IB Woman
Issue No. 11 - June/July 2003
Guilding four Underperforming Companies to Greatness
The career of Diana Robertson has taken some interesting turns from the time she graduated from Meridian Ladies College in Sydney. Starting as an administration assistant to fashion guru, Trent Nathan himself, and a stint at Sydney’s USP Benson advertising, Diana tackled home wares sales (from manufacturer to retail), her own retail businesses in second hand furniture, a coffee shop and a health food store, progressing to real estate, marketing, design and advertising.
With a strong retail background, Diana also had writing and marketing skills that were very useful when she gained a real estate license whilst balancing motherhood and home renovations. Married to an advertising executive, together they ran a highly successful agency in Adelaide whilst raising two sons and developing an enviable client base.
The marriage ended in 1997. After a 12-month contract with another established advertising agency, Diana set up on her own again in 1999 from a home-based studio after her new company, The Production Studio Pty Ltd, won the L J Hooker advertising account in South Australia and Northern Territory.
‘Following divorce some women retire gracefully,’ Diana says, ‘but I had many things I wanted to do and try. I wasn’t quite ready for the rocking chair on the veranda.’
Not one to cool her heels, Diana doubled the value of the family home through extensive renovations, and so formed the financial platform for future ventures including the acquisition of investment property.
Diana then bought both Guerrilla Advertising and Media PlanIT in 2001, which she merged with The Production Studio. Needing new premises for the 15 staff, the company moved to St Peters where Diana renovated and re-wired a local landmark property known as St Peters Wine Cellars.
Acquiring Adelaide advertising trade icon, Image Digital, out of receivership in 2002 forced a consolidation from three premises, two of which were used by Image Digital, to o...
