Meet Kirk P. Mitchell | Architect

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kirk P. Mitchell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kirk P., why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I am the child of two artists. Every since I can remember, I’ve been in love with expressing myself artistically. Growing up in a household where were creative expression was encouraged, I’ve always been given the support necessary to explore new ways to show creativity through numerous mediums of art. In elementary school I used to enter drawing competitions and always win! In middle school, my best friend and I had a business where we would draw cartoon characters like the Simpsons and graffiti style lettering on students jeans, shirts, jackets and fitted hats. We would use paint markets and acrylic paints so the colors would be vibrant and the designs would last. It was an incredible feeling walking through the halls of school seeing my classmates rocking our designs!

I’ve always excelled in art classes while in school and thus always had a close relationship with my art professors. In my senior year in high school I had to make a decision on what major I was going to apply for in my college applications. I told my art professor at the time (Mr. Ottochian) that I wanted to be a creative, but I did not want to be a struggling artist. He suggested I look into the field of architecture. From that day forward, I have been in love with architecture which in its simplest definition is the art or science of designing and creating buildings.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
AKT Designs LLC is a full-service minority-owned innovative consulting and architectural design firm based out of the New York Metropolitan area. We provide comprehensive design services that include architectural design, interior design, programming and planning. We believe that every project has its own unique opportunity for expression. For every project we engage, our primary goal is to discover that unique opportunity and create something beautiful, regardless of site, program or budget issues.

Collaboration is a guiding force at AKT Designs, as we believe that the best results stem from an ongoing dialogue and true partnership with our clients. By engaging our clients throughout the process and listening to their needs we emphasize the importance of a strong, functional and mutually educational relationship that is required to fully exploit a projects full potential. This is one of our top attributes that sets us apart from others, we don’t let ego overshadow our clients’ desires and needs.

In November 2016, I took a leap of faith leaving the corporate world to start my own practice. This was by far the biggest career decision I’ve ever had to make. It was not easy, but running my own architectural firm has always been my ultimate career goal. Having the right support system when taking on such an endeavor is key. My wife was and is my biggest supporter. Having a partner with another stream of income and health insurance coverage for the family made my leap a lot more attenable than if I had to do it on my own. I also leaned on my professional network in order to develop the amount of business I would need to supplement my corporate salary. When I broke the news of my big move, I received nothing but well wishes, encouragement and support from my friends, family and ever-growing network.

If there is one thing that I want the world to know about AKT Designs, it’s that we absolutely love what we do! The passion for design is what drives us to master our craft. As head of AKT Designs I am thrilled to say, “I am living my dream!”

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that contributed to by success, however there are two people specifically that are not just responsible for my artistic talents, but also my drive and spirit of entrepreneurship. Those two people that I’d like to shoutout are my father and mother Paul and Cyndy Mitchell.

My parents are the ones that saw my artistic talents at a very young age and made sure to cultivate those talents by exposing me to so many forms of art and ensure I was involved with as many art programs, clubs, and activities that they could find. Because neither of my parents were able to monetize their artistic talents, I made it a goal in life to ensure I was able to do what I love, create and design as a career and livelihood. As the saying goes, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Waking up every morning being able to express myself artistically is one of my biggest successes in life, thanks to my amazing parents.

Website: www.akt-designs.com

Instagram: aktdesignsllc

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artkirktech