Describe the business
We are a visual storytelling company that uses animation, and drawing in particular, to help people understand complex information. We are best known for our work with the RSA – they came to us about five years ago and we created a series of animations for them.
The current incarnation of the business was set up in 2004 but I have been working in the arts and digital translation sector for about 25 years now.
Why did you decide to launch the business?
I wanted to put my skillset to work! I didn’t want to be another Generation X arts graduate destined to work in a non-related “McJob”. I was driven to invent a career to work in and then made it up as I went along. I am still making it up.
What was your light bulb moment?
I read Edward Tufte’s essay “The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint” and understood that there was possibly another way to make presentations and communications. I got the idea to call the company Cognitive from this essay.
What sets you apart from other businesses?
I have had experience, through previous work, of listening to corporate boardroom-level discussions about business. But first I went to art school and trained as a fine artist. The combination of having an art background but being privileged enough to listen to these high-level conversations is valuable, I am quite comfortable in both areas. That experience sets us apart from others.
Tell me about a project you are proud of
One project we have just done is A History of Ideas for the BBC – it involved 48 animations dealing with quite big questions. These sorts of things don’t need a literal translation, they need something quite open and non-dogmatic. We do a lot of research – we love information and finding out what makes things work, and playing around with language.
How is your industry evolving?
Everyone now has a smartphone, and things are moving more and more towards video. The internet has opened up a whole different world to people.
What are the biggest challenges for you as a business owner?
Managing people is one of those things that requires a specific person and set of skills – I am an ideas person, blue-sky thinking. My strategy to cope with this challenge is to employ very good people.
Do you enjoy running your own business?
It is a weird thing running your own business. From the outside people think people running their own business are out drinking gin and tonics on the beach, but it isn’t really like that.
I enjoy the challenge of running a business but I also hate the challenge of running a business. It is a strange world to exist in. But what I really enjoy is giving people employment, as we are based down in Folkestone.
What advice would you offer to budding entrepreneurs?
The key for many business owners is to want the company to be able to exist without you. My goal is that I feel comfortable enough that it can operate without me being in it.
The world has developed so much now in terms of the creative industries. You have all these channels now that are open to you. When I was at college it was either be represented by an art gallery, or work in McDonald’s. But now you can market yourself. It is quite exciting, especially for young people.
Andrew Park is the founder of Cognitive
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