5 Years of Doing Good Work
— Looking back at 5 years of doing good work for good people, with good people. —
Through dedication, perseverance, and staying true to ourselves, we have successfully reached 5 years of doing good work. Overcoming numerous obstacles and triumphs, from a pandemic, and shifting to a remote work model, to taking on international projects and onboarding new team members, it’s safe to say we’ve experienced our fair share of growing pains. Our team took some time to share their sentiments on what they’ve gained since being a part of the herd.
Paul Ross: “Since being in the sign industry for a while now, there are a lot of ways in which I’ve seen Studio Dzo differentiate itself from other sign companies. The biggest thing that separates us from other companies is that we put a ton of thought, effort, and weight into the “why”. Meaning we don't just take the task itself at face value, we really dig into the design process itself, telling a story with our design, rather than just giving the partner what they want on paper to check a box. Something else that really sets us apart is that we’re extremely customer service-based, and all-around customer-focused, always aiming to achieve the “wow” factor with our work. At the end of the day, they’re our partners, not our clients. Going into some of the biggest changes and evolutions I’ve seen since I’ve been here, the main one has to be simply the quantity of the work we’re taking on, and not just having more projects number wise, but we’ve really taken on a lot more “full-breath” projects. For example, the ADA packages and wayfinding work we do, we’ve really taken on full force over the last year. We’ve embraced these projects giving 113% effort no matter what the ask is. I feel that we’re growing and will continue to grow in a really positive direction, from being able to handle the level of work we do from a WFH setting with ease to bringing on two new team members this year, it’s safe to say that Studio Dzo is truly thriving! ”
“We’ve evolved into a full-scale, full-service design studio, and being a part of that evolution has been incredibly rewarding.”
Jordan Braithwaite: Being with Studio Dzo since its inception, I’ve seen us grow and evolve as a brand over the years greatly. I started at Studio Dzo as an intern, and now as a Senior Designer, I feel so proud of all we’ve accomplished throughout these 5 years. As a company that started off doing just signage, we’ve evolved into a full-scale, full-service design studio, and being a part of that evolution has been incredibly rewarding. One of the biggest ways we’ve grown has to be the amount of genuine and trustworthy relationships we’ve formed with our partners, not only in quantity but in quality. We’ve cultivated valuable relationships with so many of them and it really makes me appreciate the work I do every single day. I am beyond proud of the amount of branding work we’ve done and will continue to do, establishing ourselves as an authority on that front. I’ve learned so much from my time here and the experience has been nothing short of fun & educational all at the same time.
Russell Toynes: Studio Dzo has made an impact of necessary change in the design landscape over the last 5 years, and I only see that continuing in the years to come. I’d be lying if I said I had this all planned out. My goal upfront was to disrupt the sign industry by making an impact not only through who we are as a business but primarily in the relationships with our partners, which I think has been our biggest achievement. Finding out that a lot of them didn’t know good design could be code compliant, inclusive of all users, and look amazing, was and wasn’t all that surprising. We showed that you could work with a sign design studio that genuinely does good work rather than just checking a box. Having partners that are willing to go to bat for us, that trust us, and come back to us time and time again is what we aimed to do, and we’ve achieved that with so many amazing businesses. Good work truly does lead to more good work. Looking at the sign industry, I think we’ve made our largest impact through the quality of work we’ve shown we’re able to deliver, which has definitely influenced better design or at least increased the awareness that design is an extremely important part of the process that customers are wanting. With our goal being to keep climbing, we will stay strategic and intentional about our decisions, always thinking of what’s best for the team as a whole. I hope to position Studio Dzo to be even more of an authority in the larger design community, through continuing to build new connections, and really diving into the educational aspect of what we’re capable of. For example, the insight we’ve shared through “Sign School Saturday”, and continuing to share our work, values, and service approach. I am beyond thankful that we’re here at our 5-year mark, with no doubt that if we continue to do what we’re doing, opportunities will keep coming our way and we’ll continue doing good work with good people, which is all I can ask for.”
Erica Blanco: “I was extremely determined to pursue a new and enticing challenge upon deciding to take the plunge moving to a new city, but I never would have imagined that I’d be so lucky to jump into an amazing team like the one here at Studio Dzo. I knew I wanted to do something new, and whatever that new thing was had to be with good honest people. Since joining as the Studio Dzos Brand Ambassador, I’ve been able to learn about a multitude of businesses in Austin that we partner with, which really helped me feel a sense of familiarity with the city as a newcomer. Coming from the east coast originally, and living in Chicago for 5 years definitely engrained me with a really hardened and on-guard approach to working with others, but I can say with 100% sincerity that the team here at Studio Dzo has totally shifted my perspective on what it means to function as a team effectively and healthily, while still leaving room for some fun every day. Having leaders who value mental health, the work-life balance, and my general well-being is all very new to me, and I couldn’t be more grateful to do good work with good people that hold these values.
“Owning a business is scary. Owning a business in a pandemic is terrifying. We watched a lot of businesses older than us turn their back on their team at the first opportunity. We stood strong, we supported the people who supported our dream.”
Kristina Freres: “Russell, Elizabeth, and truly the entire team lives up to Studio Dzo’s “Do Good Work” motto on a daily basis. I genuinely feel that Russell, Elizabeth, and the team as a whole do not just meet, but exceed the “Do Good Work” motto. Nothing goes undone or unnoticed, and I love that everyone has an undeniably vital role, always supporting one another not only in the work we’re doing but just simply as human beings. We have a team of not only talented, but genuine people, and to see that good work in action really sets apart my experience at Studio Dzo so far from any other place I’ve worked. The thing that has stuck with me the most in terms of seeing the team surpass the “Do Good Work” motto has to be the amount of dedication and effort everyone puts into the work they're doing, as well as the partner relationships we hold. I’ve never worked at a company that cares as much about cultivating partnerships with the people we do business with, which isn’t an easy task on top of the amount of design and technical work that goes on behind the scenes. I am thrilled with what I’ve learned and gained here so far and can’t wait to see what the future holds for Studio Dzo.”
Yen Lien: “As someone with a wide array of artistic pursuits, joining this team has challenged me in extremely positive ways. I was very excited to join a team that would challenge me in a variety of ways. As a designer and a fine artist, and in general, doing smaller-scale design, I never thought I would be doing large-scale design work. I have learned so much over the years and have grown extensively as a designer. I have worked on everything from full brand identities to large-scale three-dimensional structures, all things that I haven’t had the opportunity to work on before. I was, and am still, challenged to think bigger when it comes to the work I do here. Outside of design, I’ve learned a lot about effective communication and how I can best serve the team & our partners. As a team, we are always learning from each other and helping one another grow in every way. Being part of Studio Dzo has shown me that when you are doing good work with a team, that truly treats each other like family, it’s hard to call it work when you actually love doing it!
Elizabeth Toynes: This incredible, rewarding journey has exceeded any expectations I initially had when we founded Studio Dzo. At the start, I knew we had something special. Special doesn't always translate to successful, but I knew Russell and I, with our great team behind us, would make some waves. I can't lie and say that at this 5-year mark the business is exactly what we planned 5 years ago, but what small business, on the downhill curve of this pandemic, can say that? What I can say, is that because we can have this conversation, today, at 5 years, post-ish pandemic, this dream of ours has definitely met my expectations set forth 5 years ago. We set out to do Good work, with Good people, for Good people. I've had hard conversations with companies letting them know we would not work with them because they were not a good partner. As an owner, that is a hard conversation. Like really hard. Like hanging up the phone, shaking, in a bit of an anxiety attack, hard. But going back to our motto is what has kept us going and what sets us apart. And in that regard, this business has exceeded my expectations. We continue to do good work, with good people, for good people. Now that we are here, in our 5-year celebration, my confidence in our model has only grown. We couldn't have done that without a team that firmly believes in our mission, and who is as passionate about our dream as we are. Owning a business is scary. Owning a business in a pandemic is terrifying. We watched a lot of businesses older than us turn their back on their team at the first opportunity. We stood strong, we supported the people who supported our dream. It wouldn't have been right to turn our backs on our team in their time of need when they have had our backs since Day 1. Our mission is also inward, we do our good work with good people. And, of course, having a great partner is monumental. Russell is dedicated to our mission and believes in this company more than anyone else. Our partnership is tantamount to our success. We push each other, we support each other, we tell each other no (which is my favorite part), and most importantly, we remind each other why we are doing this.
Without a doubt, we have experienced some of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows through these last 5 years. But, we have never lost faith in our team or stopped giving damn. We are committed, 113%. Our team has proven to be unshakeable, adaptable, and consistent in everything we do, which has and will continue to carry us onward. So what lies in the road ahead for us? As continue to grow, evolve, and adapt, the one thing we can guarantee is we will do good work for good people with good people.
