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

Hi Devony, thanks for joining us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

Working in an artistic field professionally often leads to a lack of clarity when it comes to addressing issues as they crop up. It can be difficult to know who to bring those concerns to or, if you’re dealing with a personal dilemma, it may be a challenge to hold yourself accountable to solve it. I think we can all look back and find moments where we wish we had a better support team or strategy in place for solving those problems. For me, I love to work on the creative elements of my business, but I tend to struggle when it comes to the more logistic side of things. Like, how do I correct this page error on my blog’s website? Or how do I optimize this post with the right SEO that Google wants to see? It can be easy to fall into the trap on the other side too- being overly detail-oriented or perfectionist to the point that you’re not able to finish anything! Done is better than perfect. I always remind myself of a quote from Rocky when it comes to overcoming adversity; “It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can GET hit and keep moving forward.” No one makes it to the finish line without a few stumbles, but you won’t make it there at all unless you get back up.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have been performing since I could walk, so I think my path has been set for me since birth! I started acting more formally in plays and musicals in grade school, and was singing solos in the choir years before that. I have always been drawn to live performances, but found myself taking on more commercial modeling and film acting work as I grew up. After graduating at the top of my class from Penn State, I spent years as a Stage Manager and Resident Assistant Tech Director in a variety of Equity and Off-Broadway theaters in the Tri-State area to gain a better perspective on how the crew works as well!

So where did that lead me now? It’s hard to pinpoint just one thing I am passionate about. I like to say I have worked every job in the industry both onstage and behind the scenes. I also say I will TAKE any job that keeps me close to the action, because that’s truly the level of love and commitment I have for entertainment. I’ve seen over a hundred live shows (Broadway, cabarets, new works, dance, immersive theatre, etc.), watched a thousand movies, and read even more books if you can believe it! I act, I model, I direct, I write.

My current business is focused on my personal writing, content creation, and editing scripts for screenwriters/novelists. Lately, I have been finding so much joy in helping others to hone their passion projects, asking insightful questions to delve deeper into what they are trying to say with each piece. I am constantly educating myself and staying on top of industry news and trends. This, coupled with my over 15 years working professionally in the industry, allows me to bring a wealth of knowledge to each project that you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Learning that your NO is just as powerful as your YES has been absolutely game changing for me as both an artist and a person. Growing up, I was influenced a lot by the media and the Catholic Church to be a “good girl.” Get perfect grades, excel in every sport, get cast in everything you audition for, don’t talk back, be respectful, do what you’re told- the list goes on and on. I think a lot of us can relate to the pressure that comes with trying to be a people pleaser. It would really hurt my feelings if I thought I had done something wrong, or if someone didn’t like me and I couldn’t figure out why. I would spend hours trying to craft responses to people I didn’t want to talk to, over projects I didn’t really want to work on.

Here’s what I’ve learned: You don’t OWE anyone a response. You don’t owe them your time or an explanation as to why your no is a no. People love to push back and try to negotiate boundaries all the time, especially with those of us that present as femme. That doesn’t mean you have to play ball though.

You can be a good person and respectful without caving to other people’s demands. Saying no allows you to not only preserve your own boundaries and limited time for the things you actually want to be doing and are passionate about, but it also allows the other person to find someone that will be genuinely committed and excited about what they are working on too! It’s not easy to start, but once you get used to saying it, ‘No’ becomes a wildly empowering tool to prioritize your needs.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” is a mantra my Dad instilled on me early on. I might not be the smartest or prettiest or most talented person in the room- but NO ONE is ever going to outwork me.

I could tell dozens of stories about pulling overnights to hit deadlines for my editing clients, or staying up bartending in Manhattan until 3am, letting myself into my friend’s apartment to crash on his couch for an hour, and then hustling downtown to open the gym I was personal training at at 5am. I could tell you how I worked 4 jobs at once when I first moved to NYC, and had a 40 day stretch where I didn’t have a single day off. I could tell you about the time I was walking with a cane after a violent attack left me with a leg broken in 3 places, but I still managed to power walk down the runaway at New York Fashion Week.

I have not had an easy life, which is something I don’t talk about often. But, I am truly grateful for these challenges, because they have built me into the person that is still standing today. Unbreakable, joyful, and never wavering in my resolve to achieve success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dimattianeverquits.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devonydimattia/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySsMooh5GejLMZUzJp5mkw

Image Credits
Steph Lamar Photo (for all pics minus the runway shot- black dress with the gold frame)