Meet Darren Fishman | Entrepreneurial Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darren Fishman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darren, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
Well, that single most important decision would have to be deciding to move to the US from Australia… I had visited California and, more specifically, Palm Springs often as I have always been infatuated with retro culture – be that movies, music, television, fashion, graphic design, interiors, or architecture. So that made the area a very attractive proposition for me, but obviously moving countries is never simple with the visas and the like, as well as being an obvious huge life-change.

I have always been fascinated by the aesthetics of design as well as consumer psychology. That led me to work in advertising and marketing back home for a few decades before bringing that experience to California by starting a creative agency here called Desert Society. The name reflects both the “desert” areas and major city “society” we love to bring our expertise to.

So once I had landed here and got stablished, the networking started as part of the quest to gain new business, but we did get some traction pretty early and started to build a reputation for great quality work delivered on time and on budget.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Desert Society, is an agency that is all about generating creativity to help SoCal communities shine brighter. We do this in a number of disciplines – including advertising, marketing, events and interior design – because we are as passionate about developing memorable brands, captivating designs, engaging moments, and alluring environments as we are about the SoCal region itself.

After many years working in large agencies in Australia working with multinational brands, I wanted to bring that experience to the communities here, but without all the huge hierarchy and infrastructure of a large agency. So, we can service small and medium businesses in an agile, responsive and cost-effective manner, but give them big agency experience.

And with the number of vacation homes in the SoCal area, we also brought our aesthetic expertise to the interior design space, being able to create a brand for the house, market it, and design the remodel too!

What sets us apart is our business savviness, and common-sense creative solutions designed to get clients more customers and keep them coming back. When it comes to interiors, it’s our resourcefulness that can give you a million-dollar look without having to spend a million dollars.

Networking has helped us grow, but that only works if you’re doing a great job and getting the recommendations – and so far, that’s how it’s been working out, whether creating a new logo or designing a mansion’s interior.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Catch LA is fabulous for a high end Los Angeles social experience where you can sit outside on the terrace and take in the view and all the fabulous people. The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel is obviously iconic, and I love Canter’s Deli for the mix of people, the retro decor, and the old school menu.
EP/LP is another fun roof top place for a drink and a nice view of the Hollywood Hills. Food is good too, and it’s owned by some fellow Australians.
Hiking Runyon Canyon is also wonderful to get up close and personal with the Hollywood Sign, just watch out for the rattlesnakes! Venice Beach is also a fabulous spot for all the color and movement down there on the boardwalk.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t say there is a single person or entity I could owe my success to. I have learned a lot along the journey from all my previous roles. Every situation is a learning experience, and as an information sponge, I am always picking up tips, tricks, and how to’s from everyone and everything – be that colleagues, superiors, books, videos, you name it. In fact, sometime the negative episodes can be greater learning experiences than the positive ones.

More specifically, perhaps I should thank my immigration attorney for my being here, and Don Draper from Mad Men for the inspiration and retro aesthetic… minus the alcoholism and bad behavior, of course!

Website: https://desertsociety.net

Instagram: @desertsocietyps

Twitter: @desertsocietyps

Facebook: @desertsocietyps