Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Nguyen.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Diane. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
If anyone had told me that I would be running my own business two-year years ago, I would have thought that they were crazy and most likely laughed it off! Simply by Diane was not even an idea in my mind while growing up. Sure, I used to think that I would open up a gym back in my crazy fitness days, but never would I have envisioned myself opening a business that relied heavily on my doodling and calligraphy. Who would have known that small leap of faith to just even try out this business would take me to where I am today. The growth has been insane and I am just starting. I have many friends to thank for always encouraging me to do something with that creative side, but I definitely have to thank my fiance for encouraging me, pushing me to be like Nike and “Just Do It!”, and overall believing in me.
Growing up, anyone could vouch for the doodling, drawing and making personalized items. Taking notes? Writing in my planner? Jotting down meeting minutes? They all ended up having doodles all around with cursive titles and whatnot. Was it boredom? Probably! Give me any piece of paper and something to write with and I guarantee it will be drawn on, written on, and everything else in between within a matter of minutes.
It wasn’t until high school and college was when people would ask me to either make them custom signs, birthday cards, gifts, graduation caps, and eventually things for weddings! It is actually pretty ironic because growing up my mom would criticize my writing left and right, but look where we are now! Thanks, mom for pushing me to have better writing!
High school was when I had the most exposure when it came to sketching out assembly banners and mapping out how I would want the overall assemblies to look. My favorite thing was always seeing the ideas that were sketched on paper to the final products with all of the students sitting there looking at my work! Shout out to Bellflower ASB for always working as a team and making sure my visions were brought to life! Although, I know one other thing that would top that feeling. I absolutely LOVED it when I was able to help out with any cute ideas for prom proposals, anniversary gifts, or just helping make a certain event super special by adding a little personalized touch to it all. I’m sure that is why I absolutely LOVE helping out with weddings and special events now. Just that smile you see on people’s faces and how you can help bring their visions to life makes it all worthwhile.
So funny how I went to school for Health Care Administration (go CSULB!!) but ended up being so much more invested in business and marketing. My mind operates differently when it comes to my business, businesses overall, and working with that creative freedom. Definitely, on a different path in life now, but I honestly would not change it at all. The choice to start Simply by Diane and my mini ventures are the best things I have done for myself.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth? Oh, absolutely not! Trial and errors, tribulations of being an entrepreneur, and just trying to make it out of what may seem like a maze at times definitely describes how smooth it was. There were many struggles and obstacles along the way that had to happen for me to grow as a person and learn from those lessons. Nothing in this whole “entrepreneur” life is handed on a silver platter, actually, nothing in life is, right?! Learning about burnouts, dealing with all types of clients, taxes, becoming legal in the business world, financial investments, financial burdens, networking, marketing, and just everything in between.
Starting the business, I took on every single project that came my way. I did not want to say “no” because of wanting that exposure. Running with the idea of starting a business was one thing, but to execute it and keep it rolling was a whole different ballpark. Maintaining a steady flow of projects and working a full-time job did not make anything easier. I definitely disregarded my own well-being for a while and it seemed as if all I ever did was work work, work, work, work *insert Rihanna.*
I wanted to just create and figure out what worked for me and what didn’t. Eager to understand how to effectively charge people without low-balling myself, which I absolutely did for quite some time before establishing myself some more. Granted, I am not THAT established now where my name is known, but the goal is to get there.
After doing this for almost a year, I decided to take it more serious due to the growth in clientele and the demand when wedding seasons came around. The numbers were starting to grow and I had to deal with making sure I was “legit.” Last thing I wanted was to work so hard to get where I am or where I want to be… to be dinged by the IRS. Definitely, had to seek out help on how to make that happen.
To be honest, this list of struggles won’t ever stop and is forever evolving. I will constantly be struggling and learning new things. I don’t think I will ever stop learning. There will always be new obstacles to face once the old ones have been dealt with. I am just glad that I decided to do this because for the longest time I had the biggest doubt on starting it. There are so many great calligraphers out there that I look up to and it is such a saturated field right now. The wedding industry is HOT and is growing day by day, which is absolutely great, but always gets you feeling cautious of “what will make me stand out and different from the rest?”
It’s a great feeling being able to answer that question for myself now though!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Simply by Diane – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Simply by Diane is my pride and joy. I create decor, signages, personalized items for weddings and basically any special event you can think of. It was not until this year that I realized my niche was in weddings. There are so many things that can be done for weddings and I have the honors on creating these for my clients. Welcome signs, seating charts, place cards, signs for the bar, signs for the guestbooks, and just basically every little thing in between.
Some might think “oh, well, aren’t those all things you can get printed” or “don’t they all look the same?” The answer is absolutely not! I specialize in signages that are on acrylic, mirror, and wood. It is not your typical printed cardstock, even though I do write on those as well!
There are so many things you can do when it comes to designing a certain look. What you see in the beginning is absolutely different from what the end product will look like. The colors that are used, the materials that are used, and how these things are dressed up at the end on the big day with floral arrangements and all that jazz! There is something about things that are HAND MADE for a person that makes it THAT much more sentimental.
My products and my customer service speaks for itself. I pride myself on bringing the best customer service to all my clients. My approach is that the clients are not a number, but they are people who I am interested in knowing. I like to know their story. I like to envision what they’re seeing for their big day. I am excited for them and always feel honored to be able to help with such important events. Trust me, I’m always excited when approached with a project whether they’re weddings, graduations, baby showers, birthday, or anniversary requests!
Nothing makes me more proud than when seeing my clients’ faces light up when given their orders. Absolutely nothing can replace that feeling. Being able to see their visions through and taking that stress off their back is what makes doing this all worthwhile. Their happiness is what I’m most proud of. But if we want to talk about being proud of the company itself, it would literally be my company itself! I love that it has grown and that I’m making a name for myself and getting myself out there!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Ah, plans for the future! I am looking forward to expanding and taking this small business to higher heights. I want to make this side hustle my MAIN hustle. It seems far fetched to some, but to me, it is something I absolutely believe in. I hope to be able to get my name featured in The Knot one day and be able to host classes!
Maybe one day, my team will grow and I no longer will be able to do things on my own. There are so many plans, ideas, and things I want to do!
Contact Info:
- Website: SimplyByDiane.com
- Email: simplybydiane@gmail.com
- Instagram: Simplybydiane
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
