Nov 14, 20224 min read

MoneyBru: Unraveling the Secrets of DJM.Design

Updated: Dec 20, 2022

It was such a pleasure getting to speak with Sally Ebeling about how DJM Design went from Zero to Hero as a Digital Agency.

The Origin Story of DJM Design

As a newly naturalized U.S. Citizen, it recently occurred to me that both me and my company, DJM Design, have come a long way over the years. That’s not just a figure of speech for how much we’ve evolved, but I’m talking physical distance! All the way from South Africa to Fort Collins, Colorado; and from just $3,000 in a bedroom workspace to a successful business! And this is the story of how we got there:

Back in 2013, I moved to the United States from my birth country, South Africa. Although I started in South Carolina and enjoyed a brief stint in Chicago, I ultimately landed in the city I now call home, Fort Collins, Colorado.

But even though DJM Design physically started up in Fort Collins in Feburary of 2017–then known as Daniël-James Media–its true origin can be traced back to South Africa.

I have always loved to express myself through design (almost as much as I enjoy freestyle breakdancing), and I graduated from art school in Mpumalanga, Nelspruit in South Africa with top marks. After my final year of school, I connected with a Canadian-American Coaching Company for small businesses. In that program, I learned how to blend business acumen with my passion for design. I also learned that I wanted to create a space for other companies to utilize the groundbreaking techniques I was discovering.

Additionally, I wanted to fuse my South African and American experiences into a brand where people could leverage that cultural experience to impact multiple communities.

And thus, DJM Design was born. It all began out of my bedroom on $3,000. But after learning about the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) through a networking event, and signing up for consultation, I finally began to gain some traction. It was through the advantage of mentorship that I am reaping the benefits of a successful business today, which is why that is a trademark of how I run my business.

At its essence, DJM Design is “Ubuntu,” a South African word used to describe community. It is a quality that expresses the essential human virtues of compassion and humanity.

Likewise, DJM Design is a multicultural, freelance, coworking community that specializes in web design with an emphasis on human psychology.

With every client, we take the time to get to know who they are, why they do what they do, what they need, and how best we can serve them in order to deliver the best experience.

DJM Design brings value to our clients through our focus on “The Tree vs. The Fruit”-style marketing, whereby a piece of fruit is one and done, but if you plant a fruit tree, it benefits you long term.

My biggest challenge as a business owner has been to balance the 80/20 rule: giving clients 80% of our time and using the other 20% to strive for internal growth. I believe too many business owners implement tactics that take them away from their core business model, which can crumble your foundation and success. Having kids as a business owner has taught me that time management & communication is crucial to a happy and balanced marriage, family, and business.

As a self-described family man (and ginger), balance is my priority. My wife, Joy, works for the company part-time, and I am the only full-time employee. We also have three other local part-timers and 7-15 contractors scattered across the globe.

The benefit of this model is I get to connect with specialists who bring outside expertise to every project.

We also give back in big ways.

We donate 11% of our gross profits to South African and USA Non-Profit Organizations that focus on helping job creation, community development, and care for children in need.

One charity that is particularly close to my heart is Homes of Hope Fiji, which provides long-term care, support, and holistic restoration for girls, young women, and children who are victims of, or vulnerable to, being trafficked.

Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed this style of the newsletter email me back with a “Yes” so we can do more of these in the future!

Daniël-James van den Berg

CEO, Creative Director

www.djm.design

SPONSORED CONTENT - PAYING THE BILLS

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DJM SHOW ACCESS

1. South African Yuck to Yum Amazon Taste Test: http://djm.design/go/yuck-to-yum

2. bike shop.Agency: http://djm.design/go/Bikeshop-Agency

3. SEM Rush Research Tool: http://djm.design/go/semrush

4. Your Next Big Idea Coupon and Report: http://djm.design/go/GIFT

5. MoneyBru Tribe Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/money

★ DJM Blog Mentioned: https://www.danieljamesmedia.com/blog

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GEAR WE USE

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SPONSOR DISCLAIMER

DJM partners with Crazy Awesome companies whose products and services we trust to add value to you as viewers' goals! If you purchase through our partner links, we get paid for the referral at no additional cost to you! Read our disclosure for more info.

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Sincerely, cheers! Catch you next time, Daniel James vdB Multimedia Strategist

Video editor credit: ★ Sriram ►

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Moneybru® BLOG

MoneyBru: Unraveling the Secrets of DJM.Design

The Origin Story of DJM Design

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