Welcome to The Habitual. It’s nice to see you here. We hope you’ll hang out for a bit, because we have something important to tell you about big changes we’re making at DiMassimo Goldstein (DiGo).
After more than 25 years of doing well, we came together as a team and decided to do only good. We agreed to be guided by a single mission—to help form better habits that change lives for the better.
You see, people don’t always do what they know they should do. Much of marketing makes it worse. We’re not afraid to admit that, in the past, we too have contributed to that noise. Too often we have worked on things we did not believe in. But not anymore.
From now on we have decided to work exclusively on promoting better habits by building brands and businesses using Positive Behavior Change marketing.
If we can help anyone eat better, breathe easier, live longer, sleep smarter, learn faster, love deeper, feel mentally healthier, emotionally stronger, or financially more well, then we believe the investment in creating those stories will have been worth it.
Welcome to the new DiGo – The Positive Behavior Change Agency™️.
We are a community of people working around the globe with diverse talents all committed to being agents of Positive Behavior Change. We work with brands that help people make better choices and form better habits. When they succeed, better things happen for us all—individuals, organizations, and the world we all share. Helping everyone reach their potential is how we intend to reach ours.
We take this stance seriously, which is why we’ve decided to relaunch our brand, starting with The Habitual by DiGo.
The Habitual is a new publication from DiGo – The Positive Behavior Change Agency™ dedicated to helping people, businesses, and brands form better habits. Why? Because habits are the result of committed, consistent, and continuous Positive Behavior Change. There has never been a more important time for a positive statement. This is ours.
If you share our view or want to join our cause, we’ll help you find the right Positive Behavior Change for you. If you want to work for us, let Felicia know. If you want us to work for you, reach out to Lee. And if you want to learn more about Positive Behavior Change marketing, Mark is ready to chat. Finally, we’d love it if you helped share our first publication, but no pressure.
DiMassimo Goldstein (DiGo) is the world’s first creative agency focused exclusively on promoting better habits by building brands and businesses using Positive Behavior Change marketing. Over the years, we’ve lent our expertise to life-changing brands, including BetterHelp, Shutterstock, Wondrium, Partnership to End Addiction, WW (formerly Weight Watchers), SodaStream, Samsung, Echelon, Pfizer, and CVS Health, among many others across various industries. Headquartered in New York City, DiGo has teams across the globe and is committed to creating an enriching environment of diversity, equality, inclusion, and creativity. For more information, visit digobrands.com.
At DiMassimo Goldstein, every member of our team plays an important role in bringing our clients’ ideas to life and helping them inspire action.
“A Day in the Life” is a new blog series that shines a light on the many faces behind our agency and the different roles that we each play, showcasing the creativity in every corner of our office.
This week’s post provides a glimpse into the daily routine of Operations and Finance Coordinator at DiMassimo Goldstein, Hannah Mardini!
I wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy.
JK.
In truth, my alarm blares angrily at me and I slam my finger down on the SNOOZE button. Finally, after a couple more angry prods from my alarm, I am up and getting ready for work at DiGo.
Cue the montage of getting dressed, frantically brushing my teeth, applying a bit of mascara, and grabbing my bag. A short drive away is the Riverside train station where I take the 8:08 (as long as it’s not late) and arrive in New York, New York at 9:00 a.m.
The subway can be a pain, so we’ll skip that part.
At last, I arrive at DiGo.
I genuinely enjoy where I work, which is something a lot of people don’t have the luxury of saying. I work on both the Operations and Finance teams, starting as a tiny, naïve intern and becoming the full-time, full-fledged employee I am today. It’s incredible to think that a few short months ago, I had no idea where I would be – now I am working at an agency that Inspires Action in New York City.
In Operations, I’m at the forefront of all renovations and major agency changes from birth to life. When I was just starting out, at first, it was overwhelming! The agency relies on my team to create change that is not only efficient, but benefits everyone and allows them to work more cohesively. But hold on to your hats, because while it might be daunting to think about, creating that change is an amazing and fantastic thing to experience.
As an example, there was a large discussion for a better communication method between team members. People were using different methods with different people and there was no streamlined channel, leading to confusion and general discomfort because of all the channels being used. (Insert the amazing ops team here!)
Over the course of a couple months, after meetings and streamlining and planning, the Google Drive was chosen as the medium to go forward with. It is where all team members can connect and share documents and media with clients and fellow members in one cohesive hub.
Over the course of a couple more months, after meetings and streamlining and planning, the moment had come – the rollout itself. Our tech support staff was assembled…. the Creative Lounge was equipped for an agency-wide meeting… and a hush fell over the room as the reps from tech support began the meeting.
Myself and the ops team were a bit nervous for this part. It was all finally happening! (Quick shout-out to Deb! You were amazing!)
Which brings us to today, where I can look back on everything with a feeling of pride. Already the Google Drive has impacted team members across the board. The Google Drive helps people connect, communicate, and inspire each other on a daily basis. Being a part of something greater than yourself is something I and everyone at this agency strive to do every single day and the fact that I could play a greater part in making this happen is absolutely wonderful.
Where I used to be overwhelmed, now I see an opportunity. Where I once didn’t have a clue, now I can solve the mystery. Where I once thought I was alone, I now have a kick-ass team at my back. (Another quick shout-out to Desiree, Bertin, Chayenne, and Maham!) My team consistently challenges and helps me to get better, work things out, investigate, and act. I owe so much of what I’ve learned to working with such a close-knit, inspiring team, and I am grateful that I get to work with them each and everyday.
After each day, I try and think about the bigger picture of my role here at DiGo. Even though the every-day minutiae can get exhausting, I think about the friends I’ve made here and how the work I do impacts them and the clients they work with on a daily basis. After this reminder, it’s back to Grand Central, back on the train, and back home to reset for the next day.
At DiMassimo Goldstein, every member of our team plays an important role in bringing our clients’ ideas to life and helping them inspire action.
“A Day in the Life” is a new blog series that shines a light on the many faces behind our agency and the different roles that we each play, showcasing the creativity in every corner of our office.
This week’s post provides a glimpse into the daily routine of an Assistant Brand Manager at DiMassimo Goldstein. Matt Zani brings unrivaled enthusiasm and energy to every account he works on, including TradeStation, Sallie Mae, National Jewish Health, and Starr Companies. To learn more about a day in Matt’s life, read his story below.
Having spent exactly a year at DiGo, the five images below accurately represent my every day at the leading Inspiring Action and Behavior Change Agency.
Stepping into this beautiful world isn’t bad every day. The agency aesthetically reflects its inner soul which can be seen clearly through the walls teeming with award-winning work. A glance at the décor and a cup of coffee from the DiGo kitchen is all I need to get my day going.
DiGo breathes strategy. The agency’s process and work are strategically infused, bringing insights and measurements into creative work that allow it to work harder.
Don’t even get me started about the eats. I don’t know what I like more: Salad Wednesday, Bagel Friday, Friday happy hours or Mimosa Mornings?! Not to mention, we have some of the best snack-sharing in the ad agency game. A bowl of Cocoa Puffs is never more than 10 steps away.
DiGo is a culture designed for growth. The employees inspire each other to achieve and tease the most out of the work. The leadership team has instituted structures and programs that allow for employee transparency. There is opportunity for development and learning for whoever is hungry and willing to seek it.
The people are truly what bring this place to life. At the end of the day, DiGo is filled with bright and beautiful minds infused seamlessly to create campaigns, branding and work that hit home in the universes they aim to reach.
– Matt Zani, Assistant Brand Manager. Photographs by Will Jellicorse.
Starting out somewhere new is never easy. You’re tasked with figuring out a boatload of new information for yourself: what those acronyms stand for, which conference room you’re supposed to be in, or what your coworker’s name actually is because you’re pretty sure it’s Pat, but maybe you misheard him and it’s Matt, but it’s too late to ask now so you just decide to play it safe and avoid calling him anything at all.
It can be tough to navigate these new waters – unless that place is DiMassimo Goldstein.
I’ve had the privilege of being DiGo’s Client Fulfillment intern since December, and I can honestly say this transition has been seamless. From day one, I’ve been met with nothing but warm smiles, welcoming coworkers, and great opportunities to get to know them better. Perhaps the greatest opportunity of them all has been the Buddy Lunch.
I realize that this is not a widespread term, as I’m lucky enough to be at the company that’s at the forefront of the Buddy Lunch Revolution. To better clarify this DiGo terminology for our readers, I’ve created a definition:
Buddy Lunch (noun): a midday meal paid for by your company during which you get to better know one or several of your coworkers, and thus, make new friends.
Example: “Hey, John. You seem like a really cool guy. Let’s go to Panera and chat it up!”
This might not sound typical, but keep in mind that nothing about DiMassimo Goldstein is typical. This is the same company where within my first two weeks, I experienced things like team karaoke, meditation, cats and dogs in the office (and no, that’s not a metaphor). So, a free lunch during work as a way to make new friends? That just seemed like classic DiGo – and I was all over it.
Unfortunately, my execution was not as effortless as my excitement. After several drafted emails later, I still couldn’t think of the right words. How exactly is the best way to say “Hey, you probably don’t know me, but that’s why I’m emailing you. Should we get some lunch so that we can learn each other’s names?” Didn’t exactly work. Luckily enough, some kind soul in the office saved me from my own awkwardness and invited me out to lunch. If you know anything about DiGo’s employees, you’ll know that this display of kindness is par for the course. To no surprise, it was a great time: flowing conversation and plenty of laughs over a pizza that was definitely fit for more than two people. Was I sure this was the dreaded “work” that all my employed friends were warning me about?
After that, I felt comfortable. I had a friend in the office, and I had the momentum to make some more. With every Buddy Lunch I went on, I felt like I became more a part of DiGo because I got to know the people who made it so special. Each person imparted their wisdom on me, wanting to give me the best possible advice on how to succeed at this company. Though I valued their input greatly, it was their willingness and enthusiasm to help others that most resonated with me.
I quickly realized that everybody at DiGo wanted the best for their peers, and the feeling was contagious. Whether it was pizza with someone from Studio, dumplings with the Account team, or salad with someone from the Marketing team, I felt such a strong sense of support from the people I was surrounded by, and it made me want to do the same for others. To me, that defines success at a company.
If that isn’t #InspiringAction, I don’t know what is. Power to the Buddy Lunch!
I still remember when I first saw the job opening on LinkedIn; it described the CRM Manager as, “the organizational linchpin for the agency’s marketing efforts”. Now, six months in, I can see why.
With support from the rest of the Marketing team, I develop multi-channel and data-driven recommendations for lead nurturing and conversion. I analyze the different touchpoints and interactions of our contacts and build customized campaigns delivered to the right people, at the right time, through the right channels.
What’s your average day like?
I’m sure more than one would say the same, but at DiGo, there’s not one day like the other. My days go from being in meetings, planning and launching lead gen campaigns, updating the database and connecting with prospective clients; to running ads, sending PR pitches, building integrated reports and reviewing tools to integrate with our CRM. Oh, and testing, lots of testing!
Do you have a morning ritual to get you in the zone?
I love having everything ready the night before; it gives me time to slow the pace in the morning while enjoying my fresh brew of Colombian coffee with Nick, my husband. I wake up around 5:30 a.m. (when I decide to work out, which is not very often), then shower, coffee, breakfast, get a quick update on the news and leave. The ritual that gets me the most in the zone is probably during my commute. I always carry a book in my bag, listen to a podcast, read the Fast Company edition of the month, or listen to whatever playlist fits my mood — “90’s Hits” has been on repeat this last week!
What’s your favorite part about what you do?
Being able to do what I love with so many amazing people! Everyone is passionate, welcoming and ready to work. Working on the Marketing team, for example, is exciting and challenging but it can also be unpredictable. When days turn crazy, my team works hard, runs around and get things done while having fun doing it. There have been nights when I go back home with sore abs, just from laughing.
What elements of your workday do you look forward to most?
Besides working with a great team, seeing positive results is what I look forward to the most (don’t we all?). Launching successful campaigns, receiving positive feedback and seeing the hard work come to life will always be an energy boost. The baked goods in the kitchen, bagels, movies, ping pong tournaments and mimosas help too :)
What’s the most challenging part of being a CRM Manager?
Translating data into robust and customer-centric marketing campaigns. We are in a time when every user expects a completely unique experience and no two paths are the same. It’s a challenge, but I like it!
What’s your favorite thing about being a CRM Manager?
Being at the center of it. You can do so much when you have a fully integrated CRM system. You have a full 360 view of your database, a thousand possible touchpoints and a different behavioral history for each contact. It’s like a puzzle!
If you could describe DiGo in a phrase, what would it be?
An inspiring combination of originality, diversity and hard work!
– Daniela Arevalo, CRM and Email Marketing Manager
We are so proud to announce that earlier today, DiMassimo Goldstein CFO and Partner Desiree Cortez was recognized as a winner of the 2017 SmartCEO Brava Award!
The Brava Awards program celebrates high-impact female business leaders who set their companies on the path to tremendous growth, and no one is more deserving of that honor than Desiree. She is a fearless leader who brings an unmatched enthusiasm and passion to everything she does, and we couldn’t be more thrilled that her hard work is being recognized by the rest of the industry.
In addition to being agency Partner and CFO, Desiree is also the head of our human resources, finance and operation departments – but even that would be selling her value and importance to the growth of this agency short. For 12 years now, she has been instrumental in helping establish DiGo’s position as the lead behavior change agency for life-changing marketers. We simply would not be where we are today without her.
Internally, there isn’t a better representation of our agency culture than Desiree. She puts our core values of love, courage, and understanding at the center of everything we do, and the team is better for it. Whether it’s our weekly meditation sessions, salad bars, quarterly internal surveys, or our buddy lunch system, Desiree has had a hand it all.
She has a passion for helping people grow. A former intern at the agency herself, she helped establish our internship program, which over the years has evolved into a cornerstone of our company. She creates the training materials for all new team members, ensuring that they are both prepared and comfortable to contribute right away. For team members who have been here for years, her door is still always open for mentorship. Desiree goes out of her way to make sure that every person within these walls knows that they are valued member of the team, and works hard to help them realize their potential.
This latest award marks yet another accomplishment in Desiree’s already inspiring career — which she wrote about on this very bloglast year. But above all of that, she is a rock to her family and an incredibly active member of her community. We are so lucky to have her.
From all of us here at DiMassimo Goldstein, Congratulations Desiree!
We’re so proud to announce that Rebecca Weiser, our very own Director of Integrated Media and Analytics, has been named one of Gramercy Institute’s 2017-2018 “20 Rising Stars in Financial Marketing!”
We’ve known Rebecca to be a star since the day she joined DiGo as a Sr. Media Planner back in 2012. In the five years since, she’s proven that time and time again, growing through the ranks of the agency and continuing to be a true agent of the client.
Rebecca has played a vital role in inspiring action and growing the businesses of leading financial brands such as Ally Bank, TradeStation, Online Trading Academy, and Affinity Federal Credit Union through award-winning media strategies. In a constantly evolving media landscape, Rebecca considers all factors that could potentially impact media performance. She approaches each new business problem as an opportunity to provide creative, innovative, and thoughtful solutions. By looking at the story beyond the numbers, she brings unique insights to the table and offers actionabale analysis that has consistently driven growth for our clients.
Her leadership among the team provides clients with the ultimate confidence that their dollars will be spent efficiently and their trust in her has resulted in significant business growth year over year.
Less than 10% of companies on the list appear more than three times, much less in consecutive years.
Our growth is a direct byproduct of the growth and fulfillment of our clients, so we truly mean it when we say that we share this award with all of them. Our clients are our partners, and they make our mission of inspiring action possible by inspiring each one of us here at DiMassimo Goldstein every day.
This recognition is also a reflection of our team members who work so hard to drive this organization forward every day. The first step toward growth is having a vision, but that vision is only as good as the culture and team that works to bring it to life. At DiMassimo Goldstein, we’re lucky to have all three.
When brands focus on purpose, rather than just profit, their marketing blaze tends to burn hotter and last longer.
