Nick Freed, president, Inner Circle Distribution
Who: Nick Freed, president; Noel Duncan, vice president; and Gary Mass, vice president of business development.
What: A full-service distributor of entertainment lighting products for professionals.
Where: Sunrise, Florida
Noel Duncan, ICD vice president
When: December 4, 2004, when Freed, Duncan, and Mass decided to start ICD over some beers in Duncan’s driveway
First gig: Duncan and Mass did the Boca Pops with Garret Sound in 1987, and vaguely remembering getting about $50 each
Current clients of note include:
Genesis, The Police, New York City’s New 42nd Street project (exterior lighting), American Idol, Maroon 5, Martina McBride, and Garth Brooks
I knew I wanted to do this when …. Freed: “I saw The Song Remains the Same. Immediately after that I begged my mom for a Les Paul guitar. As it turns out, you had to have a full head of hair and be able to sing a high note! Therefore, lighting was the next best option.”
Career Low Point: Duncan: “I was working a show at the Miami Marine Stadium, which was a floating barge in Biscayne Bay. We took for granted that we were loading in at high tide. Needless to say, the show ended at low tide and the ramps were then inclined at a 45-degree angle. This presented problems, as none of the gear had wheels! Me and the volunteer help worked a five-hour load out trying to heave everything up over the sea wall. ‘No-See-Em’s,’ vicious bugs, were involved. I got paid $100, minus taxes of course.”
Gary Mass, ICD vice president of business development
Career high point: Mass: “I had the chance to start this company. There is nothing more satisfying than setting out to reach a goal, then exceeding your own expectations.”
Coolest New Toy: Freed: “The Infinity Wash XL, from Coemar.”
PERSONAL
Home front: Freed: Girlfriend Sidney, daughter Taylor, and cats Duper and Clayton
Duncan: Wife Leslie and daughters Kristina and Brianna
Mass: Wife Emma and daughter Isabella
Island sounds “mon:” All confirm they are all currently on a huge Island kick, and especially fond of Damian Marley.
If I could be someone famous for a day, it would be…. Freed: “Gordie Howe. Hands down, the greatest hockey player of all time.”
My greatest fear is…. Mass: “Being 99.9% positive”
If I could go back in time and tell my younger self one thing, it would be: Duncan: “Don’t be afraid to talk to the women that you thought wouldn’t talk to you!”
People might be surprised to know: “ICD has a mirror ball from a Product of the Year Award years ago, that each salesman covets for the ‘Biggest P.O. of the Day.’ This award can be taken one day for a $500,000 purchase order, and lost for $1,000 the next. Either way, we proudly display and protect this object.”
Words to live by: “If you ain’t first, you’re last!”
