(Editor’s note: This is the 55th installment in a monthly series speaking with minority business owners and leaders. Each will be asked their views on minority-business conditions in the state and for ways to improve those businesses’ chances for success. See previous features here.)
When Tyrone Campbell was young, he was awestruck every time he visited New York City and stepped into Times Square with its gigantic, dazzling advertisements.
Even when he became a digital creator, his admiration grew because Campbell knew the hard work it took to generate the ads that flicked across the screens above the throngs in midtown Manhattan.
But in 2018, after he launched his own business, Campbell became one of the people behind a Times Square ad, a moment when his creation – a digital animation for CVS Health Corp. – went from his laptop screen to being projected for hundreds of thousands of people to see in New York City.
“It was a great full-circle moment of being inspired and hopeful,” he said.
Campbell is the founder and owner of East Providence-based TyTy Works Inc., a small video and graphics design firm he started in 2013. With a staff of as many as seven contractors, TyTy Works handles a variety of projects, from helping with a fundraising campaign for a children’s hospital in Washington, D.C., to a rebranding effort for a national insurer.
By design, it’s typically no more than three to four clients at a time.
Campbell says he was first exposed to video and digital arts production in college.
In 2003, he enrolled at the New England Institute of Technology’s digital arts program because he was interested in audio recording for musical artists. But in his first semester, he was introduced to digital photo and video editing. He was hooked and traded playing video games for creating animations on his laptop.
“Once I was exposed, I was just infatuated,” Campbell said. “That was my obsession.”
Campbell was still in college when he started freelancing, making animations using photo and video editing software on his laptop for local car dealership commercials. Early on, he also worked on every aspect of creating a digital campaign, including developing the creative concepts, filming and editing videos, and writing scripts.
“When I first started, I was willing to do anything – I loved it all,” Campbell said.
After building relationships with clients as a freelancer, Campbell figured it made sense to create his own business. He launched TyTy Works in 2013.
The more the business was getting hired to assemble marketing and ad campaigns, the more Campbell was pulled away from the creative side of the business for administrative duties. He decided to scale back.
Now, he communicates with a small number of clients, which enables him to serve as a creative director helping them figure out how they can communicate their message with different creative elements.
TyTy Works serves a larger purpose for Campbell, too: It helps fund his wife’s nonprofit that introduces children to entrepreneurship, as well as a men’s motivation and support group he created.
“Early in my career I was concerned and focused on making things look cool and fun,” Campbell said. “Now I’m more focused on impactful work.”
1. Do you believe racism is keeping minorities from starting businesses in the Ocean State or succeeding when they do? I wouldn’t say racism has personally kept me from starting or growing my business. I built TyTy Works by saving, reinvesting and maintaining a small, agile team. My success has been driven by high-quality work and a strong client experience. I have experienced moments where we weren’t chosen for projects, not due to race but likely concerns about the size of our team. Despite this, we’ve consistently delivered at a high level.
2. How dependent is your business on the support of other minority groups? Is that a sustainable business model? A significant portion of my clients are not from minority groups. Our business has grown through the quality of our work and strong reputation. While we developed a strategy to generate more business as a minority-owned company, it didn’t yield much success.
We’ve had great experiences with companies like CVS Health and Nike through their diversity programs, gaining valuable insights into operations, leadership and business growth. However, those connections didn’t directly lead to much work. When I worked with CVS as a “tier 2 supplier” through another agency, the trust was already there, making our “tier 1” collaboration easier.
Ultimately, sustainability comes from delivering high-quality service, being transparent and treating people like people. Business success isn’t about who you are, it’s about the value you bring and the relationships you build.
3. What one thing could Rhode Island do to boost the odds for minority-owned business success? A major challenge for minority-owned businesses is a lack of awareness, resources and knowledge. While programs exist, many entrepreneurs don’t know about them or see them as handouts rather than real opportunities.
The state could do a better job promoting and connecting minority entrepreneurs to these resources in an empowering way. Beyond that, we need to strengthen our communities from the ground up. Starting with strong households, financial literacy and changing how we talk about ownership with our kids. A state-supported mentorship program could help bridge this gap, pairing experienced entrepreneurs with those just starting out. Learning from others’ experiences prevents repeated mistakes. With better mentorship, education and awareness, we can build a stronger network of successful minority-owned businesses set up to thrive.
4. Have you had to turn somewhere other than a bank for a loan? Do you believe the state’s lending institutions generally treat minorities fairly? I have only taken out a loan once when I was unsure if a client’s payment would arrive on time. I easily accessed funds through the same bank that issued my business credit card, so I haven’t personally faced lending challenges. I’ve heard of minority business owners being denied loans or approved for significantly lower amounts, which is unfair. Raising awareness of these disparities is important. A minority-owned bank could be a powerful solution.
5. If another minority entrepreneur asked you where they could turn to for support for their business, where would you direct them? I would first take the time to learn about their business and understand their needs, whether it’s guidance, connections or specific resources. From there, I’d leverage my network to connect them with people who can provide real value.
Both structured programs and organic networking play a role in business success. Programs offer knowledge, but building relationships and staying connected with the right people is just as important. The key is consistency, persistence and accountability. Showing up, taking action and making the most of opportunities.
When we share knowledge, hold each other accountable and uplift one another, we build a stronger, more successful business community.
