Meet Tish Gance | Brand Mechanic, Slayer of the Suck

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tish Gance and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tish, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am one of the few, the proud, the dwindling Denver natives. I grew up as a press rat hanging out in my grandfather’s print shop in Lakewood, right off of Balsam and Colfax, across from what used to be the Ferrari dealership. On weekends occasionally my dad would have to go in and do paperwork or help with a press job, so I’d get to tag along. If I was obnoxious enough, dad would take me across the street to put noseprints on the window and oogle the Ferraris. I cannot say for certain that this is why I grew up a gearhead, but I’m sure it played a huge part. And while I initially went to the School of Mines and studied to be an engineer, it was commercial art and printing where I made a career for over 22 years.

Growing up in an era where print materials were an expensive and artisanal commodity gave me the appreciation for the work later in life. As times have changed and processes have become faster and more streamlined by technology, the quality required from printing jobs has spiraled. Going from making collectible lithography for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival to producing thousands of Ug Buys Ugly Houses mailers was soul-crushing.

At the same time, I furthered my knowledge in all things automotive, diving headfirst into collecting, maintaining, and racing vintage Italian sports cars. When I was little, it was fortunate that my dad had fueled my car nuttiness by teaching me the basics of car maintenance, and I loved every minute of it! I didn’t have posters of teen heartthrobs on my walls growing up; I had a door-sized poster of a Ferrari Testarossa, various exotic car and fighter plane posters, and space art. Later on I was lucky enough to become friends with and eventually mentor at a Fiat shop here in Denver, which was one of the best in the country. This sharpened my critical thinking and diagnostic skills, scratched an itch to contribute to beautiful things, and gave me a supportive community I am proud to be a part of still today.

When my tour of duty of 12 years ended at my last print shop, I knew I couldn’t stay and continue to watch the work continue downhill. I also had been the boss lady for so long, that starting over in a new career at the bottom rung wasn’t going to work either (and I also was told I was unhirable in interviews anyway.) My “brother from another mother” had suggested I look into user experience design as a potential second act, and after a year of pestering me, I finally checked it out. It was actually a perfect fit of creativity, critical thinking, contributing to small business, and crafting beautiful things.

That was 10 years ago, and that’s how the success of Apexd by Design came to be. Coming up in a blue-collar industry that was male-dominated gave me a great foundation for how to navigate the world and hold my own, the same being true messing around in the automotive world. So if you need a killer Brand Experience for your customers, a beautiful layout that actually converts your website, a diagnosis of why your car is losing power, or an off-color but very, very funny joke, I’ve got you covered.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Having watched my shop owner for 12 years chase a bunch of trends like “green printing”, large-format printing, and promotional products (think those crappy pens that come apart in your hands), I learned that what really made us stand out was how we educated and worked with our customers and their budgets. I also could see that business owners were grasping for “easy button bs” when it came to their marketing, and all that does is cheapen the brand and it’s message.

You first have to get your message right before you get it out. Sometimes print media wasn’t the right fit, and sometimes it was. Doing things the same way that your competition is doing it doesn’t make you stand out. Your customers are specific to YOU, even if you’re doing the exact same thing as your competitor. How and what your clients find value in WITH YOU is your differentiator, and that’s what determines how and where to reach your customers and on what “platforms.”

I am not a marketer. I am a Brand Strategist, helping brands differentiate themselves in the market and build a loyal customer base for long term growth. Marketing is how you get the word out about how you are special. Most businesses are dumping wild amounts of funds into marketing, when they can’t tell you why they bring the most value in the market, and to whom. They figure if they just yell the loudest and the longest (aka go viral), people will come to them and they’ll be successful.

If you can’t show your value, all that marketing goes to waste. Sure, folks will visit your site, come to your store, click the Ad button, but when they compare you to a similar offering that’s cheaper, has more features, or has a fancier website/package, WHY WILL THEY CHOOSE YOURS INSTEAD? That’s what really matters, and why potential buyers become loyal customers.

Once you have your Brand Differentiation and value nailed down, the marketing becomes much more simple and straightforward. You know what to say, how to say it, and where to say it so those potential customers immediately know you are the right fit for them.

I work with my clients to determine what is actually the problem when they are feeling their marketing, website, or outreach is falling short. Like a car mechanic, I first run diagnostics and see what is working, what needs a tune up, and what’s broken. Unlike many marketers that see their tactic as a hammer and everything in the world as a nail, I want to make sure we are fixing the right problem, not just swap out different tactics until something seems to work.

More often than not, a marketing tactic isn’t going to solve an issue with messaging and strategy that crosses over several aspects of the customer experience. Analytics won’t tell you WHY people did something, it only tells you how many people did it. Your messaging needs to come from understanding real client scenarios, outcomes, and percevied value, then reflecting that back to attract more people seeking to solve those same situations.

Yes, we’ll fix your marketing. But first let’s make sure your messaging and customer goals are aligned and working as an engine to drive your sales. That’s where your brand power comes from.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Another tough one!. As a native, there’s things that people say are “Colorado”, and things that very much ARE Colorado. And those are very different lists. So let’s go with what truly is “real” Colorado stuff you should see.

Casa Bonita – Tourist trap? Yup. Staple of Denver history, especially with the South Park Connection? Absolutely. Exceptionally well done and great for the family? All. The. Way. You can truly go back in time in this place and experience what it’s like to be a kid and just have fun. And the food is SOOOOOOO much better!

Catch a show at Red Rocks: Bands say that they know they’ve made it when they finally get to play Red Rocks. From it’s WPA history to the decades-long list of amazing concerts, you gotta see something at The Rocks.

Tour our amazing architecture: The Sculpture House and Engelwood Bank by Charles Deaton, The Denver Art Museum, Populous Hotel, Molly Brown House, Arapahoe Acres, Arapahoe Community College, NREL…we’ve got big hitters like IM Pei and Gio Ponti to local superstars such as Eugene Sternberg, all nestled between hideous McMansions and boring, soulless modern apartment behemoths. Take the time to walk an architectural tour by Docomomo.co, Historic Denver, or Denver Architectural Foundation and learn more about why our spaces and historic buildings matter and how to preserve them.

Glenwood Caverns/Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs: Want to feel like all your problems are just a blip on the radar? Go check out the massive formations that take millennia to form, and are an extraordinary thing of beauty. Bonus: when it’s 100 degrees out, caves are always a cool 58 degrees! If you want to go deeper (ha ha) take a wild tour and get yourself dirty climbing through fissures, tunnels, and paths! It’s a blast!

Garden of the Gods/Cheyenne Mountain Zoo/7 falls: Our city to the south has a lot more cool stuff going on than in Denver, plus you have less mobs of people. Garden of the Gods is a spectacular place to have a picnic, 7 falls will give you a hike and a view, and the Zoo is one of the best in the country. Our Denver Zoo is great too, but the elevation changes and layout of the exhibits is truly magical at CMZ.

Vail Automotive Classic/Telluride Classic: Awesome fall backdrop? Check. Amazing cars you don’t usually see? Check. Unbelievable dining and fun shopping? Check. These usually happen at the same time so you have to come back every year and bounce between the two.

Colorado Grand: Find the course, pick a spot, and revel in the rare air of autos that pass you by. From pre-war things from the 20s and 30s to Early 60s monsters such as the Ferrari 250 GTO, nothing beats seeing exceptionally pedigreed cars actually out on a run doing what they were designed to do: have the wheels driven off of them!

Durango to Silverton train: Your face will be relaxed when you hit Silverton from Durango because the views from the cars is jaw dropping. Now diesel powered (was coal) engines take you up and over to the sleepy town of Silverton and back to Durango, and on either end you get some great shopping and food. Double bonus if you stay overnight in one of the historic mining hotels in Silverton. Worth it.

Trains at Colorado National Speedway: While we’re waiting for Bandimere to build our new drag strip for Mile High Nationals, head over to CNS for some epic old school racing. Demolition Derbies, dirt racing, and other spectacles will have you feeling like Denver isn’t such a big modern city after all, it’s still down home and rural with these events.

Rent a convertible if you don’t have one, and take all the back roads somewhere in the mountains: Just do it. Everyone is so caught up in getting to their destination they miss the best part-the journey. Ditch the screens, drop the top, bring a killer playlist and some snacks, and just drive without worrying about when you’re getting there…or getting anywhere! Stop when you get the urge, buy something from a small roadside stand, read the plaque at the scenic overlook, and learn something. That’s what Colorado is about.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oooohh man, this one is hard. Many would say I am a self-made woman, but that’s false. There are so many that contributed, sculpted, or downright schooled me so that I could get to where I am now.

First, my Poppa and his print shop: Taught me what it meant to be a great business owner, the power of capitalism, and how through business you don’t just serve your customers but also your community. He was my go-to for all things business while he was with us for his 98 3/4 years on this planet. I wouldn’t be doing any of this today if it wasn’t for his support and the experience of growing up in a family-owned business. No matter where I was going or what I was doing, he was always proud and supportive.

Second, Tom and Ginger at Aspen Import Auto: Tom has passed, the shop is gone, but the lessons learned are timeless. He pushed me to become a leader, take on bigger adventures, and have confidence in my capabilities. He taught me how to navigate politics, sales, and business that I will never forget. I am a capable wrench and also speak fluent automotive because of his friendship and tutelage. Aspen was my second home for nearly 20 years.

The Lone Gunmen: you know who you are. Family isn’t who you’re blood related to, it’s who is with you through the good, the bad, the very very ugly. You guys call me out when I need it, have my back when it’s war, and have steered me to success. I love you all and am proud to call you family.

I gotta mention my guy Logan, because he just lets me do my thing and rarely questions my insane processes with my businesses. I also think he kind of digs my flexible schedule to solve things he can’t do while locked in his office.

This list could go on forever, so I’ll stop with that. I will say that music is one of those things that keeps me going in the ups and downs…Jazz for the ups, and Metal for the rest. Mood shift needed? Turn up the tunage.

Website: https://apexdbydesign.com

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/TishGance

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKt7HKtrWdggGdKCmjd-Da9zFB7DSm8uf

Image Credits
Rebecca Todd at TruBlu Photography for the main one