I don't just design brands. I build them.

ABOUT

THE STORY

I started my career in advertising agencies; real ones, with real clients, real deadlines, and zero margin for soft work. Over 20 years I moved from art director to creative director, leading brand identity systems, integrated campaigns, and visual storytelling for consumer brands, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations. Multiple ADDY Awards, Telly Awards, Communicator Awards, and Graphis recognition later — I knew how to make work that landed.

I'm Lisa DiVito — brand strategist, creative director, and someone who has actually built a business from the ground up and taken it to market. That last part matters. Because there's a difference between someone who has studied branding and someone who has lived it.

"Then I decided to bet on myself. I built a consumer brand from scratch — concept, identity, packaging, strategy — and got it into over 2,000+ retail locations nationwide.
On my own."

That experience changed how I see everything. It's one thing to build a brand for a client. It's another to be the client — to feel the weight of every decision, to know that your livelihood depends on whether people understand what you're selling and why it matters. I know both sides of that table. That's not something you learn in a classroom.

I closed that chapter intentionally. And I rebuilt — which takes a different kind of courage than starting. What came out of that rebuild was clarity: I want to use everything I know to help small businesses and wellness professionals stop being invisible. Because most of them aren't failing for lack of talent. They're failing for lack of clarity.

BEYOND THE WORK

Building a brand is exciting until it isn't. The logo looks great. The Instagram is up. And then… nothing. No clients, no traction, no idea why it's not working.

I've been there. Not just as an advisor watching it happen to clients but as a founder who built something, fought for it, and learned every hard lesson along the way. The sleepless nights wondering if anyone is paying attention. The algorithm that changed overnight and tanked your reach. The feeling that you're shouting into a void and everyone else has figured out a secret you haven't.

Here's what I know after 20+ years: the businesses that break through aren't always the most talented. They're the ones who got clear on who they're talking to and stopped trying to talk to everyone. They found a way to show up consistently without screaming "buy from me." They built trust before they asked for anything.

That's not a marketing trick. That's a strategy. And it's exactly what I build.

In addition to brand strategy, I take on select design projects including logo design, print collateral, and website design. These are quoted separately based on scope.

Credentials

Education

  • MFA, Multimedia / Graphic Art Memphis College of Art — Memphis, TN
  • BFA, Studio Art Lambuth University — Jackson, TN

Awards + Recognition

  • ADDY Awards Brand Identity, Direct Marketing, Public Service, Campaigns
  • Telly Awards Integrated & Public-Service Campaigns
  • Communicator Awards Public-Service & Brand Storytelling
  • Graphis Poster Annual
  • Step Magazine Feature

Agency Background

  • BOHAN Art Director / Web Designer — Nashville, TN
  • iostudio Senior Art Director — Nashville, TN
  • J&A Integrated Thinking Associate Creative Director — Brentwood, TN
  • Freelance Creative Director 2003 – Present

As a Founder

  • Built a consumer brand from concept to market
  • Scaled to 2,000+ retail locations nationwide
  • Six-figure revenue
  • Solo. No outside funding.