Meet Destiny Gant of D.O. Designs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Destiny Gant.  

Hi Destiny, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I’m Destiny! I’m a vision and brand strategist and the CEO of D.O. Designs, LLC, an NC-based boutique branding agency that specializes in helping impact-driven entrepreneurs and businesses leverage the power of branding to do good in the world. I’m Philly born + bred, but I call NC home. I moved to Greensboro, NC, with my mom when I was a teenager. I stayed in NC for college to attend UNC-Chapel Hill and graduated with a degree in Journalism & Mass Communications in 2013; my concentration was Graphic Design. 

After graduating, I struggled a bit to get my footing in my career. I graduated into a fairly competitive job market with no prior work experience and few soft skills. Even with the few interviews, I was able to get, I simply lacked the confidence to adequately sell myself. In 2014, I finally got an opportunity, an internship as an in-house designer for a corporate sales company. In the fall of 2014, I moved back to Philly for personal reasons, and in 2015, I got my first full-time position working as an in-house designer in the nonprofit sector. At the time, I felt like such a late bloomer in my career. There were a lot of ups and downs as well as bouts with depression throughout the process but God had a plan that I just couldn’t see yet. 

My years working as an employee taught me a lot, in particular, I learned four things about myself that would bring a massive shift in my career: 1) I wanted a location-independent career, 2) I didn’t want to work in Corporate America, 3) I generally didn’t love working for other people, and 4) I loved working with impact-driven organizations committed to making a difference. 

Up until 2018, I continued to work with the same employer. Over the course of that time, I had the opportunity to teach abroad for a short while; I started working remotely, I moved back to NC, I got married, and started doing some freelance graphic design projects here and there. Then in May of 2018—after a lot of overthinking and procrastination—I took the leap. I officially launched my graphic design business. 

In the first year, I was able to convert my former employer into a retainer client (in effect, quitting my job and becoming a full-time entrepreneur) and double my income. I have found a tremendous sense of purpose in serving others in my business beyond making their brands look pretty. Every day I have the opportunity to work with dynamic leaders and visionaries to not only bring their ideas to life but also, to help them build brands that will create positive impact in countless people’s lives. This ranges from victims of domestic violence to ex-convicts to underprivileged youth to the next generation of mental health professionals; I see that my work is making a difference, and it is truly an honor to do it. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Along the way, I faced many challenges. Frankly, there were many steep learning curves along the way. I’ve had to work with a lot of less-than-ideal clients before I could figure out who my ideal clients were. I have had to learn the importance of establishing boundaries between my personal life and my business the hard way. I have had to deal with the consequences of exploring different systems and policies to optimize my business through trial and error. I have had to overcome my tendency to undervalue my work and deal with the financial strain of charging too little. 

And, of course, there were a lot of ups and downs. During the pandemic, I had my best year in business which was followed by my worst year in business. It was devastating, not to mention the mental and emotional toll of the pandemic. Fortunately, I had fairly lean operations and multiple streams of income, so through God’s grace I was able to weather that and many other storms. 

We’ve been impressed with D.O. Designs, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
D.O. Designs, LLC is a boutique branding agency that specializes in helping impact-driven entrepreneurs and businesses leverage the power of branding to do good in the world. We offer a full suite of branding solutions, from tools/resources for developing a brand strategy to brand design and implementation. We’re all about using design to help visionaries tell their story in a unique, compelling way. 

At D.O. Designs, we believe that the work our clients do is crucial. Whether nonprofit or for-profit, all brands are built to make a difference. For this reason, we take great care to cultivate our understanding of the vision behind the brand. Our signature framework allows us to get inside of the vision to capture and articulate it in a way that speaks to the heart of the brand’s why. 

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My faith in God. Without God’s partnership and guidance, I genuinely do not believe that my business would have seen the success it has thus far. Even though I’ve put a lot of work into making my business a success over the years, I know that my efforts alone would not have been enough without God’s help. Even though I have the capacity to be resilient, I know my resilience alone would not have been enough with God’s strength. Business is difficult, and there has never been a shortage of excuses to quit. Partnering with God has not only helped me to remain hopeful, but it also brought a level of purpose and fulfillment to work that could easily feel mundane and meaningless. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.destinyodesigns.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/destinyogant
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DestinyOGant/ 

Image Credits
Stillshots Photography
Ashleigh Crawley