A few months ago, in search of branding and advertising inspiration, I came across the brand Dirty Pelican, an organic cocktail mix line. The intricate, sophisticated packaging design is gorgeous and feels very true to the brand, and since discovering it, I’ve looked up to the graphic design and consistently referred to it in my mind as the kind of branding I love. This past week in the midst of a project for school, I was doing some research on Dirty Pelican, and I happened to stumble across the company that did its branding, Lakuna Design. Of course, I had to dig deeper and after seeing more of their work I felt like I should take the off-chance to see if the founders, Misi & Dave Narcizo, would chat with me about their company and the industry. Mrs. Narcizo graciously accepted the invitation, and we met over Zoom a few weeks ago. Her insight into the industry is invaluable to those interested in marketing, advertising or graphic design—here’s what she shared with me.
My first questions for Narcizo were about her background and schooling. Surprisingly, she went on to tell me that she didn’t go to school for graphic design at all. All of her work has been self-taught through hands-on experience. In the primetime of Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Narcizo’s older brother had been in show production and got her a job designing set backgrounds for majorly popular bands’ concerts, as well as work for MTV Awards. She recalled how she used materials found around the house, like aluminum foil, and a copier to print out detailed and textured backgrounds. This experience catapulted her into her career as a graphic designer. Now equipped with the experience and technology to design digitally, she got her husband into graphic design and they opened up Lakuna Design. “To be honest, no one was going to hire me,” Narcizo said when explaining why she chose to start her own business instead of seeking employment from a pre-existing company.
Unafraid of the risk and with a well-thought out plan to see if the business was sustainable, the Narcizos began their journey as graphic designers. I think her reasoning behind opening Lakuna Design is incredible. Instead of giving up because she felt she wouldn’t get hired, she created a job for herself. To me, this is one of the truest displays of entrepreneurship: not just seeking opportunities, but creating them. She mentioned that some of her first clients that built her portfolio were nonprofits and businessowner friends, and that anyone you know might be an opportunity to build your portfolio.
I asked her more about her creative process and how she keeps her branding both relevant to today’s design trends while also being authentic to the brand. Trends aren’t always going to be the right thing for every brand, as she explained to me, and remembering who the target audience is can help keep a branding expert on track. Not every product should have a design that looks trendy and bright because not every product is being marketed to people that will resonate with. She said something she often considers is maintaining a sense of timelessness with her designs.
One of the things she said is great about this kind of career is that the creative process can happen anywhere. It doesn’t have to be while you’re sitting at your desk ruminating over what font or colors to use. The right ideas might occur after seeing a billboard or an advertisement on the back of a bus. Sometimes the inspiration that we need comes from being out in the world and dissecting the branding and marketing going on around us.
I told her that ever since I started majoring in advertising, I noticed nuances, tactics and features of advertising in my everyday life. Narcizo agreed that once you start to see life from the lens of branding or advertising, it’s everywhere.
“You never see the world the same once you start doing this stuff,” she said. “You start to see the construction of it […] and that’s great because you’re studying all the time. You’re sharpening your mind by constantly being inspired. It becomes everything.”
As we got to the end of our meeting time, the one big question I had for her was what advice she would give to students pursuing marketing, advertising or design. After speaking with her, I knew she would be able to provide excellent insight for current students so I was eager to hear her response.
“Take every opportunity that comes your way. Take things that you’re a little bit afraid of and that are little bit challenging. Do them. Right, and then do the work. That’s the best thing to do. You want that sweet spot where you feel just a little bit like, ‘I’m not sure I can do this.’ And then believe in yourself and do it. […] That’s how you grow. Don’t sit in your comfort zone, ever.”
Finally, she also said to admit what you don’t know and accept that you don’t know everything. As students, we don’t have to pretend to know it all. Taking steps to explore our abilities and push ourselves is how we learn. I am incredibly grateful to have been able to speak to Mrs. Narcizo about her work and the industry. She gave excellent wisdom to students seeking a career in a similar field and is an inspiration to any student who is scared to take chances or feels that they don’t have the experience for what they want to do.
So what’s my advice after all this? Take the chance. Asking Narcizo if I could interview her was a shot in the dark—I didn’t know if she would be willing, or if she would even see the request at all. Despite knowing I might not hear back from her, I still asked, and I was able to chat with the designer of my favorite product branding. That shot in the dark might light up your path.