We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Darcey Lacy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Darcey below.

Darcey , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?

One of the most important things I learned in my career prior to founding Watermark was that design needs to be function as well as beautiful. Working as a graphic designer within Marketing Groups at large International companies taught me to design for the needs of my clients – primarily sales people. I could make it beautiful, but at the end of the day, it also had to clearly get across what they needed to sell – whether in biotech, law or vacation rentals – effective communication through design is key. It also taught me that design can truly generate sales and grow businesses. Consumers tend to trust well-designed products, brands and companies, so naturally when choosing between a well-designed marketing piece and one that is not, you are helping the sales person win the sale through good design. Even when no sales person is involved, like today’s DTC market – consumers are making a decision based off of what your website and social feeds look like – do you look reputable? Design directly affects sales.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Over the last 12 years, Darcey has grown Watermark Design into an award-winning branding and package design studio, serving businesses nationally, and gathering accolades from The Dieline, HOW and PRINT Magazines, Harper’s Spirits in the UK, and the San Francisco Chronicle, among others. Watermark’s specialization in the alcoholic beverage category was born from Darcey’s personal love of wine, and has since expanded into the craft beer & spirits industries. Darcey’s time prior to founding Watermark was spent as the design lead within marketing groups in industries from law to biotech and hospitality. Her background in marketing shapes Watermark’s approach to design, considering not only the aesthetics, but also the sales and strategy needs important to the long-term success of the brand. Darcey holds a BFA in graphic design from James Madison University.

Watermark is a boutique branding & package design studio. We hone in on your specific industry challenges to create a unique, high-quality design that outpaces your competition.

We believe that great design drives sales through increased shelf presence. Our job is to entice someone to choose your product for the first time or choose your company, before they have tried it or know you, using clear & impactful branding.

With experience comes knowledge. We have been designing for craft beverages & premium brands since 2007. From navigating government approvals to having a deep database of resources, vendors, and unique production processes to further develop your design, let our experience lead your brand to the front of the pack, out of the gate.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think any long-term business owner can relate to the ups and downs of the economy and the precipice we sit on right now. Watermark began in 2007, right at the start of our last huge downturn, prior to covid. We were lucky at that time to be very small with lower overhead. A big help in getting through that time was city/government work since that is guaranteed, where the marketing budgets of your fun clients are not. It helps to become SWAM certified (we are small and woman-owned) if you qualify, as that helps when state-run entities are choosing vendor partners.

Covid was of course our next test, as it was for most small businesses. It came very, very close because we did not lay anyone off, we did not cut salaries… it did come down to the wire.

But there is daily resilience too. On the hard days, you still have to handle things whether you want to or not. You have employees, clients and vendors relying on you. There are days when everything is going wrong, and you just have to have the faith in yourself that you can push through to tomorrow. I believe in ‘this too shall pass’ and then you learn from your mistake.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Motherhood could be considered a pivot. A pivot from doing whatever you want, whenever you want. Working nights and weekends. Not having children’s doctors appointments, sick days, transitioning to day care, so many things. Working through the exhaustion of the first few years and finally coming up for air and figuring out who you are anew.

For me, personally, my first child helped me choose a path. I stopped designing and focused on running the business. I realized I could not do it all, and I could likely hire better designers than myself. I learned to prioritize what truly needed to happen that day and that is was ok to close the door at 5 and focus on my family. That transition continues today – I am learning to navigate what I was taught vs where the world is heading (remote vs office, hard hours vs flex and more). Every day is a journey as the world continues to change and with it, our business evolves too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://watermark.design
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watermarkdesigncville/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watermarkdesign/