Meet Tatiana Dumitru of PreTee Creative in Orange County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tatiana Dumitru.

Tatiana, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
First of all, hi! Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I’m Tatiana, a branding specialist, and the founder of PreTee Creative.

I was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, and moved to California in 2012. I studied Accounting in college, but quickly realized it wasn’t creative enough for me. After coming to the US, I began freelancing as a brand consultant and T-shirt designer (the inspiration for “PreTee” – more on that later!).

Since I didn’t go to school for Marketing, I did everything I could to educate myself. I’m a full-time mom, so making the most of my in-between time has been key for this. Even if it’s a Saturday morning, an hour between kids’ activities and school volunteering, or twenty minutes while dinner’s cooking, I use this “free time” to read about branding, take online training, and grow my professional network.

I started out doing smaller jobs, like the creative T-shirt designing I mentioned, and one contract led to another. Though I was barely turning a profit, I did gain great experience, make new business connections, and earn a lot of positive reviews.

One day, I received a project proposal from a huge corporation – the organization was larger than any of my previous clients, as was the scope of work. I was excited they had reached out to me, but nervous I wouldn’t be able to deliver.

But I remembered someone’s advice to “say ‘yes’ and figure it out later,” so that’s what I did. This project turned out to be a huge accomplishment for me, and the client even recommended me to another large company. My success here was the reassurance and validation I needed to start my own branding agency, PreTee Creative.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I find it hard to believe that there’s such a thing as a “smooth road” when you’re a business owner. The journey is definitely winding and a little bumpy, especially since I had just moved to a country where I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have a support system in the beginning, so I had to completely rely on myself.

Since I launched my agency, I’ve faced plenty of challenges, and each one has taught me an important lesson. As a “solopreneur,” I’ve learned to become self-reliant. Since I own the business, the stakes are incredibly high for me – and I’m responsible for making every decision. I don’t have a boss or a manager who gives me direction or guidance, so I rely on client feedback to put out my best possible work. Even though there’s always a nagging fear that I’m going to fail or make a mistake, I’ve learned to trust myself and my instincts.

And since I’m a mom, time management is an ongoing struggle. I’m constantly stretched between my children’s lives and my work life, trying to balance their school activities with client video calls and overall to do a mom-umental job. There have been more than a few occasions when they’ve interrupted meetings and brainstorm sessions, but I’ve learned to keep my cool and laugh it off.

Another one of the biggest difficulties has been working solo. Since my business is still in the early stages, I try to be scrappy. I do as much as I can myself (including designing my own website!), but I’ve learned that some tasks are better outsourced.

Since founding the agency, my team has grown to include a copywriter, Allison Russo, and a graphic designer, Aleksandar Živanović. Allison provides a copy for everything from client brand guides to PreTee Creative’s social posts. Aleksandar has been working with me since I was doing the T-shirts and now he supports all graphic design efforts. I’ve learned to give my team creative direction and constructive feedback, and I can’t wait to grow the team even more in 2020.

Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
Many people don’t realize that iconic branding goes beyond a nice name in a pretty packaging.

At PreTee Creative, my mission is to spark a client’s creative vision and bring it to life. I take their concept and elevate it to an innovative, magnetic brand that’s impossible to ignore and make people go from “Why would I buy?” to “How do I buy?”. I develop a cohesive brand strategy targeting how their product makes people feel. At first, people might not remember the name of your brand or your logo…but they will remember their experience with your brand.

My specialty is naming – this is a daunting task for many, so it’s a skill that sets me apart. I create names that catch the eye and brand stories that catch the mind, creating a complete branded experience. I always brainstorm names from different angles (whether descriptive or creative) so my clients have different options to choose from. When I present my naming ideas, I guide them through the story and the meaning behind each one. They’re all designed to create a connection with potential customers.

When I present clients with names, most of my suggestions come with a matching domain…so when they choose the name of their brand, they know that the domain is available. Researching available domain names in the wild wild web is a time-consuming task, but I feel that this service shows my clients how invested I am in their brand and their success.

Another specialty of mine is developing memorable and alluring taglines. My personal tagline is “Feeling the Gaps,” because I have a knack for understanding what a brand is missing. After feeling out the brand, I help them fill those gaps.

Something else that sets me apart from traditional creative agencies is the level of collaboration and revision I provide. I work with my clients until they’re satisfied, considering their feedback throughout the branding process. I’ve learned that when a client walks away completely happy, I’ll get a positive review that can open doors to new projects.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I feel that communication has been instrumental to my success so far. I’m a natural communicator, and this skill has served me well in my entrepreneurial journey. I make a point to stay in touch with my clients and maintain open communication – I keep them up to date, whether it’s regarding a change in the project or just a quick check-in.

Communication allows me to understand a client’s perspective and infuse this into their branding, blending their taste, their vision, and their personality. I’m not afraid to ask questions and make sure I fully understand their mission, goals, and values.

I’m always transparent and empathetic and want clients to feel like they’re involved in the process. I encourage them to give me feedback, I don’t rush them into making decisions, and I have a policy of replying in under 24 hours.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.preteecreative.com
• Email: tatiana@preteecreative.com

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