PART I: THE BEGINNING

(About a 3-minute read, or you can listen to all 3 parts of the story below!)

Hi!

I'm Diana. 

Maybe you know me as the half-of-a-face behind Platinum Penny, probably not, but I think it’s about time I shared a little more than the sunglass-wearing, hat-loving, face-covered, photoshopped version of me!

So, what's my story?

Well…where do I begin?!

​I guess if I had to pick a few words to describe me, I might say…

Creator. Inventor. Designer.

I like the word inventor, but I'll use it loosely because many of my “inventions” have never seen the light of day. That goes for many of my creations and designs as well. I am always the girl with the ideas, but also the girl that winds up cringing every time she sees her idea realized by someone else first. To my family and friends, I am "jack-of-all-trades, master of..."(you know where I'm going). If you ever need someone to whip you up an outfit, MacGyver a wardrobe malfunction, rearrange your living room, or come up with creative gift ideas for your SO, I’m your gal!

All kidding aside, I use these words to describe me because I am happiest creating, inventing, and designing.

In 2011, I dug up a hidden entrepreneurial spirit in myself and left my full time job as an Art Director designing advertising for Macy’s brands like barIII to start my own graphic design business. (I did make and sell hand-sewn scrunchies on my front lawn as a kid, in hopes that my sister and I could start a business, so maybe my 8 year old self was pushing me to do it.)

I am sure all the Creatives out there can understand; staying in a job that is no longer creatively stimulating can feel like hell. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands…AKA: respond to hundreds of graphic design “gigs” on every Craigslist site from here to Canada and pray for responses. (BTW Thanks, Craigslist. You helped launch my business ;)  A logo here, an invitation there, and those side gigs turned into me working my corporate job from 9-6 and coming home to work on my other projects till the wee hours of the morning. I saved every cent I could from those freelance clients because I knew I was going to need it, and in March of 2011, I took the leap of faith. 

I knew I could at least pay my rent for 6 months if (god forbid) I didn’t get a single new client, and long story short, I didn't have to dip into that savings once!  No turning back. My creativity was on fire, because no one was standing in my way. I was working with brands that I would have otherwise never had the opportunity to work with had I stayed in the corporate world, and I had the freedom to be creative.

Win. Win.

Fast forward to 2015. I am 4 years in, busier than ever, but getting that damn creative itch to do something “on the side” again. I missed the fashion industry, and while I styled a bit here and there, I wasn’t working with fashion brands as often as I would have liked. I decided I would blog about fashion. Great idea, right? ‘Yes, Diana, you and 100,000 other women.’ I thought it was a good idea, nonetheless. Creative juices flowing… I was connecting; I was styling; I was playing dress-up; I was shooting; I was editing; I was writing; I was learning web code; I was shopping for looks; I was taking courses on social media for business; I was trying to collaborate with brands and figure out the world of affiliate marketing; AND I was running my graphic design business all AT THE SAME TIME….(sensing a problem here? Ya, me too) and that’s when I had to hit the BIG FAT PAUSE...

So what now?

I wondered that as well.

Don’t worry…there is a light at the end of this tunnel….

More in part deux of this saga. 

XX
D