We recently connected with Dee Sali and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dee thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I started the agency with my husband, Kris. We wanted a name that not only encompassed what we do but also how we do it. Our character, our style, and how we do things is what sets us apart. We are a powerful force for change, helping to bring genius ideas to life, cultivating connection, and bringing heart and a feeling of community into all that we do. We wanted to choose a name that reflects all of the above and so much more.

During a long discussion about the agency, Kris thought of the term ‘esprit de corps.’ It’s a French term that means ‘spirit of the body’ or ‘a feeling of pride, fellowship, and common loyalty shared by the members of a particular group.’ As soon as he said ‘Esprit,’ we knew that was our name! I also loved the clothing brand Esprit when I was growing up (I’m aging myself), and now they’re making a comeback!

Esprit Creative Management is a creative production agency dedicated to supporting our community. Together, we stand united in our purpose, bound by a shared commitment to elevate creativity, foster lasting relationships, and make a positive impact in the industry.

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

My name is Dee and I started the agency with my husband Kris. Now I run the agency on my own and Kris consults on the operations side, which is his expertise.

In hindsight, I’ve realized I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I’ve also always been connected to sales, marketing and production.

In elementary school, I was bartering Hello Kitty supplies with my sister and cousin. We would set up shop every weekend and trade our inventory. In middle school, I had a friend who would pay me to write out the lyrics to songs. I always had a good memory and it was easy for me to remember the words to new songs. In junior high, I had a scrunchie business with my best friend, LaShaunda. I remember my aunt would help me buy the fabric and supplies, and sew each scrunchie. We sold them for $1. We even bought clear bags to carry the scrunchies in so students could easily see the merchandise. We would take our earnings and half would be split between us and the other half would be spent to buy more fabric and supplies. I don’t think the business lasted long, but we did a few rounds!

At the same time, I was also in a multi-media class that I loved! There was a project that I was in charge of. We recreated the title sequence to Beverly Hills 90210 using our classmates. Our entire classroom worked on it, but I was in charge of the production. We chose who would play the characters, we designed the sets and we shot all the scenes ourselves. I was in charge of editing. I would work on it through lunch breaks and after school. We presented the final video at the end-of-year class presentation, where I was also one of the 3 MCs.

My parents moved after I finished seventh grade so I lost the connection to that path. High school was pretty amazing, but my college years were not the same. I struggled to find my way and made not-so-great choices. It was a very long detour for me. The relationships I made during college are the ones that make up my inner circle and the people that I can be myself with. I met my husband, my best friends, and many more lifelong friends. We all have stories and challenging shared experiences that will keep us connected forever.

All this to say that it took me a while to find my way back to my heart and soul – my purpose, my passion.

My career started off in Los Angeles where I moved to after bouncing around from UC Irvine and FIDM. I was in fashion production working for a company that made tailored suits for professional athletes. After that, I worked many years in retail management and eventually landed a job as the West Coast Regional Merchandiser for Oliver Peoples. I loved that position because I was able to travel a lot and meet new people. I also had my daughter during that time. I was a working single mom who would travel all the time. I’m so grateful for my family, especially my cousin, who lived with me and was like a second mom to my daughter. With her help, I was also able to graduate with my BSBA degree, emphasis in marketing.

From there I worked for Allegro, A Division of Conair Corporation as Senior Account Marketing Manager. I knew marketing was my jam, but I wanted to be on the creative side. At Allegro I assisted at a photoshoot and loved it! I had a very small part in the entire production, but loved being in that atmosphere and surrounded by the creative energy.

As luck would have it I made my way down to San Diego from Los Angeles and became the Marketing Director for San Diego Hat Company. SDHC is where I honed in on my production, leadership, and creative skills. I was in charge of the production of their large-scale seasonal photoshoots and 100+ page wholesale catalog. I also managed digital marketing and tradeshow management. My best success story was when I first started at the company. I was hired in October and their seasonal photoshoot was in November. I was able to execute the photoshoot on time AND come under budget by 30%. The photo shoot was not my best! In the 10 years I worked for SDHC I created processes that tripled their creative output, and maximized time and resources.

During my time at SDHC I moved to the Central Valley to be with my husband. After the dust settled I was lucky to continue to work with the company remotely, before Covid happened. That’s when I started my agency. I wanted to help more clients the same way I helped SDHC.

I started my agency in 2018 as Deefine Yourself Marketing – offering a variety of marketing services. I just had to throw my name in there! Haha! But I noticed that I struggled with a wide offering. I had my hands in everything, not really feeling like it was my zone of genius. We transitioned to Esprit Creative Management in 2020. Our agency now focuses on creative production.

From the time I started the agency until now, I’ve gone through major transitions. I’ve grown exponentially, personally and professionally. As mentioned in the previous answer, I want to focus on building a community of like-minded individuals who want to help everyone succeed. We want to create damn good work, push ourselves to the creative limit, support everyone along the way, and get paid for it! Everyone is unique in what their zone of genius is. That alone is magical. So imagine what happens when we get unique people together who love what they do = fireworks! And different combinations of people produce something new and exciting. My strength is finding those people, knowing how they work together, and leading and inspiring them to reach collective goals. All while saving time and money.

At Esprit Creative Management, we handle it all – from lifestyle imagery to social ads, product shots, and brand videos. Our dedicated team is here to support you, allowing you to concentrate on what matters most: growing your business.

We understand that every brand is as unique as its vision. That’s why we offer you the freedom to choose your level of collaboration with us, tailored to your specific needs and preferences. Whether you prefer a Feather Touch, a Collaborative Approach, or seek Total Oversight, we’re here to make your creative journey seamless and unforgettable.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The two biggest lessons that I’m still learning are: 1 – knowing what my strengths are, and asking for help with the areas of weakness.
2 – how to be the CEO of the agency and not an employee.

Both lessons start with an understanding within. I love the quote by Maya Angelou – “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” The quote starts with ‘liking yourself’, which requires knowing who I am.

I know that I’m a natural doer and problem solver. So much so that it’s difficult for me to turn it off. I’m always thinking of ideas, what to do next, skill development, etc. My husband used to say that I would scare him in the mornings. I would just jump out of bed and get going. That’s when my mind is most active. But that energy was frazzled and unfocused and by the afternoon I would be burned out. I was trying too hard to do everything. For the first few years, I was focused on getting clients, doing the work, and repeating. I wasn’t thinking like a CEO. I wasn’t thinking long-term.

With the natural doer tendency I now spend a lot of time focusing on holistic wellness. I create habits that help slow down my nervous system. I have a morning routine that allows me to wake up, enjoy coffee, walk my dog, meditate, journal, and get in 10 min of stretching or yoga. It helps me focus my energy and pour it into the right projects and people. I understand that I work better in spurts, mixed with face-to-face connections so I schedule my days to include power hours and lunch meetings. I used to think mornings were my most creative times, but I’m creative throughout the day when I slow down and take time mini breaks for myself. I also end the day with my evening routine – no devices for at least an hour, tea or lots of water, journal for a quick 5 minutes then reading.

From the calm and centered state, I know how to ask for help when I need it. It also helps me focus on operations and how to scale the agency.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Creating with other people. I love working solo and need my downtime to recharge, but I love being surrounded by people who have the same energy and pour into a project. Our agency is not only for clients but for our vendor partners. I love the challenge of coming up with ideas and finding ways to realize them. Then I enjoy the success of the project when I see the imagery in marketing campaigns.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.esprit-creative.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esprit_creative_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/espritcreativemanagement
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/esprit-creative
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EspritCreativeManagement

Image Credits
Jen Brown from Of Stardust and Earth Polarized Studios Meagan Brown Rachael Dickens Brooke Raines Pacific Studios Visual Candy Models: Lacey Claire, Julana Dizon, Asia Pulko, and Rowena Karmy