Diane Sanfilippo: Sales & Marketing Consultant

		Key Stats! BA Degree in Consumer Studies/ Management/Retail from Syracuse University, Cum Laude. Studied Graphic Design at Parsons School of Design in NYC including Promotion Design, Package Design, and Branding. Seven years experience in the retail industry including two years in corporate retail (Gap, Inc. HQ in San Francisco, CA & The Children's Place HQ in Secaucus, NJ) Owner and designer of www.tinystar.com: a successful online retail business selling designer inspired jewelry

» What do you do at GDS?

Working at GDS gives me the unique experience to be able to not only speak to clients about their business and the direction they want to take it, but to also implement the designs and create solutions to the "problems" they're looking to solve. I do everything from speaking to potential clients about our services and what it's like to work with us, to fielding calls from clients looking to have new materials created or make updates to existing websites.

» What's your background? How did you get into this racket?

I have a degree in business from Syracuse University but if you ask anyone who really knows me, I've always had a passion for not only business, but also art and creative work. Working for GDS really marries two of my favorite things to do: talk to people about their business and how to grow it, and develop ideas for how to execute those marketing plans. It's really rewarding when you can talk to the owner of a business that's success is largely thanks to me.

» What's your favorite portfolio piece?

I would be lying if I didn't say Brooklynporkstore.com wasn't my favorite project currently for a lot of reasons. As a huge fan of Italian food (um, you've seen my last name, haven't you?!), as well as of family-run small businesses with a knack for producing amazing goods, Landi's Pork Store in Brooklyn has a special place in my heart- and in my stomach. I have loved everything about working not only with the graphics and art for their website and print work, but also with clients who have come to really trust that we know what we're doing. It's always a pleasure to get a call from Gary or John with a new idea or request as it's usually followed by a glowing review of how successful the last marketing push was. All that, and a feature on the Food Network because they had a great website viewers could access to place orders, have added up to great success for them and it continues to be a lot of fun to work on that project.

» What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I'm proud to have formed really strong relationships with so many small business owners not only in New Jersey, but across the country. It's amazing to speak to people and just listen to their passion for what they do and to be able to reciprocate that back to them when I explain what it is that we do at GDS that sets us apart. I'm also proud of helping this company to realize it's potential as we grow and expand at an amazing rate from year to year.

» What do you do when you're not talking to clients and designing?

If I'm not at my desk you'll either find me in the kitchen cooking up my next grand meal, kicking butt at the gym on a treadmill, in the pool, in a kickboxing class or standing on an exercise ball - you know, the ones that most people just sit on...or just strolling around San Francisco with friends.