Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dana C. Arnett. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Dana C. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Our agency’s purpose and mission is to connect millions of diverse consumers to products and services that change their lives. When my business partner Carlos Sapene and I founded Wicked Bionic in 2015, we initially focused on delivering exceptional marketing services without a defined mission. Our backgrounds in the entertainment industry instilled in us a deep appreciation for quality and excellence.

In 2018, we were contracted by the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) to run a paid media campaign for their New Americans initiative. This initiative provided free immigration services to local residents seeking a path to citizenship in the United States. Our campaign was aimed at multicultural and multigenerational individuals within our community. We utilized various platforms such as digital, social, print, radio, billboards, buses, shelters, and rail to spread the word. A year later, we were invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony for those residents who had completed the LAPL’s free program.

Carlos and I attended the ceremony at Central Library, watching as residents and children of all ages, along with their families, proudly waved American flags and walked up to the stage to receive their citizenship. With tears in our eyes, we realized this was exactly the type of work we were meant to do. With a focus on diversity, we were to reach and connect to all types of consumers with initiatives that would change their lives.

Since then, we have been fortunate enough to work on various campaigns, including those focused on preventing human trafficking, high school diploma scholarships, promoting teen health, free e-media, and preventing Veteran suicide, among others. We are driven by our clients and the citizens we have the privilege of serving, and we remain committed to our mission.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was a 30+-year entertainment industry veteran before starting Wicked Bionic. In the last years of my career, I was a VP of Post Production for a top 5 production company and delivered over 6000 television shows to global audiences.

In 2013, I was motivated by the psychological effects of discrimination directed at me by a company I had been loyal to for almost a decade. I retired from entertainment to build an agency whose foundation promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion internally and externally.

My partner Carlos and I are morally and philosophically the same people. What’s wonderful about owning our own business is that we get to create the type of organization that welcomes diversity in all of us, not just the obvious. Our immediate team of Jasmine Magee, Sam Mink, April Fallon, Ella Laurente, and our diverse partners is what sets Wicked Bionic apart from other agencies. When you’re a service-based business what you have to offer is your people and the magic they create together to successfully serve our clients. We have that magic and the passion and experience to connect clients to consumers. We love what we do!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

It’s every business owner’s challenge to find and convert new clients, especially in the beginning. Wicked Bionic is solidly in the government space now after eight years in business. We are working on more corporate partnerships in 2023. I am in charge of business development for the company, and we are always looking for whales as our clients. We started out working with other small businesses, but after two years, we needed to grow to a larger market segment to support us and our growing team. My strategy is a long-term play – relationship building. I think this is something necessary for any business owner no matter where they are in their journey.

If people don’t know or like you, they won’t hire you – no matter how good you are. I engage by offering to be of service to colleagues or those corporations that may not need my services (yet!) but may need a resource or a referral I can provide. I’ve learned to be a “Go-giver”. Instead of attending a networking event and asking what I can get or who can I meet, I position myself to see what I can give and who might need a hand, a connection, or a referral. THAT’s what makes me happy, and that’s how the business comes.

Every business owner, even if you don’t have a big bank account yet, can attend networking events for their industry or join organizations like WBENC, NGLCC, or a local chamber of commerce to meet people. The one big piece of advice I could give and that I really needed to hear after two years was, “DON’T BE THE BEST KEPT SECRET!”

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Carlos and I were very, very fortunate and started our business with clients that helped us stay afloat our first year. After that we had to get hustling. We ran out of people we knew, and I waited a little too long to put myself out there. Year two was a struggle, but I joined a business mentoring group that gave me focus and direction. Plus I was accepted to Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, and that grew me up very quickly as a business owner. I was very fortunate to have taken advantage of every opportunity to learn more that came my way.

Contact Info:

• Website: wickedbionic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wickedbionic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedbionic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcarnett/

Image Credits
All taken by Wicked Bionic