  I’m too afraid not to be one of these people.  I’m equally afraid to leave one or more of my talents lying dormant as untapped potential.  I believe in being accountable to someone higher than myself and taking His gifts for granted is not something I am comfortable with.  Also, my parents influenced me to stay busy by the way they lived their lives.  Their work and social lives always kept them on the move.  Even when they were supposedly sitting still at home, they were actually playing host and hostess to the friends and family that always seemed to be there.  Who knows; my inability to sit still may simply be genetic.

It’s understandable why you may never be satisfied taking on only one venture at a time since it seems to be an attribute you inherited.  You are truly the definition of what I call a Multi-Preneur.

By the way, I really like that term, “Multi-prenuer”.   I have numerous friends that operate more than one business at a time.  That is probably another reason I find myself involved in so many things.  The term I’ve heard some of them use is “Serial-preneur”, which is much less flattering.

-How are you able to be involved in so many ventures and yet still have time for your family and other activities?  Many of my ventures do have some overlap.  You mentioned that I am a radio personality and a real estate investor.  By night, as you put it, I am also a Master of Ceremonies.  What that basically means is I host special events at clubs and theaters around town.  As a radio personality, I merge that skill set with my background in real estate investing and financing as the host of the Mortgage Project Radio Show, which provides home ownership education and information.

-With all that you do now how do you manage the time commitment?  There absolutely must be a fair amount of flexibility in the time I give to most things.  A few set hours here, mixed in with some creative scheduling there.  For example, I tape the radio show from 8:30 to 9:30 every Monday morning, but I do have the chance to double my recording sessions from time to time in order to have shows in the drawer while I handle my other commitments. 

-Is there any one area you hope to solely commit to in the near future?  My greatest strengths are in the arts and creative fields.  I can only say that I hope to make my living solely as an artist some day.  But for me, that could mean selling my portraits, designing logos, performing on Broadway and redesigning/refurbishing old houses to sell for profit.  As long as I am able to sustain my family by being a part of some process of creation, I’ll be more than satisfied.

-It’s interesting that you consider “solely committing” to the creative arts one area of focus.  As I said before, you may never be satisfied taking on only one venture at a time.

-What is the biggest challenge you face today?  FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!  Yesterday, today and tomorrow – that will probably always be my biggest challenge.  It is tough to be your best at anything when you give focus to so many things at once.

-What advice do you have to those with multiple talents with aspirations to exercise those talents in hopes of being successful at one or more?  Do what you love and if you find yourself wanting to do something else, make sure you love that too.  Also, keep in mind that whatever you are good at; whatever your gifts or talents may be, they were given to you for a purpose.  Using those skills is NEVER the wrong thing to do.  If you find yourself with too many choices, put as many into motion as you can and you will naturally find yourself giving the right one the most time and attention.  When and if that attention needs to change or shift, it will do so naturally. 

-This is National Black Business Month.  How do you contribute to the Economic progression of Black Business?  I do much of my design work at a cost that is meant to encourage the new business owner.  When someone decides to become an entrepreneur, they can be overwhelmed with everything that it takes to get up and running.  Logos, business cards, letterhead and the cost of having such things should not be a huge concern for someone with so much to think about in the critical first months of launching their dream.  Image is important for any business, but I try to make a special effort in helping Black Business owners create the best image possible, even when there are budget restrictions.

I would like to thank Mr. Durham for taking time out of his very busy schedule to contribute to Spotlight on business.  Studio A is an exceptional resource for your creative design needs.  Please contact Aki Durham of Studio A at:  aki@StudioAofPgh.com.  Please see graphic design samples at: Studio A Samples