Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Mihaly and Dee Marsh. They share their story with us below:
Dee Marsh and Dana Mihaly started their careers the same way, hundreds of miles from each other, in broadcasting, marketing and public relations. Juggling all the responsibilities of family, their professional passions were often on the back burner. They learned to translate creative talents into part-time marketing and consulting work and volunteering at the local PTA, where they met. They have covered some ground in the past 30 years: marketing director, substitute teacher, television show producer, ad agency exec, college relations director, retail sales, property manager and self-storage specialist at LockTite Storage – where they discovered their career dreams aligned. And now, Marsh + Mihaly Marketing Group is celebrating two years of collaboration.
According to Marsh, “Our story is not unique. Our needs are often sidelined by those of our loved ones. But now, with our experience — successes and failures — we are more determined than ever to dedicate ourselves to business owners and entrepreneurs who have traveled similar journeys.”
Marsh + Mihaly Marketing features affordable marketing services for small to mid-size local businesses. Specializing in the “local company launch,” they offer both traditional and digital marketing solutions for virtually every business sector.
Dee Marsh, a Baylor graduate, has spent the past 25 years in virtually every aspect of marketing, advertising and communications. A former cheerleader, she brings a level of enthusiasm to her work that is contagious and describes herself as a “marketingaholic.”
After nearly a decade in local TV news and corporate public relations, Dana Mihaly, a Texas Tech grad, embraced the life of a “nomadic” military wife and mom. She launched a career that could travel with her, serving as a marketing consultant and small business owner.
“It’s an incredible joy to work with area nonprofits and community organizations too, to connect our clients to charities and causes that they are eager to support,” Marsh said.
“We work really well together, balance each other out in our skills and experience, and have a deep passion for helping others build their businesses,” said Marsh.
Mihaly added, “Our values and work ethics align, too, and that has proven to be a huge benefit in our business partnership.”
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Expanding our services from traditional marketing to digital marketing is and always will be challenging. But that’s what we love about our job! Every day we learn something new about an evolving marketing technology or strategy. It breathes life into tried and true practices and forces us to be life-long learners. We’ve taken courses at the University of Texas, attended digital technology conferences and are constantly seeking out continuing education opportunities to stay at the top of our game.
We are so thankful for our clients who have trusted us and helped us get our business going. We approach each day to do all we can to reinforce that they made the right decision. We never stop pushing ourselves to do better.
We are also grateful to work with several very talented artists, designers and web developers who make it possible for us to serve clients and continue to build our business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
One of our unique offerings is our knowledge of the communities that our clients serve and how to help them connect with customers and build their brands as good community partners. “People don’t care what you know until they know you care” is one of our strongest foundations for operation. Any business can sponsor an event or write a check, but the ones who truly care and will go out of their way to help another business or organization succeed are the clients we work hard to represent.
Plus, as a small business ourselves, we understand the financial limitations facing most of our clients, many of whom can’t afford digital marketing services. That’s why we are careful to construct a plan that delivers the most bang for their marketing buck. Whether it’s social media, website design, SEO or online advertising, we don’t believe in the phrase “there’s no way.” There is always a path to extend your brand and reach your potential customers. Sometimes it just takes a bit of “out-of-the-box” thinking.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Dana: I love that Austin supports local! Local businesses are the heart and soul of any great city and we are so proud not only to be a small local business in the Austin area but to support others on the same journey.
Dee: I fell in love with Austin in the mid-80s and always wanted to live here, much like everyone else who seeks live music, beautiful outdoors and good ole fashioned Texas pride. I am proud to live, work, support, promote and market the rich culture and entrepreneurial spirit that Austin embodies. Working with local nonprofits and neighborhoods is my favorite part of my job. Connecting clients with the community is where I am happiest.
Dana: These past two years have been an emotional, financial and social struggle for everyone in our area. There are so many issues threatening to divide us. We look forward to getting back to a time when we supported our fellow Austinites, embraced each other’s differences and moved forward in making this city great together.
Dee: The traffic, of course! I am concerned about all the great landmarks that made Austin so great that are being torn down. I cherish places like The Broken Spoke and Saxon Pub and don’t want to see them demolished and replaced with condos.
Contact Info:
- Email: dana.m@2dmmarketing.com or dee.m@2dmmarketing.com
- Website: www.marshandmihalymarketing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshmihalymarketing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marshmihalymarketing/
Image Credits
Teagan Krewson Katherine Mihaly
