Meet Diana Riser: President, Pace Branding & Marketing

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

Hi Diana, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
It has to be my team. Pace is nothing without them. I actually inherited most of the team when I took over a few years ago. They had such talent and were a great team together already. I just needed to find more and more interesting projects for us to work on. The more we did, the better they developed and the more inspired they became within their roles. I just give them a safe place to be creative and I hope a career and work that has meaning to them. As we grow, I want each department leader to groom and develop talent under them to help continue our expansion within the family and culture we’ve established.

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?
I came into it accidentally. I was in Publishing for over 2 decades and got a call out of the blue from Phyllis Green the previous head of the agency. She was looking for a successor and so I sent her resumes of some connections I had. One day, I was rewriting my LinkedIn profile and I remember thinking, I’m not just a Publisher, I’m a problem-solver and my passion is helping people. I got up from my desk, walked out of my office and called Phyllis to throw my hat in the ring. I took over the agency three years ago and 2 years ago my CEO and I bought the company from WPP and have not looked back. As a Publisher, I had only the tools of my magazine and digital footprint and events to help my clients. As an agency, we could do whatever we felt would work for them. It was truly liberating. I also love the creative problem-solving process so what I do all day long is just fun. By fun, I don’t mean easy. It’s challenging work. I’ve learned that as a team we have to care deeply about our clients and deliver results. No matter what it takes. We have to help them and figure out how to make them successful. Their success is our success. The clients who appreciate that and understand that about us are clients for life and that’s what I want to nurture and develop. Team is everything and every one of my team has to care…care about each other, our clients and how they contribute to the team. When people connect with each other or clients beyond the feeling of this is a “job”, it’s magic. I can’t imagine a stronger competitive advantage than a team who believes. Trust me, clients feel the difference.

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?
OK, so my favorite is The Standard. I just did a few days stay there and invited several friends to come for lunch and dinner throughout my visit. The pool is to die for on the water and the restaurant is wonderful. I just love the big lounges by the pool and the excellent service. It’s just so relaxing and an amazing brand. I love Seaspice on the river. The atmosphere is just beautiful as well as the food and entertainment. For any friends visiting it’s a must for me. Of course, I have to walk people through Wynwood to see how that area has grown. It’s iconic. Kyu is a great spot for dinner there. I actually LOVE to go to brunch at the News Cafe on South Beach. It reminds me of the old days and it’s so beautiful to sit outside and people watch. People-watching anywhere at Faena is spectacular. A great night there is dinner then after dinner drinks at the Living Room. They have great live music. I could go on and on.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Mom deserves a lot of credit for everything in my life and my Brother’s life. She was both Mom and Dad to us and a successful business owner. I grew up watching her succeed running her own business and she instilled belief in ourselves at a young age. Anything was possible. I was pretty fearless growing up and she never tried to hold me back although I’m sure she may have wanted to at times.

Website: paceadv.com
Instagram: paceadv
Linkedin: pace-advertising
Twitter: @paceadv
Facebook: @paceadvertising

Image Credits
Any usage of the licensed imagery on must be credited ©Jill Lotenberg. Tagged on Twitter: @jillphotography IG: @fotoho
Brett Hufziger Photography LLC www.BrettHufziger.com