Meet the team: Deshnee

Our meet-the-team series is for you to get to know our team members a bit more.

Hey Deshnee, we'd like to get to know more about your role at Halo

What’s your job title?
Creative Manager.

What sort of duties do you have at work?
- Production of creative design and campaigns
- Project management
- Creating action plans and problem-solving
- Guiding team members towards a finished product
- Meeting with clients to learn their requirements
- Inspecting finished work to ensure quality and consistency with the company brand

What inspires or excites you, and why?
Its weird, but I love a good brochure design! Maybe a 100-page document. Good design is all about personal preference, and if you enjoy clean corporate brochure design, you've got great taste! Good brochure design can be both aesthetically pleasing and effective in communicating information.

What is your #1 tip for your clients?
Less is more! The idea behind "less is more" is that simplicity and minimalism can be more impactful and effective than designs that are overly busy or cluttered. This principle can apply to a wide range of design styles, including corporate brochure design. By focusing on a clean, uncluttered look and emphasising key information, a well-designed brochure can make a strong impression.

What’s your go-to productivity hack?
It's what we call in the Studio “going underground”. Music can be a powerful tool for enhancing focus and motivation. It can help create a productive and positive environment, allowing you to get into a flow state and stay focused on your tasks. Listening to music with headphones can also help block out distractions and create a sense of privacy, making it easier to concentrate. So, "going underground" with headphones and your favourite DJ!

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
I am loyal. Loyalty is an important trait to have in any relationship, be it personal or professional.

What could you give a 30-minute presentation about with no advance preparation?
I would give a talk about, what graphic design is really about. People always think that graphic design is all about drawing pretty images, but there is a lot more to it than that. I would discuss the different elements of graphic design, such as typography, layout, colour, composition, and more. I would also discuss how these elements can be used to create effective visuals that communicate a message and help to achieve a particular goal or purpose. I would also talk about the importance of understanding the needs of the client, as well as the target audience when creating visuals.

What’s one professional skill you’re currently working on?
My leadership skills.

What’s a work-related accomplishment that you’re really proud of?
My biggest accomplishment is being at Halo Media since my early twenties and becoming Creative Manager. One of the best decisions I ever made was joining Halo!

If salary weren’t a factor, what job would you do?
I love my job, so I would probably say the same job; I would just work half day. The other half of my day, I would like to lecture students that just finished design school. I remember being straight out of design school and not knowing much about what the industry is like. I would like to help students to better their career.

Tell us more about you outside of work …

Where are you from?
I have lived in Durban my entire life. I grew up in Chatsworth and had finished my schooling there. We then moved to Yellowwood Park, where I spent most of my teens and twenties. I then got married and moved to the Bluff.

Do you have a nickname, and how did you get it?
I prefer to be called Desh. However, that is not a nickname, just a shortened version of my name.

Margarita by the litre!

What wouldn’t we know about you, just by looking at you?
I am a mother of two. Also, I am a reality TV junkie! I love a good reality show.

Cats or dogs (or neither?)
Definitely dogs! I think cats are really cute, but don’t think I can own one.

What’s your favourite word in the English language?
Aurora. Aurora is a mystical and romantic name that means "dawn". My favourite time of the day, as it’s the beginning of a new day.

The best piece of advice you were ever given was … 
Have a short-term memory, and just smile and nod. By doing that, most things in life became much easier. In addition to that, it is important to be patient and stay calm in any situation. This will help you to think clearly and make better decisions. Finally, use humour when appropriate and remember to stay positive.

What kind of music do you like?
My Spotify playlists are a mixture of dance and electronic.

Do you like travelling? If so, what’s the best place you’ve ever travelled to?
I do like travelling! But I have not travelled much. I must admit I do love a good road trip. One of the best places I have been to is Mozambique. Living in Durban means we go to the beach quite often. However, the beach in Mozambique was my best experience ever, as it was a still beach 😎

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Handbags, especially if it's pink! And I do love a good margarita!

Are you able to keep a secret?
I can keep a secret. But I really don’t like keeping secrets! So please don’t tell me one 😉