Risk-taking
Margaritas Mexican Bar and Grill (circa Sept. 2009). Top (L » R): Jorge, Rogelio (Roy), Treasure, Ismael. Bottom (L » R): Unknown, Marcelino, Daniel a.k.a. Turki, Me (Virgilio), Tatiana.
Reflecting back on my journey from a recent graduate struggling to find my place in the design world to where I stand today, it's remarkable how much has changed and yet how much remains the same. This blog post, published on February 14, 2012, captures a pivotal moment in my life when I moved back and forth from Rochester, New York, to Jackson, Mississippi, and faced numerous challenges, but eventually found my footing in the design industry.
Now, over a decade later, I'm celebrating my first anniversary of running my own freelance business full-time. Today, as I revisit these words, I'm reminded of the resilience, determination, and adaptability that shaped my early career and continue to drive me today. The lessons I learned and shared then about taking risks, seizing opportunities, and embracing the unexpected are as relevant now as they were then. Here's a look back at that journey, a testament to the enduring power of passion and perseverance in the ever-evolving world of graphic design.
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Original Blog Post published in The Harold on February 12, 2012:
A couple of weeks before graduation, my brother Pablo called to ask me what I was doing after graduation. Having moved from Honduras to Rochester three years prior, I was obviously sticking around and looking for a job locally. Obviously, he had other plans in mind and asked me if I would consider moving to Jackson, MS, to live with him. This would require packing whatever my Ford Focus would fit in it and driving cross country. About a month later, I was headed to the "dirty south."
Once here, I applied to hundreds of jobs online and scored two phone interviews. Countless coffee cups later and a massive bump on the road (DUI), I was forced to work as a waiter at a Mexican restaurant. I must have worked at "Margaritas Mexican Bar and Grill" located on E. County Line Rd., Jackson, Mississippi, for about six months when I approached my brother and told him I was moving back to Rochester.
It made sense, of course. Having studied up north, employers would recognize the school I attended, giving me a better probability of landing that glamorous job in the design field. With no apartment, no job, and $600 of credit left on my credit card, I called old acquaintances and friends and slept on their couches for the next month and a half. The worst part was the harsh Rochester winter was just around the corner.
December finally rolled around, and I was still without a job. With my tail in between my legs, I called Pablo and was on my way back to Jackson… indefinitely. As soon as I got back, I started waiting tables again, and as disappointing as it was, I knew I still had bills to pay and had no choice but to keep busting tables. I can't thank my brother enough for the free living arrangement he provided me for an entire year.
“Things have to change,” I thought, “but sometimes you have to make them change for yourself.”
Two months later—with an OPT visa extension that was quickly running out—I realized that the glamorous job in a big city like Rochester, NY, was far from becoming a reality, so I chose to start looking for a design job in Jackson. I was determined to find one and willing to stop at nothing. On a random Wednesday afternoon in mid-January 2010, I walked into Solve without an appointment and said, "Hi, my name is Virgilio Guardado. People call me V. I'm a graphic designer from Honduras looking for a job."
Bo Pentecost, owner and sole designer at Solve, must have thought I was pretty crazy just walking in like that. I showed him my resume and portfolio, and he looked up at me and said, "What's your name again, and where did you say you come from?"
He was honest and told me he probably could not hire me but was willing to see how he could help. I bravely took a leap of faith and said, "Listen. I'll work for free, but just let me design. I hate working as a waiter when I know I'm so passionate about design. Let's try it out for a month or so. I'll make ends meet by working at the restaurant during nights and interning for you during the day." He gladly obliged.
Almost three years later, here we are. A two-person design studio with a passion for design thinking, creative problem-solving approaches, and an awesome portfolio of great design solutions. So what am I saying with all this blah blah about my personal experience looking for a job in an economy that had just crashed in 2009?
1. Take a risk. If you're passionate about your work, be willing to do it for free. Many people have forgotten about climbing up the ranks and paying their dues.
2. Stop applying for jobs online. Sneak into an office and demand to see someone. Be ready, though. Don't show up without a resume, without your portfolio, and without a website. You're just wasting people's time if you do.
3. Don't be afraid of rejection. Get up and start walking again.
4. Finally, prepare yourself to be surprised. I am still amazed at people and their generosity (call it Southern comfort or whatever you'd like). Bo has been an enormous blessing in my life, a boss and a friend, and my brother Pablo is a great example of service and support.
We live in a new technological age and an ever-changing economy. One that is plagued with talented people looking for the same job you are. It is an economy looking for risk-takers and hard workers, not people willing to settle or wait for what they think they deserve. Make it happen.