We were lucky to catch up with Diane Palma & Maria Misko recently and have shared our conversation below.

Diane and Maria, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Success is such a personal thing. It takes a clear and honest idea of what you find successful and holding on to that as you walk along your journey. You have to be true to who you are, what makes you happy, and what fulfills you. For us we want to have fun, bring value and make a difference in other’s lives. We want to be partners to our husbands, a good example of hard work and passion for our children and giving back to our Community. Keeping this personal mission in mind takes you through the good times and helps you focus through the difficult. And of course you absolutely need a good support system. In your work and professional life. Genuine relationships with yourself and others is the ultimate success for us.

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?

Getting into a field that revolves around a form of expression is not something you necessarily choose, it is something you can not really avoid. We both have been perusing art of some form since childhood. Being interested led us both to taking Photoshop classes as young adults which really solidified where we felt comfortable. We enjoyed the creative problem solving design gave us.

We started the idea of digho back in college but it wasn’t until we had a few short(ish) years in the corporate world that we realized that was not where we can make a difference.

Our business has evolved over the past dozen years in terms of products and specialities but our approach has always been the same. Treat each client or project as a blank canvas in which we would create a visual representation of what made them unique. Today we focus mainly on image branding and marketing for our B2B clients. What that really means is we become a part of their business, know the ins and outs, what makes them different and what they are offering special. In order to create a true visual representation of the business we need to feel it the way they do. We build a relationship not only with the clients but with the business as a whole. Very organically we go through what projects they need at what time to get them to their goals. Whether it is a brand new business and we start with a logo or a company going through changes therefore need a rebrand. We also work with clients that already have a strong brand that needs us to come in to respect the brand while keeping it growing in the right direction. The projects we focus on is never the same because it is based on individual business needs. We create a marketing plan and that tells us what is next. Logo, newsletter, brochure, infographic, social media assets, print digital and outdoor advertising, all the pieces for a large or small event. Truly the list is endless and because we collaborate with each client we are always cultivating and welcoming new ideas with open arms.

What sets us apart is what we are most proud of. We thrive in a world where entrepreneurship and creative expression are one and the same. This space we are so fortunate to be in was not something we went out and was seeking for but that found us as we were seeking for ourselves. Our business is personal. It is the only way we can create an effective visual brand. You can not talk the talk if you do not walk the walk. And the relationship we build is just as important as the design work we produce. Our image branding and marketing is not effective unless we take their business as serious as our own. Their brochure is our brochure, their event journal is our journal. We get to celebrate a passion with each new job and we take great care and pride as that passion is shared.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

It began as a running joke that our business is family style but it really is the common tread in everything we do. The three of us started as friends but very quickly became family. There is no connection like to those you took a conceptual art class with where you found your voice. We started in on our parent’s dinning room table, our first employees were our moms, siblings and even grandparents (unpaid obviously). Our first clients were our cousins and their friends. Every aspect was a family event and everyone was invested. We both come from large loving and overly involved families. It is the only way we know how to be so it is natural. digho is a family. And I know it sounds cheesy but every client a member. You are not always close with all your family members or even like them but nonetheless family. We meet, work and create with our clients at our “dinning room” table and we get involved, get nosy and truly invested. We work hard for them and with them so each success they celebrate we celebrate with them. This consistency is what build our reputation to what is it.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

Like very many businesses our near death moment began in the Spring of 2020. We found ourselves in a situation where we had to strip ourselves down to the bare minimums which for a while we thought was devastating but looking back it really did give us a once in a lifetime opportunity to start over. And when you do something you have done before for the second time it is SO much easier. We had 10 years of self taught lessons assisting us in all our decisions on how to build up this business. What could we be doing better for our growth and what do our clients need help with the most. It was striped down to just us owners which brought this sense of trust and peace that we will be fine. We were given the quiet time to remember why we were here and why with each other. It gave us time to spend with our children and spouses which is our most important roles. We came out with new products, new clients and more prioritized way of working. We are certainly not saying it was all roses!! We relied on allll our relationships, from our husbands to our landlord. It certainly takes a village and we believe because we always do our very best and appreciate all we have that it carries us through to being stronger now than before.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dighoarts.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dighoarts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dighoarts
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2299276/admin/