Hidden Gems: Meet Darren Fishman of Desert Society

Hi Darren, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
I am originally from Australia and was always fascinated by the aesthetics of design and consumer psychology. That led me to work in advertising and marketing back home for a few decades before bringing that experience to California by starting a creative agency here called Desert Society. The name reflects both the “desert” areas and major city “society” we love to bring our expertise to.

The fabulous part about it is I get to do something I really love, which is being creative through developing brands, graphics, and websites for businesses, as well as designing fabulous retro-inspired interiors for both private residences and vacation homes across the Coachella Valley and as far as the coast from San Diego to Los Angeles.

That’s reflected in Desert Society’s tagline – “generating creativity” – because we could not be more passionate about inspiring ourselves and others.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Well, my biggest struggle was after deciding to move to the US from Australia… I had visited California and, more specifically, Palm Springs often as I have always been infatuated with retro culture, be that movies, music, television, fashion, graphic design, interiors, and architecture. So that made the area a very attractive proposition, but obviously, moving countries is never simple with the visas and the like, for example, as well as quite life-changing.

Once here, the networking started, and the struggle to gain new business, but we did get some traction pretty early and started to build a reputation for great quality work delivered on time and on budget.

Not winning a project you pitch for though can be quite deflating, but you just have to dust yourself off and realize that rejection is all part of the process. This is because people will speak to at least three possible vendors, whether it’s to build a website or complete the interior design for a home, so the odds are often against you. But we are always up for the challenge and confident that our track record of fabulous work speaks volumes on our behalf.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Desert Society?
Desert Society, is an agency that is all about generating creativity to help SoCal communities shine brighter. We do this in a number of disciplines, including advertising, marketing, events, and interior design, because we are as passionate about developing memorable brands, captivating designs, engaging moments, and alluring environments as we are about the SoCal region itself.

After many years working in large agencies in Australia working with multinational brands, I wanted to bring that experience to the communities here, but without all the huge hierarchy and infrastructure of a large agency. So, we can service small and medium businesses in an agile, responsive and cost-effective manner, but give them big agency experience.

And with the number of vacation homes in the area, we also brought our aesthetic expertise into interior design, being able to create a brand for the house, market it, and design the remodel, too!

What sets us apart is our business savviness, and common-sense creative solutions designed to get clients more customers and keep them coming back. When it comes to interiors, it’s our resourcefulness that can give you a million-dollar look without having to spend a million dollars!

Networking has helped us grow, but that only works if you’re doing a great job and getting the recommendations – and so far, that’s how it’s been working out thanks to our no-nonsense approach and cost-effective solutions, whether creating a new logo or designing a mansion’s interior.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Reputation really matters, as well as pride in your own work, and that’s what really inspires myself and the firm.

Personally, I can’t let anything substandard go out, so I am always striving to do the absolute best job possible, not just for the client but also for my own personal pride! That’s why we will often end up going over and above and end up giving the client more value than they probably even paid for.