Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in design and branding services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alejandro Romero, Founder of Diéresis Agency, located in Denver, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Diéresis Brand Consulting Agency (Diéresis Agency) is a small branding and design consulting agency located in Denver, CO. We do branding, web design & development, graphic design, and more with a boutique approach where every aspect of what we do is tailored to meet client's specific needs, and we mainly focus on small to medium businesses. We've worked with many clients across the mainland USA and Puerto Rico; for example, we've collaborated with the Denver Art Museum (CO) and Puerto Rico Leads las Americas (PR), to name a few.
Tell us about yourself
I started working as a freelance designer back in high school; at the time, graphic design was an interesting hobby. It quickly became something I enjoyed doing and could also help me connect with people working with interesting brands and projects. At the time, I was living in Puerto Rico, where I was born, but in 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by a devastating hurricane which forced me to consider moving to the States. I somehow managed to end up in Denver, CO, where I decided to start a small but effective agency, and Diéresis was born.
As to what motivates me, collaborating with others who are in the process of starting a business or launching a project fuels that hunger that keeps us going. Working with people who are also passionate about what they do is also a big plus. In this industry, you never know what you will be working on next, and that is also something that keeps me and the people that I collaborate with excited about what each day can bring.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I would have to add a parenthesis here and add that success has different definitions for different people. That being said, to me, the biggest personal accomplishment since starting Diéresis Agency would be making many different mistakes once. That is, making mistakes and learning from them, so those become valuable lessons.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Starting a business is not an easy thing, so there are many to choose from. In my experience, which of course, can be different from others, the hardest part is having to learn to wear many hats at once. Diéresis, as I mentioned, is a small agency with a big impact, so I have to be on my toes and keep myself updated in different fields to keep the ball rolling. From SEO to accounting, you never stop learning and updating what you know.
I once read something along the line of "the day we stop learning is the day we die," which can be read as "we never stop learning" or "if we don't learn, we will fail." Both seem very accurate, even more so for those in this position.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
This is actually a great question and one we've discussed internally and with clients multiple times.
The first thing is to ensure you have an idea or product worth selling. There is no worse feeling than investing money and time into an idea that is dead on arrival. Make sure what you're selling adds value, and there's a sizeable market for it. While there is an audience for everything, you have to make sure that audience is big enough to sustain a business that is profitable.
Second, a small callback to one of the previous questions; don't be afraid to make mistakes. Go out there and make calculated mistakes. Try new things, take a different approach, turn things upside down, and see what works and doesn't. Google is one of the biggest companies in the US, and they still try new things that don't work out. Of course, a company like Google can afford to experiment at a bigger scale which is why I say make calculated mistakes.
Lastly, the most important tip when starting a business: contact us for a great brand name and brand identity that will help you start your business on the right foot.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.dieresis.agency/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DieresisAgency/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dieresisagency/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DieresisAgency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dieresisagency/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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