Future Help Designs' bottom line is more creative than two basic colors, like red and black. The smartphone app start-up is moving to downtown Pontiac because its profitability is more dependent on the inspiration derived from a historic and eclectic city center than a vanilla office complex in the middle of nowhere.
"We operate in a very creative space," says Christian Marcillo, director of creative design at
Future Help Designs. "Cubicles are not our style. They don't work for us. We found a big, open space in downtown Pontiac that works for us. It's easy to walk out and get inspiration from the other artists that are down there as well."
Marcillo started the company with Glen Konopaske a little more than two years ago, after the two Mac fanatics were downsized from their corporate jobs. The pair began making iPhone apps and have since expanded into other mobile applications. The company also hosts training classes for iPhone and iPad apps.
The growth has been so significant that they decided to move their fledgling business out of Dearborn Heights to downtown Pontiac, taking advantage of the
Rise of the Phoenix program's free year of rent for firms that move to the city's central business district. Marcillo adds that the strong sense of community among Pontiac's downtown businesses and creative class workers also helped seal the deal.
Future Help Designs hands out paychecks to 20 people, split between four traditional employees and 16 independent contractors. The company has gone through three rounds of hiring over the last year, adding 1-3 people to its staff each time. Marcillo expects his start-up to add another 10 jobs over the next year.
Source: Christian Marcillo, director of creative design at Future Help DesignsWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at
SEMichiganStartup.com.
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