The Product-Market Fit Playbook: Nail it Before You Scale It

Diane launched Devaney & Associates in 1991 as a one-woman design shop with an unwavering belief that good people and good strategy always win in the end.

Fueled by that idea, Diane has built Devaney & Associates into everything that it is today: an award-winning, full-service agency boasting a passionate team of marketing specialists, record-breaking client relationships, and a culture that empowers clients and staff alike to be fearless leaders. With more than 35 years of experience and a roster full of loyal clients (such as Carroll Hospital and BridgingLife for 27 years), Diane is a proven leader in the strategic marketing and integrated communications industry.

After successfully starting and running creative departments for other firms, she opened her own agency, Devaney & Associates, Inc. Since then, she has grown her company into a full-service advertising, marketing, and public relations agency that consistently generates award-winning, effective creative work.

Diane is an active voice in the Maryland business community, serving on boards, committees, and groups through which she can effect change and support her fellow Marylanders. She served on the board for the Better Business Bureau from 2011 through 2019, and was a member of the Nomination Committee, Standards and Compliance Committee and the Executive Board. She is currently a board member for Humanim since 2021. A proud graduate of the Leadership Maryland Class of 2016, Diane also serves as board member for this statewide organization.

The 2023 recipient of the Katherine Mahool Iconoclast Award, presented by the American Advertising Association of Baltimore, Diane was recognized as a woman in advertising and marketing who has redefined the industry, defied stereotypes and town down barriers to success so that others may follow.

Today, Devaney & Associates, Inc. is approaching $5 million in annual billings and continues to add new clients and grow. The agency boasts a majority senior staff, with several of the employees having been with Diane for over two decades. Coupled with her clients who have continued to work with her for as long as 27 years, it is a true testament to Diane’s talent, dedication, and compassion as a leader.

I launched Femly™ after being diagnosed with a tumor that was linked with chemicals in the period care that I was using. With a mission to increase access to organic menstrual hygiene products like pads and tampons, I designed a first-of-its-kind dispenser to provide free products in school & corporate restrooms around the country.

Femly™ currently works with champions in hospitality, healthcare, education, and even stocks restrooms at stadiums and more with a patent-pending dispenser and accompanying products. Period poverty is a term coined to acknowledge the lack of access to menstrual hygiene or waste facilities. Period poverty is most often associated with those that can't afford to purchase products for their period, but almost 80% of the menstruating population finds themselves in public without access to a pad or tampon.

Patrick Rife helps founders who feel stuck, not because they lack knowledge, but because they can’t see what’s actually working inside their business. After years spent building companies, communities, and connections, he learned that strategy without execution is just theory, and execution without perspective leads to burnout. Today, Patrick works with founders and leaders to uncover blind spots, turn insights into action within 72 hours, and bridge the gap between what they want and what’s truly working. Think of him as a mirror, helping leaders see their path more clearly.