Diane Krehbiel-Delson Chief Executive DKKD Staffing, Westlake Village Founded 2011 Diane Krehbiel-Delson is the chief executive at DKKD Staffing, which specializes in executive and IT positions nationally.  DKKD serves clients such as Children’s Hospital, CBS Corp., Princess Cruises, iPayment Inc., Patagonia Inc., and Miller Kaplan Arase. Known as “Di” in the staffing industry, she has three children and has lived in Westlake Village for more than 45 years. She and her husband share a hobby as viticulturists – they have a small vineyard in Woodland Hills. Why start a business? The IT job market began to really pick up in 2011 and I always wanted to have my great recruiters and staff members working with me again from the other agencies we worked at together in the past. For example, my primary recruiter Jenny Shrive has been with me since 2000, as has my executive assistant Fawn Brodey – who was just named the Business Journal’s Executive Assistant of the Year at its Women in Business Awards. How did you build it? The DKKD Staffing team is built on honesty, flexibility and respect. We have a very personal approach when it comes to screening job seekers and value the relationships we’ve built since 2000. We work hard to reflect the needs of both the applicant and the client. I wanted to create an environment where applicants and clients feel respected, and my recruiters and staff truly enjoy what they do. Our results are a testament to working with great staff and having a great team. Would you do it again? Absolutely! How being a woman helped you: Whether you are a woman or a man as a business owner, it’s just about how you treat your staff and being a good leader. Challenges of being a woman in business: None that I can think of. Hardest day: Finding out a well-paying client claimed bankruptcy. Best day: There are days when we get a candidate their first career job and they are so excited; there are days when we make several placements in one day; candidates we placed years ago reach out to us years later thanking us for helping them with their great career success today; breaking in to the new company and placing candidates where the client said they wouldn’t add new agencies. And the list goes on. Best business advice you ever received: Don’t get complacent about the business you have today. Advice for aspiring female business owners: Find what you really love to do and figure out how to get paid for it. Even if I won the Lotto, I would still be a headhunter. I love my job!
