Kevin Watson is an entrepreneur and owner of Phases Creative Studios, a photography and graphic design studio located on the far east end of Main Street in Hyannis. The Jamaican-born longtime Cape Cod resident’s island vibe and natural drive — along with help from his wife — have created a profitable business and an open space for POC to express themselves through photography and design. Watson plans to build up the visibility of POC on the Cape, in the world of photography.

“There wasn't a photo studio for people who look like me. You know, I've seen the photos on the beaches with that preppy Cape Cod kinda look. It seemed that we weren't included. So I wanted to create that space for people who look like me.”

Watson has long ties to the Cape, coming over from the island in 1999 on a work visa program and living here full-time since 2012. Like many of us, Watson is a wash-ashore but has brought with him a drive for success. Watson attributes his inner drive to his grandmother, like many matriarchs, she put her best foot forward and made things happen for herself and her family. “Growing up as a kid in Jamaica, we were poor but I didn't know that we were poor until I was grown. I looked back on my situation and my rock, that would be my grandmother. I didn’t know that we didn't have much until I was grown because she put her best foot forward and made things work.” Phases Creative Studios is one of the many products of Watson’s internal drive.

Amplify: What does your company offer?

Kevin Watson: Phases Creative Studio offers everything in the creative aspect of graphic design, t-shirts, and photography. We say Phases Creative Studios or Phase 2 Graphics because that was the first phase two graphics. We had a shop back home in Jamaica and when we transitioned here, you know, it's like we left the other phase in Jamaica. This is phase two of my life. So this is where Phases comes from. We do birthdays, we do weddings, we capture all of the phases of your life.

Amplify: What inspired you to get into this business?

Waston: Graphic and art has always been a passion of mine, but I've noticed in my community, on Cape Cod, there hasn't been anyone filling that gap as a photographer. There weren't any photo studios for people who look like me. You know, I've seen the photos on the beaches with that preppy Cape Cod kinda look, it seemed that we weren't included. I wanted to create that space for people who look like me. A comfortable environment where they're gonna come and can feel a little bit of themselves and take photos, you know?

Amplify: When did you start your business?

Watson: Well, my business has been in the basement for a while. We got a shop last year, I think it was October or November of 2020. We did a little renovation and then we opened in May of 2021.

Amplify: How did you go about starting your business? What steps did you take?

Watson: First step I did was I got this spot. I rented this spot and everything came out of my pocket. I haven't gotten a loan or anything. Everything was out of my pockets. I rented this spot, I went in my savings and I got my equipment. Yeah, it wasn't easy, but we got there. It's just me and my wife, Jenny, for now. She's been the person behind me who helps motivate me and helps and drives me. Cause sometimes, you know, I want to give up because it's kinda crazy sometimes, I gotta give thanks cause she's always been there, behind me always. There's going to be trials, you know. So, I take every disappointment, I use it to be like a learning tool.

Amplify: Where did you learn that frame of thinking? To turn disappointments into a learning tool?

Watson: Growing up as a kid in Jamaica, you know, we were poor, but I didn't know that we were poor until I was grown. Looking back on my situation and I'm like, my rock, that would be my grandmother. I didn’t know that we didn't have much until I was grown because, you know, she put her best foot forward and made things work. We didn't have money or anything like that to do certain things. We didn’t have the privilege to make money, so we had to make things work from the ground up. You know, nothing was handed to us. When we didn't have it, we made a way to make it work. That's my mentality. If anything happens you just try to move forward. You don't give up.

Amplify: Did you encounter any obstacles along the way?

Watson: Yea, when I started, I spent out of pocket to renovate the place. And I didn't know that the unit I was in was so... it's on main street, but I didn't know that this side of Main Street is like, segregated, you know. On one side of Main Street is like the preppy, everybody kind of fluffs to that side. And on this side it seemed like there's a whole lot of drug addicts on this side. I had to walk over people to come into my business on a couple occasions before I opened the doors to the public.

There's one time I came in one morning and the ceiling came down, like there was water all over my brand new furniture and everything. I didn't have any equipment in there at the time because we were getting ready and that happened on like three occasions until I talked to the landlord and got it under control.

Amplify: Have the recent events of the country and the current financial climate affected your business?

Watson: Well, my business is fairly young. What I've seen so far is that my business has not operated when things were good [before Covid-19]. My business wasn't around then, so my business has been operating in the CoronaVirus crisis and it has been good.

Amplify: Where do you see your business in five years?

Watson: I see myself in a bigger space because I think I've outgrown this space in a sense. I feel like there's no space to do anything, I have orders to go out and it's crazy. I see myself in a bigger space, in a bigger shop with bigger things and with more inclined people. That’s kinda where I see myself in a couple of years.

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On the Web: https://www.phasescreativestudios.com/
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhasesCreativeStudios/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phasescreativestudios/