Story & Lesson Highlights with John DeBello of Little Italy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to John DeBello. Check out our conversation below.

Hi John, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity is the foundation of success. Intelligence and energy build upon it. They are not a substitute for it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the founder and Chief Creative Officer at Loma Media, a creative services and marketing agency based in San Diego. We work all over the world with an unusually diverse array of clients, both private and public sector. The sheer variety of products, services and cultures we encounter and support on a daily basis is fascinating, from global AI to metaphysics. I enjoy the buffet.

A recent project that allowed us to employ all of our toolkit was the creation of the national World War I Memorial in Washington DC. We were the marketing and communications partner for the 8-year effort to raise $50+ million and ultimately build something remarkable. Great cause, wonderful client and a perfect outcome. Doesn’t get better than that.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents taught me about work and, more directly, work ethic. Both were children of immigrants, both served in WWII and took full advantage of the GI Bill. That got them to college, where they thrived.

Their message to me: Every task, no matter how mundane, is performed in timely fashion to completion. (Amazing what can be accomplished by all of us when we prioritize the basics.)

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I’ll put a slightly more positive spin on this question by asking “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” No doubt there have been times when I’ve chosen the more conservative course, not always with ideal results. I’m guessing fear of failure is fairly common, with post-decision second guessing of “If only I had…”

Importantly, I’ve learned that there are usually many more opportunities for rebound and recourse than one initially imagines. That’s an argument to be more aggressive when confronting the possibility of failure.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
Time. In an age of unprecedented communication technology, thoughts and ideas echo quickly and often superficially. A “trend” is often flavor of the month. However, a “fad” isn’t necessarily a pejorative. In my business, reaching the customer with a resonant message in the moment is critical. Therefore, there is a bit of “benign schizophrenia” at work here–the business often thrives on reacting to fads, while the business model must discern genuine foundational shifts.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Teaching younger staff the basics of building and sustaining a business. There’s no guarantee that my lessons will be taken to heart (or necessarily should be), but perhaps I can provide some shortcuts that will have long-term value. As I recently said to a much younger employee: “I measure my future in years, my past in decades. You do the exact opposite.” I will not be surprised if one or more of them is leading their own business in the not so distant future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lomamedia.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-debello-5761923/