Aug 29, 2022

INTERNS SUM UP THEIR SUMMER

We believe in nurturing and inspiring the next generation of industry talent. That’s why every year, Launch seeks out the most promising advertising students and gives them a chance to put what they’re learning in the classroom into practice. So as summer draws to a close, we’re proud to recognize this year’s talented trio of interns. Art director/designer interns Bryce Johnson and Natalie Castillo and account service intern Lucy Galloway all made major contributions and came away with plenty of valuable experience. We asked them to share some of their highlights.

How did you find out about the Launch internship?

Bryce: Launch funds an art director scholarship for my school UNT. I was the winner selected, and it led to an intern position for the summer.

Lucy: I was browsing advertising agencies in Dallas and came across Launch and the internship position. I applied and, the next day, got a message that two Launchers were visiting UT for creative week. I loved talking to them, and knew that this would be a great experience and a great place to work. The rest is history.

Was agency life what you expected?

Natalie: Working at a smaller agency, I feel like things are a bit more personal. Whether it’s happy hour on Thursdays or hearing jokes randomly through the week, I don’t think I would have had quite the same experience at a bigger agency.

Lucy: Launch was ten times better than what I had expected out of agency life and what I have experienced in the past. It is such a creative and collaborative environment and I think that’s a main factor in producing great work.

What was your favorite project you worked on this summer?

Natalie: I really enjoyed the Rise School Round-Up poster and the agency social templates project.

Bryce: The Dallas Cowboys activation for Baylor Scott & White Health was a fun project where I was waaaaay out of my element.

How would you describe your daily routine?

Natalie: Since things were always changing or different assignments were coming up, I don’t think I had the exact same day twice, but I preferred it like that. There was always something new to do, so I was never bored.

Lucy: Wake up, walk to work (I live two blocks away), attend a few client calls in the morning, eat lunch, participate in internal reviews, work on our social platforms, update statuses, look for Wolfie (a wolf man action figure everyone takes turns hiding somewhere in the agency) and walk home!

What was your funniest memory?

Bryce: When I was spitballing with my partner in crime, Nat. I refuse to give our account director, Jason, any credit because his jokes are terrible, but our copywriter, Isaac, coming in with the rimshots always got a laugh out of me.

Lucy: There is always so much fun to be had in this office: Hawaiian shirt Thursdays, happy hours in the office on the balcony, going to Electric Shuffle, doing headstands for no reason, repotting the office plant. But I think my favorite is when they let me think (only for a few minutes) that I was being fired from being an intern. It was all in good fun and, needless to say, it ended happily with me being over the moon to become a full-time Launcher!

What advice would you give a future intern?

Natalie: Don’t beat yourself up. Being able to witness people’s out-of-the-box ideas would kind of discourage me, but I would remind myself that one day I could be on their level. It just takes experience to learn the ropes on how to come up with great ideas.

Lucy: If you are open to working and learning, Launch will give you all the tools you need to be a part of the team and work with clients on actual projects. I think this sets Launch’s internship apart from a lot of others. They understand that busy-work/made-up projects and assignments don’t really help anyone grow.

What was the biggest takeaway from your internship?

Natalie: One, go out to see work and expand your thinking. Two, enjoy your time. The people here are nice with great ideas, so LEARN from them.

Bryce: Great vibes, free food and too many dad jokes.

Jan 24, 2022

Holiday Ads: The More the Merrier

Now that we’re a few weeks into the new year, it’s safe to say that this past holiday season was unlike any other (perhaps maybe last year’s). But at Launch, we used that time to work together to create a very special holiday card to share with our friends, families, and clients.

We had a blast making the video, but the best part was knowing we were able to bring a smile or a chuckle to people who needed it. If you haven’t seen it yet, definitely check it out. And if you have seen it, feel free to watch it a second time!

As we were creating our own holiday card, we couldn’t help but reminisce about our favorite holiday ads that have stuck with us over the years. The ones that made us laugh and cry and that are packed with nostalgia. So, we asked the Launchers to share their favorites, and here are some of their top picks. Do you recognize any of these classics?

Man on The Moon (John Lewis 2015)

“All the John Lewis Xmas spots are great, but this one in particular strikes an emotional chord.” -Alex Slotkin

Snow People (Tim Hortons 2020)

“This one I saw earlier this year is my new favorite.” -Alexa Pérez

The Long Wait (John Lewis 2011)

“Best Christmas ad of all time. No one can convince me otherwise.” -Brian Dedering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWt7OMae75M

Christmas Bells (Hershey’s 1989)

“I still love the Hershey’s Kiss ad. So simple but such a classic.” -Richard Wezensky

Time to Come Home (Edeka 2015)

“I love this one.” -Megan Robertson

Melting Snowman (Campbell’s Soup 1993)

“Now I want soup.” -Andrew Reimherr

Believe in the Wonder of Giving (Macy’s 2018)

“Hands down favorite holiday commercial ad.” -Alicia Douglas

Click Here to Watch

Oct 14, 2021

Meet the bosses that give Launch its boost.

It’s 2021, and Launch has made its way into Uptown, nestled in an office building overlooking the bustling shops and restaurants below. It outgrew its location in Carrollton, TX, and has found a new home in the heart of Dallas. Years of expertise, successful campaigns, and busy days have molded the agency into what it is now.

National Boss’s Day is coming up this weekend, and we figured there was no better time to dig into Launch’s history and learn more about the people who created it. We can trace our culture, workflow, and success back to the founding Launchers and principals – Diane Seimetz, David Wilgus, and Michael Boone.

Prior to Launch’s formation, these three were off on their own, making a name for themselves in the ad industry.

Diane was working on brands such as Frito-Lay, American Airlines, and Match.com. Dave worked at TracyLocke, where he met Diane. He completed work for Bank of America, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, as well as many others. Michael, who previously worked at TracyLocke, Puskar Gibbon Chapin, and The Maxfield Group, came into the picture once Dave and Diane moved to Temerlin McClain, and the rest is history!

They formed Launch in 2000 within Temerlin McClain, and GroceryWorks was their very first client.

Some of the projects completed by Launch for GroceryWorks

These OG Launchers gave some insights into their passion and the work they do:

What was your mission when first starting Launch?

“We wanted to take our experience working on big brands at large advertising agencies and apply it to launching startups and relaunching brands that needed help gaining momentum. In 2003, we left the world of big agencies and holding companies to start our own ‘startup’ and reshape what an ad agency looks like. We adopted the characteristics of the startups we were working with – lean, scrappy, creative innovators.”

What’s a source of inspiration for you?

“Our local arts community helps feed my creative spirit. Austin seems to always get the center stage, but Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Denton offer a wealth of talented artists, musicians, photographers and filmmakers.”

At the agency, what is one major thing that has changed over the years?

“Embracing technology and leveraging consumer insights resources to help level the playing field for our clients and the agency. We’ve been using Slack, for example, since 2015 – less than two years after it launched. We also invest in several enterprise-caliber research tools to help understand our clients’ customers better and inform the work.”

What’s a source of inspiration for you?

“People-watching 😊 I love to observe how consumers think, shop, express themselves – it’s a wellspring of great ideas. I also like to immerse myself in creativity in many forms, whether it’s fine art, podcasts, crafting, music. The more diverse, the better.”

What do you think is the biggest contributor to your or the team’s success?

“For Launch, it’s been a three-pronged approach. Start with talented professionals passionate about doing a good job, infuse a collaborative and creative culture, and finish with trusting clients.”

What’s a source of inspiration for you?

“I’ve always loved advertising. As a kid, I was impressed by unique, compelling ads and almost equally fascinated by terrible ones (what was that?). I first learned of ad agencies – and that they could be a career choice – from watching the old Bewitched TV show. In fact, I referenced that when I got my first agency job. I’m not sure whether they hired me in spite of that comment or partly because of it!”

When starting the agency, Michael mentions his desire to “create great work […] and have fun doing it without layers and bureaucracy to muddle the message.” This is the reason there is an air about Launch that asks people to notice it – to ask why it stands out. It’s more than an agency. To Diane, this is due to the “special culture of people who genuinely care about our clients and each other.” Because of this, the agency and those within it have made a name for themselves in this big Texas city. “The strong entrepreneurial spirit and business culture of Dallas is a perfect fit for Launch and it’s at the heart of who we are,” Dave writes.

These specific characteristics and elements have come together to forge a small-sized yet mighty advertising agency with equally tough team members.

Jan 29, 2021

Diane’s latest pet project

When Diane Seimetz Duncan isn’t writing strategic briefs or chasing the latest consumer trends, you can find her running after her furry little sidekicks. All of which inspired her latest entrepreneurial venture, Dogtor Doolittle, an all-natural solution designed to keep your pup’s paws and fur looking anything but ruff. If you’re wondering how this ad girl, soap maker, wife, mother and grandmother could possibly add one more thing to her ever-growing to-do list, read on. We think we uncovered all the answers!

Rupert and Snyder helping Diane sniff out the competition.

How many pets do you have? Names and ages, please!

Three dogs – Francine Felicia, mini doxie, 18 (recently passed, but furever in our hearts); Rupert Joseph, terrorist chihuahua, 12; Snyder, Russian Toy Terrier toddler, 2 1/2. Pebbles and Bam-Bam are our 12-year-old feral cats with a hairball problem.

Find all of Diane’s Dogtor Doolittle products on Chewy.com

What motivated you to create Dogtor Doolittle, your own line of pet care products?

I’ve been an animal lover and advocate as long as I can remember (probably would have been a vet if I were smarter). With so many furkids, we were always buying a spritz for this issue or a salve for that condition. As I expanded my line of bath and body products (for humans) I started taking notice of ingredients used in commercial pet products as well. I was dismayed – and a little alarmed – at the number of toxins they contained. The experience prompted me to research safer alternatives. I quickly discovered there weren’t many that were widely available, so I began formulating my own little litter of clean-label pet pampering.

Launching a new product in the middle of a pandemic is pretty ballsy. Why now?

No time is ever the right time, at least in my life! So when opportunity knocked, I squeezed through the dog door and bounded forward. Chewy.com asked to carry all three of my products – Mane Tamer leave-in conditioner, Happy Pads organic paw balm and Poochie ‘Poo solid dog shampoo. They all contain natural, organic and Ecocert ingredients, and come in sustainable or zero-waste packaging, both of which are growing in demand. Turns out with more people spending more time at home (and on e-commerce) than ever before, they have the time for more DIY pet grooming, too. So launching Dogtor Doolittle now was probably more lucky than ballsy.

Why do you think it’s important to use chemical-free products on dogs and pets in general?

Animals have faster metabolisms and smaller lungs than we do, which means they process chemicals at a faster rate and breathe them in more rapidly. This makes it harder for them to safely eliminate toxic ingredients. Pets also have a keen sense of smell, so even a fragrance that’s “light” to us can be overwhelming to a dog or cat whose fur is embedded with it. These chemicals can also cause serious eye or skin irritation. Unfortunately, the rate of cancer and other life-threatening disease are increasing among domestic pets; industry advocates point to exposure from pesticides, home cleaning products, contaminated food and chew toys/treats embedded with PVC and phthalates as potential causes.

How did Dogtor Doolittle find its home on Chewy.com?

In October 2019, I received an email from a category analyst at Chewy asking if I would like to add my pet line to their roster. I knew from years working with retailers like Sam’s Club as well as a variety of product manufacturers how difficult it was to even get a meeting with a merchandise buyer, let alone get your product on the shelf. Every now and then, I’d receive a solicitation from a broker or rep promising to get you in front of these folks – for a very large fee. So, when I was contacted directly, I did a bit of a mental double-take, wondering if the request was for real. I decided to forge forward as if it were, and responded with an enthusiastic, “Heck yeah!”

What do starting an ad agency and launching a brand have in common?

At least for me, they both required an idea, the desire, one eye on the prize and the other looking for really good people to help. As a creative person, I’ve always known that achieving success is not a solo pursuit. I’ve been fortunate to have great partners at Launch, with complementary skill sets that make it work. In launching pet products, I benefited from the talents of an amazing graphic designer – Amy Holcomb – who created really engaging branding and helped my packaging stand out. I also received sage advice from friends in the formulating and soap-making community who’d sold their products at retail. They gave me the knowledge and confidence to keep chugging, even when I was far outside my comfort zone.

Have you started other businesses before?

Much to my husband’s chagrin, I’m kind of a serial micro-preneur. I’ve knitted baby sweaters, baked cakes, trafficked in Limoges porcelain boxes. Handmade soap just seemed to be the obvious next opportunity.

To get a whiff of Diane’s soap business, head over to A Joy Forever

What are your future plans for Dogtor Doolittle?

Still at the excitable puppy stage, I’m trying to get my arms around big e-commerce, studying category trends, testing new ingredients and formulations, and seeing what sells. I’m weirdly comfortable in the deep end of the pool, so once I have these well in hand, I’ll throw myself a great big wrench to keep myself on my toes.

Do you ever sleep?

I started thinking I might have a problem when a friend recently texted me at 3 a.m. and said, “I figured you were up…”

Aug 11, 2020

Meet Launch’s Busiest Bee

As the mother of two girls, three dogs, one cat and two fish, Megan Lucy Neal has plenty of people and pets to look after. But when it came to adding a few thousand more members to the family, she welcomed them with open arms (wearing gloves, of course)! Being a beekeeper takes a lot of work, but comes with many rewards. Keep reading to get all the buzz straight from Megan Lucy.

What made you catch the beekeeping buzz?

During Elementary school, I have a vivid memory of watching a bee documentary. The video showcased the infamous Bee Waggle Dance. When a scout bee finds a new source of food, she returns to the hive to perform her special dance to show the foragers where to go. After watching that documentary, I’ve always loved bees. Such interesting creatures with an amazing life span. Each bee plays an integral role in keeping the hive alive, thriving and in harmony. They really are one of God’s most amazing creatures.

While I was researching beekeeping, I loved learning about how different cultures have cherished, or even worshiped, the honeybee for thousands of years. I appreciate the relationship that has evolved between humans and bees. My relationship with my hive makes me feel connected to nature, God and also our ancestors.

How do you fit beekeeping into your busy schedule?

Beekeeping does take a lot of research. Before I purchased the hive, I started reading books and articles to educate myself and prepare for the hive. I did my reading research at night after the kids were asleep for my “me-time” in the evenings. There are also tons of helpful YouTube videos online from professional beekeepers. My kids and I love watching them together.

Actually, owning one or two hives isn’t that much of a time constraint. During the summer I check on them every other week to ensure they are healthy and functioning properly. The less you disturb the hive, the better. During the winter, I will only open the top lid once a month or less to place in pollen patties to supplement their food source during the cold weather.

The most time intensive project will be harvesting honey, which is so much fun! After I extract the frames from the hive, we make it a family affair to remove the honey from the combs.

Being a mom of two small ones, I try to keep them as involved as I can. When the bees are in a good humor, I allow for them to wear protective gear and be my assistants. I really enjoy teaching them about nature and the harmony of the hive.

Megan Lucy proudly displaying a harvest of honey

How does beekeeping help you as an ad person?

When I am in the beehive, it is a very peaceful time for me. I am able to re-center my aura and enjoy my connection with nature, earth and God. The bees can sense that I am not a threat, but a peaceful presence just moving things around. Using this time to clear my head, helps me become a better mom, wife and co-worker. I am able to reprioritize my tasks and ready to tackle new challenges in the day.

Are there any other hobbies or side hustles you dream about trying in the future?

When I have four or five strong hives, I plan to start creating Nucs and queens. Nucs are small honeybee colonies created from larger colonies. The term refers both to the smaller size box and the colony of honeybees within it.

Are there any people or brands or business owners that inspire you?

I have enjoyed meeting the local beekeepers in my area. Before COVID, they would meet once a month to discuss beekeeping, provide educational speakers and training classes for beekeepers of all experiences. However, social distancing hasn’t stopped them from providing information to the local beekeepers. Once a month, they send out educational videos along with articles and resources for the group. It is so nice to have this group as a resource—even during challenging times. These individuals are true entrepreneurs. There is a lot of hard work to make a successful career out of beekeeping. I admire their resourcefulness, dedication and caring hearts. My interactions with them are quite humbling, and often remind me of challenges small business owners face. When the kids are a bit older, I would like to become more involved in the chapter.

What do you love most about being a beekeeper?

My hive is part of our family. It may sound strange, but I definitely have a relationship and emotional connection with my bees. They are living creatures that need care and maintenance to thrive. I’ve only been stung once, so I feel like they appreciate me as much as I appreciate them.

What’s your end goal?

Short term, this is a fun hobby for me. Long term, I would like to have several hives and sell honey, wax, queens and nucs (starter beehives) when my husband and I retire.

Jun 25, 2020

Screen Time with a Launcher

Ad agencies can be quite the production. Good thing our office manager knows what it’s like to star in a play.

Alicia Douglas is the Clark Kent of Launch Agency. By day, she keeps our office in check as our office manager. After work hours, she co-owns a production company with her sister specializing in photography and film. A true quadruple threat, she’s an actress, producer, director and Launcher.

How did a musical theater major find herself in the ad industry? We asked Alicia to share some of her story.

What inspired you and your sister to start Paris Marie Productions?

What inspired us to start Paris Marie Productions was storytelling. We wanted to help uplift voices of women of color and those stories that needed to be heard about not just their struggles but also their victories. Unfortunately, there aren’t many black women in the industry that are behind the cameras, so placing myself and my sister there, we are pushing to be the change we want to see. Representation is important!

Alicia (right) and her sister Jessica (left), owners of Paris Marie Productions.
Photo by Erica Marie Photography

What drew you to advertising?

I was drawn to the creativity and influence it could have on people’s lives in a very positive way. Advertising to me is looking at people and understanding how art as a medium can reach out to them and use it to promote our client’s products to the best of our abilities. It is a blending of art and business that I find that unique and amazing!

How do you think your creative role outside of work influences your job at Launch?

I think it helps me appreciate this company more as a creative outlet itself for others and myself. Not many people get the opportunity to work for a job that lets you creatively express yourself in meaningful ways, and having my own production company has let me express myself how I want to, and so I know that Launch Agency is allowing me the same freedom, even in my role as office manager.

Alternatively, how has working at Launch influenced your work with Paris Marie?

I have been able to see the brilliant minds of my coworkers and how they demonstrate their styles and creativity, allowing me to evolve my own style and pick up on techniques and skills I would have otherwise not been able to learn. It truly is wonderful that I can coalesce with the art and design of my colleagues to elevate ourselves and our creative minds!

Where can we find your work?

You can find us on Instagram and Facebook with our name Paris Marie Productions. We also have our website, www.parismarieproductions.com.

What’s next for Paris Marie? Anything exciting on the horizon that we should keep an eye out for?

We have a lot of projects coming down the pipeline! We not only have photoshoots and films scheduled to be shot for our clients, but we are also ramping up production on a project centered around telling our own stories and the stories of those that have had similar issues. We will also be producing another photo series that will focus on the beauty of black men along with some short films coming your way. So please keep an eye out for those!

Paris Marie’s next showcase is this Friday, June 26th

Apr 30, 2020

LAUNCH FROM HOME

On Monday, March 16, we had just moved into to our brand new space in the Carlisle Building. While everything smelled like a fresh new beginning, COVID-19 had other plans. In just a few short days, we found ourselves relocating once again. For the safety of our Launch family as well as our own, we all knew the right place to be was home.

In typical Launch fashion, we put an action plan in place and quickly got up and running from our DIY home offices. Client meetings, brainstorming sessions and all daily interaction moved to convenient new locations like Zoom, Slack and even our phones.

To keep our Launch culture going, we began hosting our weekly Friday Beer:30 Happy Hours through Zoom. And celebrating birthdays by sending actual birthday cards to Launchers in the good old-fashioned mail.

Friday Beer:30 Happy Hour trivia on Zoom

We’ve continued to find creative ways to help our clients during these challenging times. When we found out Poston Gardens was at risk of closing, we quickly designed t-shirts to help raise funds to keep the tulips blooming next year. And by working remotely with many talented editors, animators and directors, we’ve been able to create a series of informative and compelling COVID-19 TV, video and digital campaigns for our client, Baylor Scott & White Health.

Poston Gardens t-shirt design

Baylor Scott &White COVID -19 Texans Stronger Together spot

Social distancing hasn’t stopped us from giving back to our community either. Through Launch LIFT, we’ve delivered meals to Baylor BUMC, and supported numerous local restaurants by participating in #TakeOutTuesday.

In a recent interview with AdChatDFW, Principal Diane Seimetz Duncan summed it up best: “We cherish our creative culture at Launch; I’d say that if anything, the current situation has galvanized us in preserving and protecting that. We have worked on a collaboration platform for several years, so the move to ‘shelter in place’ has allowed us to continue serving clients without a hitch.”

Jan 24, 2020

Can’t Launch without a Boost

Recognition in the workplace comes in many forms, a high-five or simple thank you. Here at Launch, we show our appreciation by giving “boosters” with our own Bonusly program that invites team members to give each other booster points whenever they’ve created outstanding work, had a great presentation or simply helped to do something outside the norm. When Launchers post a Bonusly booster “shout out” via Slack, everyone in the agency sees it and piles on the praise.

Account Supervisor, Megan Lucy, thanking her team for their hard work.

Principal Diane Seimetz tells us how the program was introduced to the agency and what it has done for the culture.

What gave you the idea to introduce Bonusly to the agency?

My daughter was working for a company that offered a similar program. I could see how excited she was to receive appreciation from her peers and management, and I started looking into something similar for us.

How many different options did you look at before deciding on Bonusly?

Three different programs were considered. The one we ultimately went with was a start-up at the time, and I’m always drawn those. I reached out to the CEO, and we had a really good conversation about the company mission, and his vision for the organization. They aligned closely with our own, making us a good fit.

What do you like most about Bonusly?

The ability to customize is a great feature. We were able to name the program, “Boosters,” in keeping with our rocket/Launch theme. The company offers a catalog of rewards (Starbucks cards, big-box retailers, specialty stores, etc.), but we are also able to modify to include local favorites as well as charities, where employees can donate their points. The program also integrates perfectly with Slack, our collaboration software platform.

Use Boosters to redeem Australian Red Cross donations, Starbucks and Amazon gift cards, and more.

What do you think Bonusly has done to the culture at Launch Agency since being introduced?

Launch is already a family culture; people genuinely care about each other and want to make the agency a better place together. These small tokens – “micro-rewards” – have cultivated the practice of “noticing” extra efforts or a job done especially well and providing the opportunity to show meaningful appreciation for them. It also allows leadership to recognize those who go above and beyond in real time, versus waiting months (or years!) for a performance review.

A last-minute scramble to get our work submitted to the ADDYs resulted in several Bonusly shoutouts.

Nov 26, 2019

A Writer Unblocked

Writer’s block was just the excuse Launcher Alex Slotkin needed to join National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). For Alex, this month-long experiment to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days turned into an eight-year project. We recently asked him to tell us about the novel he’s been working on for the past several years and elaborate on what inspires his writing in and outside of work.

What inspired you to start writing your novel?

I’ve always enjoyed creative writing, and have tried to pen the Great American Novel several times, only to give up after a few chapters. Several years ago, I heard about NaNoWriMo and the idea of writing 50,000 words in 30 days as a way to get unstuck. I thought it was the perfect excuse to give it another go.

How do you fit writing outside of work into your schedule?

I’m not going to lie, it’s tough to fit writing in outside of work. I usually just steal whatever time I can, whether that’s at a coffee shop before heading into the office in the morning or holed up at home in the guest room after my kids go to bed.

What keeps you going?

I love to write. It’s one of the few things I’m actually pretty good at, and when it’s going well, it brings me a lot of joy. There’s nothing quite like being so deeply engrossed in a writing project that time seems to stop and everything else just drops away. It’s like a runner’s high, but without all that inconvenient exercise.

How do you think writing outside of work influences your job at Launch?

It sounds like a cliché, but I view the act of writing as akin to flexing a muscle. It gets stronger and more versatile the more you work it, and employing different modes of writing can only strengthen everything you do.

What does the future of your creative writing look like?

Right now, I am deep into the revision process on my novel—which is taking considerably more than a month to complete! I’ve learned that writing a first draft isn’t nearly as challenging as shaping it into something truly satisfying. I hope to get this novel finished and out into the world soon. In the meantime, I have had a short piece published in a zine and also produced a series of roleplaying game supplements. I have a few other projects in the works as well.

Which writers/authors inspire you?

My reading tastes tend toward the fantastical side of the spectrum. I’m a huge fan of Tolkien, Poe and Lovecraft, as well as more “literary” writers, like Steven Millhauser, George Saunders, Vladimir Nabokov and Italo Calvino.

What does NaNoWriMo mean to you?

NaNoWriMo is all about imposing a rigid constraint on your time in order to silence your inner critic and free yourself up to create. As Gustave Flaubert put it: “Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.”

Nov 19, 2019

Soap Star Spotlight

Over 16 years ago, Diane Seimetz opened her own advertising agency with Michael Boone and David Wilgus. In 2016, this little entrepreneur decided she wasn’t done entrepreneur-ing just yet, so she launched a soap and skincare company called A Joy Forever Bath + Body. This business, along with her agency, continues to thrive today. Hear how Diane runs a full-time business and a side business without missing a beat.

Diane Seimetz at the Texas Veggie Fair with Mayra Gaytan of OMG Vegan Tamales

How did your first business encourage you to start the second?

As an employee for more than 20 years, I never saw myself as business owner. But the thrills, occasional spills, and unique kind of satisfaction that come with creating something from scratch turned me into a bit of a startup junkie.

What inspired you to start your recent side hustle?

I’ve always loved to make things. Whether it was tiny cakes with an Easy-Bake oven; knitting with my mother’s old clackety metal needles; Mod Podge plaques and popsicle stick Christmas ornaments – you name it, my hands were in it. Ultimately, my professional career led me to advertising, where I could be a maker, too.

Why bath and body products?

I have an incurable condition where my immune system attacks my own cells. The resulting inflammation causes an array of symptoms, most commonly joint pain and rashes. So, I decided to take my health into my own hands becoming vegan and reducing everyday toxins by making my own personal care and cleaning items. Within two years, I was off all medications, and experienced few, if any, symptoms. As an unexpected side-benefit, I found crafting my own soaps and skincare to be enormously satisfying. Just taking in the healing fragrances of the essential oils infused into my creams, balms and butters inspired me to attempt more challenging, intricate creations.

These caught the attention of family, friends and coworkers, who began asking for the same products I prepared for myself. By 2016, I decided to formalize the arrangement and turn my healthy hobby into a small side business. This past year, I expanded to add a men’s shave and shower line, Tumbleweed+Thyme, and pet care products as well. All are Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free and part of the GoTexan program supporting native Texas businesses.

Where can we find your wares?

I love handmade markets, because they provide the opportunity to really talk with people. That’s hard to do in an e-commerce environment. I am particularly fond of the Boho Market at the Dallas Farmer’s Market and The Shacks in Plano, as well as V-Market pop-ups – held at cool venues around DFW throughout the year. It’s always gratifying to see customers – many of whom have become friends – drive a fair distance to buy my products and share their experiences with me. That keeps me going and growing in my work. But if markets aren’t your thing, I also happily take online orders at ajoyforever.com.