Spending the Christmas holidays with uncles who could draw and design ignited a spark in young entrepreneur Dylan Iorlano, who wants to use his artistic talents to help local small businesses.
In a time of mass-produced and factory-made goods, traditional skills and the human touch make for bespoke products and experiences. Dylan believed these can reach across the digital divide through his start-up digital agency DJI Media.
To kickstart and refine his business idea, Dylan is participating in the Sunshine Coast’s Generation Innovation Challenge.
Founded by local Federal MP Ted O’Brien, the yearly challenge gathers participants at a one-day workshop, where they develop their business ideas/concepts with training from the GI team and local business experts as mentors.
But new world ideas sometimes come from old-school places.
Dylan said his design concepts come from traditional illustrators and artists such as Karl Kopinski and Kim Jung Gi, who draw from memory with no visual reference.
Once he has the basic concept down, Dylan said he uses his graphic design and web skills to tailor an online brand for his clients.
“COVID has hit a lot of small businesses really hard and they are struggling to find innovative ways to attract customers,” Dylan said.
He believed taking businesses back to the basics can find new customer bases.
“I want to give back to my community by connecting people through social media and digital design,” he said.
Studies have shown the global pandemic has led to an online-weary public turning away from automatic click-throughs, with a renewed focus on quality products to attract and hold attention.
The traditional has become cutting edge, the retro very on trend.
Dylan’s foundation in traditional illustration could not be more useful.
The GI Challenge also includes online boot camps and developing pitches, with a glittering first-place prize of $10,000 in the offing. And it has generated its own little community.
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“I love the GI challenge,” Dylan said.
“It’s an incredible resource and great to meet other entrepreneurs on the Coast and see their ideas. Knowing we are in the same boat makes things less stressful.”
Dylan said programs like the GI Challenge were important to showcase his generation’s ideas and concepts and to disprove the negative judgement that those from Generation Y and Z are all self-absorbed and technology-obsessed.
Dylan said his end goal is to have DJI Media as a full studio with a team of designers and a recognised brand so people see his logo and know who they are and what they do, possibly in artsy Melbourne.
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For now, Dylan is working on his basketball shot and building his community-focussed business idea.
When looking for inspiration, his favourite quote from Doctor Who resonated with his life right now.
“Everything you are, gone in a moment like breath on a mirror. But times change and so must I.”
Sounds like a good foundation for a digital agency.
Jodi Good is a USC student.
