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

Hi Dina, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

My career has been a series of small and big risks especially as an entrepreneur. I have found that the more risks you take, the better you are at making them and the less fearful you are when doing so. My risk-taking includes a combination of strategic planning and intuition. One of the biggest risks I have ever taken is when I left a major record label to launch my own artist development company and creative space. I worked on music mogul Antonio “LA” Reid’s team at Island Def Jam for six years. I had a secure job, bi-weekly direct deposit paychecks, amazing health benefits and a 401k, but I knew it was time to challenge myself and branch off on my own. I gained all the experience of a corporate machine and built solid relationships, so I had a strong foundation to step out in faith on. My gut told me that in order to grow I had to get very uncomfortable and push myself. So I took a risk on my own tenacity and work ethic and had to “eat what I killed.” The good news is that I successfully built a highly-recognized recording studio in Midtown which turned into an Atlanta staple. I developed and nurtured talent while curating a space for collaboration. Twelve Music & Studios was an example of me betting on myself and eventually winning (not without a lot of failures and money spent). Thus, following up with my next risk of selling the studio location in 2019 to focus on other ventures. And the calculated risks continue…

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

I am a seasoned entrepreneur and have been in the music business for over 20 years. Currently, I am the Co-founder of C&D The Agency, which is an all women-led agency specializing in business and entertainment. We help brands build and scale especially in the multicultural community. We bridge the gap between businesses, brands and talent with their consumers, audiences and fans in ways that are relative, lucrative and socially responsible. Our services include Marketing, Branding, Public Relations + Crisis Management, Operations Management, Sports + Talent Management and Project Management.

In 2020, I partnered with my long-time friend and marketing guru Courtney Rhodes after the pandemic helped us focus and realize that our passion is mentoring younger women, which is the crux of why C&D was created. Since we both came from male-dominated industries and never had women mentors throughout our careers, we wanted to make that difference for the next generation of women leaders. We are dedicated to empowering minority women and providing a safe space for collaboration and innovation. Our tagline is “Creating & Doing The Work From Within” because we are the women who are getting the work done internally and externally.

We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.

As I previously mentioned, I sold my recording studio in 2019. I owned and operated Twelve Studios for 7 years. At one point, I had a staff of 10 people and about 30 interns. My motto is “you build to sell” and I think the key in selling a business is timing and knowing when to pull the trigger. Oftentimes, entrepreneurs get stuck on their brand and forget that with the right opportunity they can build another successful brand. Selling while a business is in its prime is way more adventitious than holding onto it, if done properly. You should always be building with an exit strategy in mind and either a timeframe, profit number or sale price as goals. Again, for me this decision was a mix of instinct and vision.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Hiring and building a strong team is vital for the success of a business, and sometimes, this takes a lot of trial and error until you find the right fit. Managing a team requires clear communication, organization with processes in place and having compassion. It is important to invest in team-building activities and create a company culture that perpetuates high morale. The key is to lead by example – show your staff through your words and actions how they should deal with conflict, collaborate and encourage teamwork. You must be clear on your vision and values so that it translates throughout the entire company. People tend to work harder and have more loyalty when they feel appreciated, respected, valued and heard.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dinamarto.com / www.canddtheagency.com
• Instagram: @MissMarto / @CandDtheAgency
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missmarto/ & https://business.facebook.com/CandDTheAgency/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dina-marto-8a9522 & https://www.linkedin.com/company/canddtheagency
• Twitter: @MissMarto / @CandDtheAgency