Getting To Know Your Neighbors

Isn’t it refreshing to have a media outlet saying positive things all the time? This is the goal of the Voyage Group of Magazines. Originally founded in Los Angeles, this team strives to create support for communities. Their group has grown from Los Angeles to include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, two cities in Texas including Dallas and Houston, Miami, San Diego and Phoenix.

DIG Scottsdale Voyage Phoenix Main Image
Collection of images from Voyage Phoenix

Their Mission Is Awesome

I was invited to share about DIG Scottsdale on Voyage Phoenix for their Inspiring Stories section. I was humbled to be selected and wasn’t quite sure what to talk about but I know everyone has a message someone needs to hear. What convinced me to do the interview was their mission:

Our mission is to build a platform that fosters collaboration and support for small businesses, independent artists and entrepreneurs, local institutions and those that make our city interesting. We want to change the way people spend their money – rather than spending it with the big, cookie-cutter corporations we want them to spend their money with the independent, creative, local entrepreneurs, small businesses and artists.

Voyage Phoenix

Below is the interview with me. This article is unedited except we added links to the restaurants in case you wanted to check them out!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dianna Moses.

DIG Scottsdale Dorian
Dorian Scottsdale During AZ Restaurant Week

Dianna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Thank you for asking about my business; I think Voyage Phoenix sharing other people’s stories is a fabulous idea. Typically, when I speak, I talk about other people but I feel like I have a story worth telling and hope to provide some courage and motivation for others that may be stuck in their life.

When I moved to Arizona, I was getting out of a long term abusive, unhealthy relationship. I moved to Scottsdale with almost nothing. Having left everything I knew behind, I was devasted; but it turned out to be the best move I have ever made.

At first, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. But day after day, I woke up feeling so blessed, grateful and thankful for my life in Scottsdale. The experience has changed me forever. Every day that passed, I felt luckier and happier. Scottsdale is such a beautiful place full of so many positive, successful people I want to make sure everyone sees all the magnificent things this town has to offer.

Three fun facts about Scottsdale:

  1. Many people who live here are not native Arizonians, so it’s simple to make new friends.
  2. The desert is much more beautiful than the vision most people conjure up when imagining the desert.
  3. When people give directions, they say, you know where _______ used to be?

Learning how quickly companies come and go in Scottsdale upset me. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, I am passionate about supporting locally owned businesses. I think it’s tragic for companies to go out of business because no one knows they exist. I immersed myself in researching all the events, restaurants and locally-owned businesses that Scottsdale has to offer. I have lived all over the world and acclimating to a new place is second nature to me. But as I engaged with my new found friends, I discovered that most people think differently. They go with what they know.

Think about that: if no one were an explorer we would be lost in a sea of corporate chains. I created DIG Scottsdale to share all the valuable information and experiences I have with other people looking for locally owned places to spend their time and money. The cool thing about DIG is that I use it as a testing ground for viralMD, a company that helps build brand awareness for doctors and hospitals. DIG and viralMD almost have the same goals because, if you think about it, a physician’s office is the quintessential locally-owned business.

Digital content strategy is a great way to build a brand, whether it’s for a restaurant, a business or a doctor. My core belief is that when a client wins, so do I and we’ve got all the tools to propel people towards their goals. You see, when I get on social media I am not there to talk about myself or snoop through everyone’s business. I get on social media and ask who can I support today? Who could benefit from some encouragement or kind words? What restaurant have I been to lately that could use some love? I believe real success isn’t just about you but how many people you can elevate to create success in their lives too.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Oh, hell, no. Tell me a success story filled with happiness and rainbows and I will call bullshit every time. If you haven’t encountered any problems along the way, you’re never going to build any character.

One of the things I have learned is what I value and my conclusion is that it’s living a life that is full of energy, gratitude and positivity surrounded by people that believe the same. For example, Maple & Ash recently opened and when I went to dine there, I found the advertised price on the website and the menu was different. I brought the price discrepancy to the manager’s attention and asked if they would honor it. He said no. While I was surprised at the answer, after a few minutes of consideration, I sadly closed my menu and walked out. I can’t do business with a company that’s not customer-oriented. It was disappointing but I believe sticking to your values is important. I scooted over to Ocean 44 and wow! Ocean 44, who has two sister restaurants in the Valley, Dominick’s and Steak 44, was breath-taking. The place is light and airy with a fabulous staff that treated me like gold. Their food was amazing and I had an absolutely splendid meal there. I may have never tried Ocean 44 had it not been for me sticking to my guns on interacting with people who are positive, like-minded and have integrity. The universe provides us with gifts better than we can ever imagine if we are open to it. There will be ups and downs in your life but experience tells you most of it is not worth spending your precious energy being stressed over.

Food Pics from DIG Scottsdale blog about restaurants and events
A collection of dishes from restaurants around Scottsdale

We’d love to hear more about your business.
For both DIG and viralMD, I do the same things: I promote brands through content marketing, social media campaigns, SEO expertise and E-A-T and YMYL websites. I am passionate about empowering people’s success. Something I am very proud of is when I talk about a locally owned restaurant like Fat Ox, Dorian or Hush Public House, I am not just talking about the restaurant, I am letting everyone know the local vendors they use like the swordfish is from Chula Seafood, the bread is from Noble Bread or the fries are from Frites Street. You can incorporate so much love and good vibes with a bit of effort and it’s a win for both the business and consumer. Drive and discipline are critical but for me, the single most important quality is integrity. If you can’t trust your clients, if you don’t believe in their business practices or you’re trying to pull something over on your customers, you will have a lot of sleepless nights. My company is founded on integrity and strong values with the desire to see others succeed.

What were you like growing up?
What was I like growing up? I am not sure I am finished yet! Kidding aside, when I was 3, I dressed up as a stockbroker for Halloween, well, I carried a WSJ and threw confetti but you got the idea. Wall Street held a strong fascination for me, so my first job was on the floor of NYSE. I was very driven and wanted to learn everything about everything. I devoured books and anything educational. I like to go fast so I became nationally ranked for ProSTAR motorcycle drag racing. I also did a lot of motorcycle stunts and was in a few videos. I like to fight and was undefeated in boxing; I have dabbled in some other forms of fighting non-competitively. I have always been very focused and unstoppable but sometimes people thought I wasn’t friendly. My father always told me I never smiled enough, but it’s just because I was thinking. I am pretty much always analyzing and envisioning the next big thing. I may not smile all the time but I am loyal as they come and try to do the right thing even when no one is looking.

Other Stories….

Besides their Inspiring Stories series which are broken down by cities around the Valley, Voyage Phoenix also has other series like Trailblazers: Rewriting the Narrative and #LADYBOSS which highlights women businesses. All in all, this is a great read for anyone looking to find the motivation to start their own business or wanting to work with more local businesses.