016: Alberto Scirocco

Columbus Entrepreneurs' Podcast

Today’s guest is a newer member of EO. Alberto Scirocco joins Kevin to talk about moving here from Italy, and how his freelance design turned into a business. Since starting the company, he discusses the change in the demand and the field, and how they as a company have had to change and evolve to keep producing the best product. Tune in today to hear about some of their specific projects at Left Channel, and what Alberto hopes for the city of Columbus, when it comes to creative engagements.

Key Takeaways:

[:29] Alberto is a newer member of EO, and is here to share his lifeline. He is originally from Milan, Italy, and he moved to Columbus when he was 20, and attended the Columbus College of Art and Design. Coming here allowed him a lot of different artistic learning opportunities, and after he finished school he working doing design in motion for a production house.

[2:35] He fell in love with the profession and advanced very quickly, and then began freelancing. His freelance venture grew to include more employees, and suddenly Alberto was running a studio/business. This began in 2008, and in the last five years, the business has been changing. There is more organization and intention about the way they are doing business. The focus now is more on solving people’s problems, which has led to a deeper satisfaction.

[6:44] Originally they used to interact more with advertising agencies and operated more as an execution group. Now they interact more with companies, forming deeper connections and long-lasting relationships with their clients.

[7:46] The turning point came around 2011 when Alberto had to reorganize some roles when people left, and it brought to light some of the work that had been done, and the work that was being done by others in the field. All in all, it has led to a much more positive outcome, despite the constant change. Alberto speaks to how this change in demand has affected their efforts and product.

[11:50] Fortunately there are still creative opportunities for Alberto, while he’s working to develop the business side as well. There are still visual things he wants to solve, but he tries to balance the work he does for his clients with the passion projects they work on as a team.

[13:55] Alberto talks about the importance of having a team. It allows for a lot of idea share that allows everyone to do stronger work. Some of Alberto’s favorite projects are the ones that play to the natural strengths of his team; their excitement makes a great work environment. Alberto talks about some of the different types of projects they have handled, as well as the ways they’ve tackled some projects that aren’t quite as exciting or demanding.

[19:13] While the variety of projects they do keeps creativity fresh, it does present a bit of challenge for the business side. They are wanting to move closer to relationships and longer engagements. Project work requires more planning and hunting for projects.

[21:08] Alberto talks about growing up in Italy, and where his entrepreneurial aspirations stemmed from. Growing up, he had a difficult time in school. It was when he started studying martial arts (jiu jitsu) that he felt empowered, and this translated to many other avenues of his life, including school. This experience taught him the importance of being exposed to great teachers, and served as a catalyst for his creative and entrepreneurial ventures.

[26:19] Kevin and Alberto talk about the transition from Milan to Columbus. Even though they’re both big cities, there is a different mindset between the two cities. Alberto enjoys that Columbus allows opportunities to be in the fray or to take a step back from the bustle, while still being in Columbus.

[30:50] Alberto got involved with EO when he began speaking at conferences. As he got to know his competitors and have a chance to talk to them, he desired to find that same community in Columbus. When he was expressing this to his friend Chris, he was introduced to EO, and it has been a great experience so far. It has provided a great platform to talk about shared experiences with people who understand, and are going through the same things.

[36:50] Right now Alberto’s team is working on a lot of housework — organizing and rethinking some of their branding. They have a lot of projects coming up that should be pretty exciting for him and the team.

[40:38] Recruiting can be difficult as a creative company where a lot of their competition is outside of the area. Currently they are looking to recruit more on the business side, preferably people who have some experience in business-specific roles.

[44:35] One of the things Alberto wishes is that the people of the city took a braver approach at the self-perception of the city itself. Columbus has all the potential the people put into it, and it is a unique city that the people should take pride in. This may help to encourage some of the more creative businesses and originators in the city.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Columbus Chapter of Entrepreneurs’ Organization

Left Channel