Five Questions With: Jami Ouellette

Jami Ouellette is president and creative director for Im-aj Communications & Design Inc. Ouellette recently moved her company’s headquarters to South Kingstown from Providence. She spoke with Providence Business News about the decision to move out of the state’s capital city.

PBN: You recently moved your company’s headquarters to West Kingston (a village within South Kingstown) from Providence. Why?
OUELLETTE: We have had a studio in Richmond for 14 years now. But about four years ago, we decided to move most of the Rhode Island staff to Providence, leaving just a satellite office in Richmond. The decision was based on a number of factors, including convenience, as many of our Rhode Island clients are in Providence.
In general, though, it just felt like the time had come. About 20 years ago, I had a small space in Providence but, since then, we’d mostly stayed south. So we leased a beautiful space in the penthouse at 127 Dorrance St. with amazing views of the city.
We loved being in Providence. Everything is walkable and the city has come a long way. But, the space was always a little tight for us and – like just about every Rhode Island business – we have had to adjust to a changing economic climate and find ways to do more with less. Moving back to South County meant paying less for more space, with ample, free parking.
There is more to it, though. The South Kingstown area is absolutely beautiful and I find that the scenery and serenity inspire creativity. We’re next to an historic train station, which is also convenient for my travel to out-of-state client meetings. And many members of the staff are keeping bikes here since our new studio sits right along the bike path. Some of the staff has a longer commute but it’s a pretty one, through woods and farmland. And a few are carpooling. It’s all good.

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PBN: So the cost of real estate was a significant factor?
OUELLETTE: Cost was definitely a major factor. We’re paying less for more desperately needed space. We started looking within Providence, but even when we found space we could afford, the parking was inadequate or expensive. In fact, parking availability and cost became the deciding factor to look elsewhere. I literally was getting four or five parking tickets per week because I am on the go constantly and it was just too inconvenient to find garage or lot parking for every meeting that was not within walking distance. Plus, I was paying parking stipends to staff, which increased my costs even further.
Ironically, we came very close to leasing space north of the city, in Pawtucket. I think Pawtucket has great potential and is heading in the right direction. There is a nice concentration of creative businesses. But the space wasn’t far enough along for our needs. In another couple of years, I think it would have been perfect.
It so happened I was sitting with Matt Davitt of Davitt Design Build. He is a long-standing Im-aj client (and now he is also my landlord). I told him of my search for space and he mentioned he had space available in his office condo. The size was just what we needed – about 3,500 square feet. I know and trust Matt, and I live in South County. It just all came together at that moment.

PBN: Don’t you miss being in a metropolitan area where many Rhode Island businesses are headquartered? It seems like many businesses move to Providence, not from the city.
OUELLETTE: We kept an office on Dorrance Street that also has a conference room, and I am there at least a couple of days a week. So I still have the benefit of enjoying being in the city. I truly love and believe in Providence, and I am excited about the likelihood of Angel Taveras becoming mayor. I intend to always maintain a presence there. I know the parking issue is a challenge, as it is in all major cities. I’ll be interested to see if Angel can come up with affordable parking solutions for small businesses.
Aside from that, our new office is right near the University of Rhode Island, which offers us just about every convenience and a great energy, not to mention opportunity for new business and internships. It is not only close to my home; three of my staff members live in South County, as well.
As for the commute to visit clients, we are so “Rhode Island!” I am a half-hour from Providence. I’d spend that time getting to my car or weeding through traffic half the time anyway. Plus, while Im-aj has many clients in Providence, we have many that are not in Rhode Island. This location brings me closer to our Connecticut and New York clients and being right at the train station is convenient for travel.
All things being equal, I would love to split my resources more equally between Providence and South County. That would be the best of both worlds. So I intend to keep a close eye on opportunities once the economy picks up.

PBN: Im-aj keeps offices outside of Rhode Island. Do you think differently about where to locate such satellite offices now?
OUELLETTE: Between our offices in Providence, Portland, Maine, and West Kingston (and small satellites still in Richmond and Seekonk), we enjoy the best of many worlds and much opportunity. As a firm that is as strategic as we are creative, we are influenced by many factors beyond proximity. Sometimes a bike ride on the South County’s [William C. O’Neill Bike Path] – where we are not distracted trying to navigate through the city – is just what we need to overcome a mental block.
But the majority of our clients are in New England, so it makes sense for us to have satellite offices and staff that are easily accessible for meetings, press conferences and other events. With these locations, we are well positioned to respond quickly to our clients throughout the region. All of our locations are within close proximity to train stations and airports, so we can easily get to those outside our region, as well.
At the moment, we seem to have geography pretty well covered. But at the same time, we’re not afraid to adjust if the need arises. Right now, our client base in Maine is growing pretty quickly. We’ll see what that means.

PBN: What advice do you have for other companies looking for a new space?
OUELLETTE: Well, much of my former space in Providence is available now so I’d be remiss not to send them there. It’s gorgeous! As I said, I would not want to steer anyone away from Providence. It is a great city. I would however, suggest thinking outside of the box. Anything goes, and cities and towns are beginning to realize that homes and jobs together in smaller, village-like communities is a model that works. I am a believer in “smart growth.” As clusters of homes and local businesses, schools and services become more prevalent, our structure works even better.
Right now, so many businesses are being financially challenged, so it’s important that every dime spent can be justified. Cutting back on staff is not the only option. We managed to find a beautiful, spacious location, just minutes from Providence; we’re saving money and preserving a very talented team.