Marketing and much more

S. James Kwon operated as a consultant of graphic design using the brand name Figmints, beginning in 1999.

For the next decade or so, he worked with several marketing and design agencies throughout the Northeast, developing brands and building websites for big-name enterprises, such as Mini Cooper, Virgin Mobile and Verizon, to name a few.

While working with these large companies, however, Kwon realized the same level of service and expertise was missing from small to midsized businesses, so he saw an opportunity to branch away and start his own agency: Figmints LLC.

“When I was a marketing director for years, marketing was always this black hole. You threw money into it and you hoped to get something out of it,” Kwon said. “Today, marketing is measurable and unbelievably effective. We can tie every dollar in marketing to the return on investment.”

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Kwon’s enthusiasm for the job and his faith as a Christian, which is one of the core values of his business, has struck a chord with both clients and employees. Kwon estimated the business would hit about $250,000 in sales during its first year in 2012, but Figmints made that much in half the time, according to Kwon.

Today, the business comprises 21 employees and pulled in $1 million in revenue last year, Kwon said.

“Doing great work because it’s our passion and joy, that’s what we believe we’re built for and that’s what’s unique about us,” Kwon said.

But it’s not only the group’s work ethic that resonates with clients, Kwon added. Figmints focuses on user-interface design and user-experience design, also known as UI/UX design, along with video storytelling and marketing. The equal focus given to these three areas, Kwon said, is what sets the company apart from the competition.

“I think there are very few agencies that take those three things as seriously as we do,” Kwon said. “There are a lot of agencies that might do two out of three, but they have no idea how to draw audiences to the solutions they provide.”

The Pawtucket-based company does about half of its business in Rhode Island, with the majority of its clients on the East Coast. Kwon, who graduated from Johnson & Wales University, planted his roots in Rhode Island, which he says is a good market for business.

“A lot of agencies I talk to say [Rhode Island] is a dried-up market and there’s nothing here, but I beg to differ,” he said. “Three out of the last four people we’ve hired, we’ve had them move here, so we’re also attracting people to Rhode Island.”

The growing company also tries to collaborate with entrepreneurs and fledgling companies to help raise money for ideas and products. It offers in-kind services and consultation to help them launch. Those services are one way Kwon believes Figmints could scale, saying once the startups begin creating revenue, the company will also benefit as its marketing firm.

“The agency is ‘the main business,’ ” Kwon said. “But it’s really great to tap into the startup market as well.” •

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