By Rebecca Bernard

This month’s sponsor focus is on Insignia Signs and Daytonian founders Elizabeth and Michael Riley. Founded in 2003, Insignia is a locally-owned company specializing in large format digital printing, vehicle advertising and display graphics. Recognized several times by AAF-Dayton for their outstanding work with and for customers, the Insignia team is who you go to make creative plans a reality.

What unique skill/feature/product/service do you bring to the Gem City?
We're a production house; it's our job to take the creative person's idea and make it a reality, whether that's a banner, a trade show display or a vehicle wrap. The physical products we offer aren't always unique, but our approach to helping our customers is. We take tremendous pride in our ability to think outside the box, to figure out how to make the impossible possible, to come up with new ways of doing things, new applications for otherwise "old" materials and media, and to meet impossible deadlines. We sell solutions to problems.

When you were growing up, what did you want to be? How did that path change? What steps did you take to get to where you are today?
Michael: As a youngster I wanted to be an architect, but growing up my family owned a golf course, and we started making welcome banners and outing sponsor signage (albeit crude by today's standards) in house. That experience led me to a job in the sign industry and eventually to owning my own wide format print shop.
Elizabeth: Growing up, I wanted to be a journalist. I married Michael and the sign industry, all in one day! ;)

In your creative career, have you encountered a challenge or face adversity, and how did you overcome that obstacle?
When we first started our company I was 20 years old and Michael was 21. We knew what we were doing and we knew how to deliver what the customer wanted, but it's hard to be taken seriously by larger companies or seasoned professionals when you're that young. That meant we had to work harder, faster, smarter and more efficiently than other people just to be noticed. Eventually that hard work and dedication paid off. While we originally thought our age was a limiting factor, the fact that it forced us to think outside the box became our biggest market advantage.

Why do you feel cultivating a creative community is important?
Well for one thing, the Dayton creative community keeps us in business. But Dayton is no longer a powerhouse of the industrial and manufacturing world; it's slowly evolving into a technological and creative hub. Creativity breeds creativity, so the more active and participatory the entire community becomes, the more that fuels innovative and creative thinking, and the better off the whole Dayton region will be as a result.

In what ways does your company contribute to the creative community?
Well, we have the humbling and sometimes intimidating job of outputting the visions of the Dayton creative community. It is so fun and fulfilling to see a designer stand by one of our printers and watch something that they designed come to life! In terms of community involvement, our staff has chosen the K12 Gallery for Young People as our company non-profit to support in 2012.

What creative industry leaders do you think have a great positive influence, or are there any creatives that you admire?
It's hard to admire or single out just a few individuals or companies, as that's counter to what creativity really is all about. For us, we tend to be enamored by the people behind the curtain making the whole machine work. The Steve Jobs, Tony Hsiens, Jeff Bezoses and other industry leaders and obscenely innovative thinkers. At Insignia, our job isn't necessarily to be the creative, but rather to support the creatives and bring their visions to life -- so the people who are always striving to do it better, faster, more efficiently, more cost effectively, etc., are the ones that get us excited.

What do you like most about living/working in Dayton?
Dayton has so much to offer. The more I travel, the more I realize that we are so lucky. We have so much great art, great food, an awesome park system and some really amazing companies in town. For as small as we are, we pack a pretty good punch!

What’s your best piece of advice to Dayton Creative Syndicate members?
Michael: Ask questions and learn; don't assume you know everything; assume you know nothing. This opens the door for innovation.
Elizabeth: Approach each work day as if it is your first day on the job!

Many thanks to Insignia and all they do for DCS!