Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Liberman.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a Mechanical and Electrical engineer with more than three decades of experience leading businesses across Mexico and the U.S. My main company, DILCO, specializes in industrial spare parts and material handling engineering and automation.
I am also a founding partner of one of the top Mail Boxes Etc. stores in the world alongside my sister. For eight years, I was also the CEO of the corporate headquarters in Mexico.
With absolutely no experience in the framing world, and in partnership with my wife, we bought two Fastframe stores in Austin in 2021. Got our one-week training at Fastframe corporate, and with almost the same knowledge as before the training, we started working in what has become one of the most refreshing businesses I own. Applying my experience to the world of frames, we have turned Fastframe South and Fastframe North into huge successes, making them the No. 1 and No. 2 stores in the Fastframe network.
For me, framing is about honoring the trust that customers place in us. Often, we don’t realize the value a piece holds for someone, whether it’s economic or sentimental, whether it’s a simple letter, a family photograph, or a valuable piece of art. Being able to create a protective environment while displaying it beautifully is a privilege.
I truly enjoy working alongside my team of talented and creative individuals. Their dedication and artistry are what allow each customer’s vision to come to life. We see it all, people frame anything that you can imagine. Each piece is unique and valuable.
I’ve always believed in the Wow factor. Every time a customer says “Wow” about something you did, you can enjoy knowing you exceeded their expectations. We are customers all the time, and we kind of remember bad experiences, but always remember those that caused a Wow in us. We even want to recommend it to others so they can experience excellence.
Just knowing that something we did is on display in a special place where someone looks at it daily makes it all worth it.
My two sons are the reason I want to become the best version of me, and to be the best example I can for them. My wife is not only my life partner but also the person who walks beside me and sometimes gives me the push I need toward a better tomorrow.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Whenever the road is smooth, it’s usually not interesting or challenging. Roughness is a sign that once you walk the road you end up being stronger and better. A new business is no exception, and for me, walking into the custom picture framing industry was definitely not smooth.
There was a lot to learn and also to prove. My team, with years of experience in the trade, saw me as someone who could not bring anything to the business. And it took time to show that anyone with any experience can always bring value to a team. Starting with some small and not-so-small changes and finding resistance to them was difficult, but the results proved them worthy.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Fastframe?
Custom picture framing lives in the technical and artistic world. We have excellent equipment, tools, products, and techniques, but they serve no purpose without achieving an artistic design that makes what we are framing to look amazing not just by itself but in the place its going to live.
Helping a customer select the mouldings, mats, composition, and glazing requires not just looking at the piece but also understanding our customer’s preferences and the place it’s going to be hung.
What sets me apart form others is that I act as a customer of my own businesses, always looking to provide that experience that satisfies the requirements and offers a great path to achieve it. Being honest, courtesy and listening to what customers want to share is a key to achieving their satisfaction.
Managing a business and making it very successful is not dependent on what the business is about. All successful businesses need to be efficient and profitable, and this is the result of their processes. Being an engineer has allowed me to understand those processes and flows in a way that makes it easy for me to identify how to improve them. Working in the industry, where quality demand is the highest, and the proof of your talent is as simple as whether it works or not, has also allowed me to devote myself to customer experience and deliver something even better than what they expected.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Frames have been part of us for many years and will be for many more to come. It is the means of protecting and displaying our possessions and decorating our environments. It requires expertise and craftsmanship so I see the business growing in its offering of materials and production , but keeping its core escence.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.austinfastframe.com
- Instagram: fastframeatx
- Yelp: fastframe-south-austin-5
