Today we’d like to introduce you to Brynne Frost and Ana Reilly.
Brynne and Ana formed DCi with the goal of bringing the focus back to building relationships with clients and vendors, fulfilling client goals and finding creative ways to never have to say no. They carry on the DCi motto of “building relationships, builds success” which was a concept of Linda Wagner, another owner/founder who has since retired.
DCi’s first project began with a planning meeting the day the company started. The project was for a group of 800 and involved a progressive networking dinner. The client needed help to get this group of 800 people to network during one-night event which moved through numerous venues in the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. Since the opening day they haven’t stopped! They love this industry and the experiences that they are privileged to create for their clients which since 1998 have evolved based on markets and trends.
Their team is fueled by creativity, the thrill of making what seems impossible come to life and giving attendees those AHA moments. Their custom boutique approach to events keeps them at the top of the marketplace in terms of creativity and their large highly skilled team lets them deliver on any request. From intimate gatherings of 20 to large scale conventions of 20,000 each client receives a custom experience relevant to their brand and produced by an amazing team of passionate event professionals. Their goal at the 20 year mark is to be their only competition in this highly competitive industry.
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?
The hospitality industry is full of ups and downs. What is important is how you ride them. With each rise and fall of the economy, clients’ needs have changed. With that, DCi has continued to evolve to meet client’s creative and logistics needs every step of the way.
We are always thinking of how we can be better. The best and easiest way to succeed in our industry is to focus on the client, treat your vendors as partners and never be afraid of a challenge and pushing beyond what anyone thinks is possible.
When budgets were cut in 2009 across the board, DCi started building a decor rental inventory to help clients still give guests an experience that hit the mark. Fast forward almost 10 years later and DCi now has a full-time team of Designers, exclusive access to three warehouses filled with strategically curated decor elements and is the only destination management company that can provide clients with all that they need for any event format.
DCi used a challenging moment (that deeply affected the entire country) to grow into an even stronger player in the industry.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Destination Concepts (DCi) – what should we know?
DCi is a full-service creative solutions company that provides destination management, event design & production and logistical services for a variety of meeting and event formats. When a client comes to DCi to start the planning process they know they will have a partner from ideation to execution that will deliver a truly custom experience.
The projects we produce include incentive programs, product launches, board meetings, citywide conventions, road shows and more. Clients that are looking for an experience that will immerse guests in their brand or showcase the destination, in a new and fresh way come to DCi and have been for 20 years. Our large number of repeat clientele is one of our biggest accomplishments and proves that we are a creative force in the industry and a valued partner.
Creativity, client focus and our ability to always get to a “YES” for our clients are the foundation of our success an have been since day one. We often hear from a new client “well they told me no, and that it would be impossible.” Our creatively strategic team will diligently work to turn that “no” into a “yes.” Why? We always rise to the challenge, love breaking boundaries and delivering what our client’s dream of.
Other proud moments we have loved over the years are winning OC Tanner’s Coolest Companies in San Diego, being on the list of San Diego’s Best Places to Work, being in the Top 25 DMCs list and having won the Inc. 5,000 award 6 times. Being recognized by our internal team, financially and creatively are amazing moments in the lifetime of a company.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Creativity, passion, innovation, teamwork and the satisfaction of pulling off something no one thought possible!
Creativity keeps it fresh, passion is what gets you through those long days on the road, innovation leads us to the creative solutions to answer the question “ok so this is what the client wants, now how do we do this?”, teamwork is instrumental in event and meeting production and ultimately when a client sees their vision or dream brought into the reality that is the ultimate thrill.
Those factors are the same from when DCi was founded as a team of 5 to 20 years later as a team of over 50. DCi is a rarity. We’ve been around for twenty years and are a multi-million-dollar business, but we still have the culture of a family owned business. We have the best of both worlds!
Contact Info:
- Address: 2620 Financial Court Suite 101 San Diego, CA 92117
- Website: destinationconcepts.com
- Phone: 858.274.7979
- Email: regina@destinationconcepts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationconcepts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DestinationConcepts/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dcimeetingevent?lang=en
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/destination-concepts-inc/
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
