Meet Dianne Galindo | Business Owner

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

Hi Dianne, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I started my business when I designed assisted and saw a gap within the design and production end. I found it natural to walk between the sewing floor that I grew up in, and help give the designer’s just what they are looking for. Now my business is built on helping designers bring their visions into reality. When I think of risk, I can honestly say my body tenses up. The thought of going into something without knowing what the outcome is going to be is one of the MOST frightening things. With risk comes loss, and the thought of losing for most (including myself) is frightening. I can say I have lost more times than I have won, and have had to start over from 0 more than once. Risks are taken in many forms. 1. Partnerships- sometimes you will find partnerships that start off great, and I do believe there are great dynamics within some partnerships. Understanding each other’s goals is important. You can lose a lot more in not being transparent with the situation from the start. They don’t always have to agree with you as long as your morals and ethics align, With that said, do not be afraid to walk away, and start over. Just like we outgrow certain friendships, the same can happen in business. 2. Projects- This was one of my biggest lessons in the last year. YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY YES TO EVERYTHING. Sometimes we feel we must take on everything that comes our way, especially in these uncertain times. Understanding that what is meant for you will work, not in the easiest way, but in the sense of self-fulfillment. Sometimes the bigger risk is saying yes. 3. Change- It is okay to start over and over again. I thought I wanted to be a Creative Director/Designer for so long, Then I started a business doing full package production. That failed, and I started again with styling. I decided that wasn’t for me. A lot of trial and error in between that time to where I am now.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business started after I left a partnership that no longer aligned with what I wanted. I can say that my most proud moment was starting over. I questioned myself so much before I decided to do so. It also wasn’t from one day to the next. I shifted directions so much before I came back to clothing development and production. We got to where we are today because we do our best to do the best we can. We try to take pride in what we do and come into situations with honest, and true intentions. Making clothing for myself isn’t just about making clothes. I try to find ethical practices and work my best to make sure everyone that I am working with feels taken care of and proud of the work they are doing. With that said there are many lessons to be learned, but my biggest lesson is if you come from a good place, you shouldn’t fear what’s to come.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In pre-COVID times, this is what the perfect week with a friend would look like. Monday: Hopefully, she’s not too tired from a long flight. We would get up at a decent hour and walk over to the home state on Hollywood for some breakfast tacos and coffee. From we would hang out nearby, take her to Wacko, and vintage shops in the area. Do a little shopping, and go back home where we would make dinner and have a nice bottle of wine. Tuesday: 9 am: hike to Griffith Park through Commonwealth. This should take about 2-3 hours. 12Pm: Diner breakfast at House of Pies, coffee at Bru 1-4: Take her to the fashion district in DTLA. Show her the Santee alley. Dinner: Daikokuya in Little Tokyo Then a stroll through the Little Tokyo Plaza Wednesday: 10 am: Hike to the wisdom tree. Show her the sites in Hollywoodland. Brunch: At home for some home-cooked meals. Sightseeing in Silverlake, Echo Park, and Chinatown. Lunch: LASA (Chinatown) Dinner: El Cochinito Thursday; Spend the morning at home. Go for a picnic in Echo Park. Drinks and Play @ Highland Park Bowl Friday: Morning stroll in the neighborhood for coffee and breakfast. Evening: invite people over for drinks, and walk over to the Virgil for some more drinks and music. Saturday: Brekkie @ All time Make our way back downtown to check out MOCA, the Broad. Lunch: Wurskutche in Arts District. Check out more art at Hauser and Wirth and other local galleries. Dinner and Drinks @ Bestia Sunday: Grab some more breakfast tacos at Home State and make our way down to Malibu. We would hang at the beach until almost sunset then packs up our things and go to Neptunes Net for some Food.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Woo, so many. I can honestly say my friends and family have been my biggest support system. They believe in everything I do, and sometimes I feel it is to a fault. I read often, mainly about sociology and human behavior. A book that I read last year that I feel has impacted me the most is “Never Split the Difference” written by Chris Voss. The book is about the art of negotiating, or as the subtitles read, “negotiating as if your life depends on it.” There are so much knowledge and insight within this book on how to navigate situations, and help you get effective responses when it comes to business or life.

Website: galstudios.com
Instagram: gal.studios