Meet Jaryn Dominique | Digital Marketer & Business Owner of Deviant Digital Services

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaryn Dominique and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaryn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

I had already been in the industry for many years and was a Director of Digital Marketing at a nationwide marketing agency. The thought of starting my own business had crossed my mind over the years from time-to-time, but it never seemed worth the risk compared to a stable 9-5 job. Then the Pandemic happened and, as we all know, everything changed. I was amazed at how many businesses canceled traditional marketing like billboards, commercials, and even direct mail. Instead, all businesses were redirecting their budgets to digital marketing. Suddenly everyone understood the importance of websites, digital ads, email, and overall digital strategies. It was overwhelming, but also very exciting! I learned a lot about what I am truly capable of, as well as recognized the high demand for my skill sets. At the same time, my husband, Gabriel, had previous experience managing a small business with his family so he had a lot of knowledge about how to properly set us up for success. We obviously had a lot of time in 2020 to discuss and reflect, haha. In the end we both loved the idea of partnering our skills to work side-by-side and help small businesses. So we took the leap!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Our business Deviant Digital Services is exactly what it sounds like. We help small businesses with their digital marketing by building websites, running digital ads, optimizing them for Google (SEO), or social media management. If it’s online we do it! I’ve had the benefit of being in this industry for almost ten years and I’ve loved it from the moment I first started. I’ve had the opportunity to work with huge nationwide brands in my career which helped me learn a lot about strategy as well as the ecosystem of the internet. But what I always loved most was helping people, particularly small businesses. 

As I mentioned before, helping small businesses was one of the biggest reasons Gabriel and I decided to take the leap and start this journey. You see, for a long time small business owners avoided digital marketing. Many thought of it as too technical or expensive and that their business could survive without it. Then of course the pandemic hit and stripped away that mindset. Now businesses had to be found online if they wanted to stand a chance of surviving. 

The good news is Phoenix is quickly becoming one of the top digital agency hot spots of the nation so business owners in Arizona had options. Unfortunately, many of the agencies (like ones I worked for) only offered set packages, steep prices, and super in-depth reporting that business owners could barely understand. These agencies do good work, but they’re built for the big brand names who have deep pockets. They have huge overhead and frankly they’re not built for the little guys. Deviant Digital Services is built for the little guys. 

What’s been so fun is talking with people, business owner to business owner, and offering them our big-brand agency quality services at small business pricing. A big part of our business is education as well as supporting our clients. We offer blog, email, video, and in-person tutorials about our services and how they work so technically business owners can branch out on their own if they want. 

A common conversation I have is, “Yes I know you can do this yourself. But the question is what do you have TIME for?” This usually ends up opening the conversation where they discuss with me “With your guidance and education Jaryn, I can do some things on my own now. But I still don’t have time for this service, can you help?” The answer is always yes! It’s never a negative conversation, it’s a supportive one. We are a small business who wants to help other small businesses grow! 

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Fun! Let’s say for argument’s sake this visit is taking place during our beautiful season and not the middle of our intense summers when all we want to do is sit by the A/C. 

If they’re staying a week we’d have to fit in at least one day trip. While Tucson and south-east Arizona in general is beautiful and fun I’d probably have to go the stereotypical route and drag them up north to Sedona, Flagstaff, or Jerome. We could start the day with a hike. Either cliff jumping in Sedona or the inner basin trail in Flagstaff to see the changing leaves. Then end the night brewery hopping in downtown Flagstaff or wine tasting in Cottonwood. 

Day trip aside I’d absolutely drag them to my favorite breweries and bars. Huss Brewing Company is inarguably the best brewery in town and I’d introduce them to the amazing staff and regulars. We’d likely also pop into Yucca Tap Room for a drink and a hello since that’s where Gabriel and I held our wedding reception. Of course, spicy Mexican cuisine would be a must for most of the week so we’d have to get tacos from Wilderness Brewing Company, La Santisma, or Serranos.

Pending movie releases we could pop into our local Majestic Theater for a huge bowl of popcorn and an alcoholic milkshake. Maybe see a show at Marquee Theater or support the punk rock scene at a music festival in Tempe Beach Park. If it’s First Friday maybe we could catch an adult puppet show at the Great Arizona Puppet Theater or pop in for some reading at Wasted Ink Zine Distro.

Of course, we’d have to support the local sports teams, but hopefully timing would work out so we specifically could cheer on hockey in the desert! Always love howling for the Coyotes! Otherwise, we could start the evening at Tempe Marketplace with drinks at Bar Louie or Thirsty Lion, before catching an ASU hockey game or maybe even a Cubs spring training game. 

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Well, my business partner and husband Gabriel will always get the first shoutout. I know it’s cliche but he truly is my rock, best friend, and soul mate. I love you with all that I am Gabriel, none of this would be possible or worth the work without you by my side the whole way. 

I’m grateful to all our family members and friends who were instantly supportive when they learned about our new goals. Whether they were our cheerleaders (Mum, Aldo, Dad) or offering advice and perspective (Mom & Dad haha) we are thankful for you!

Special shoutout to our close friends Bryan and Kristen who are business owners themselves (shoutout Blue Moon Yoga!) and are always there to lend a hand, brainstorm, and just plain cheer us on. They’ve never missed an opportunity to recommend our business and it’s thanks to their many referrals that we were able to land our first batch of customers. Thank you both for your friendship and support, we’re so grateful to have you in our lives. 

Thank you to our awesome clients who already span all over the country, but shout out to the locals like Dr. Kimberly Hartzfeld who is changing lives at her practice Peak Functional Medicine. Also shoutout to Maria & Chad at The Salted Knot who make the best soft pretzels you’ll ever find in the valley. 

Finally, last but never least shoutout to my two best girlfriends Crystal and Kari. Though you both abandoned me for the east coast (haha!) I still feel your presence by my side every day. Thank you for always being there to love, support, and cheer me on. Thank you for believing in me and reminding me who I am on the days when self-doubt clouds my focus. Thank you for referring others to my services and helping me gain clients. More than anything, thank you for being my friends and enriching my life just by being yourselves. 

Thank you everyone. Gabriel and I love you all.

Website: https://www.deviantdigitalservices.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deviantdigitalservices/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deviant-digital-services/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeviantServices

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeviantDigitalServices

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5AneLI30AkPAPO7P0nfzqQ