Today we’d like to introduce you to Gemma Enriquez.
Gemma, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My husband and I started Los Dos Creative as an artistic outlet. We both work corporate design jobs, so we are bound by strict brand guidelines. It’s refreshing to come home and work on passion projects outside of our 9-5 grind. It helps us stretch our creative muscles and keep up with the latest design trends.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Self-doubt has been the biggest hurdle I’ve faced. I’m a self-taught illustrator and in the beginning, I was terrified to show anyone my work. The more I started to open up to critique and feedback, the more I confidence I gained. Over time, I started to take graphic design more seriously. When my husband and I both decided to make the jump from amateurs to professionals, we launched Los Dos Creative. In LDC’s short lifespan we’ve cultivated genuine interest and have picked up some incredible projects.
My one piece of advice for young women thinking about starting a business, learning a new trade, or just exploring new career options; is to surround yourself with people who know more than you. Seek out a mentor or an apprenticeship. Don’t let self-doubt hinder you from trying something new.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
At my 9 – 5, I work as a User Experience and Visual Designer, where I map out journey paths and content for mobile applications and web. Without getting too nitty-gritty, this means that I make sure users can most-efficiently get from Point A to Point B. I’m a methodical designer. List-making, organization, and research are at the core of my personality which is reflected in my work as a UX Designer.
I apply those same attributes to my creative process when I am illustrating, designing a client logo or any other art project. It helps me make sense of a process that can sometimes feel disorganized.
I love that with Los Dos Creative, my husband and I have the opportunity to take on new artistic challenges. We don’t like to pigeon-hole ourselves as a specialist. We are a generalist with a wide skill set that ranges from web and app design, branding, graphic design, motion and interaction design, and custom illustration. This gives us the advantage of collaborating on diverse projects.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
When I look back at the successes in my life, there was always a group of mujeres chingonas (translation: bad-ass women) bolstering me up to break my glass ceiling. My mother, grandmother, and maternal aunt are some of the most hard-working–thick-skinned women I know. I inherited their endurance. My childhood girlfriends were always there when I needed emotional support and a reminder to love myself. I learned from them the value of empowering female relationships. In college, I turned to my History Professor, Michelle Navarro for mentorship and guidance. She taught me so much about how to carry myself in the corporate world and to know my worth.
All this to say, no one does it alone. If you don’t have a support system at home find your tribe.
Pricing:
- Small Business Branding Package: Starts at $350.00 (includes: logo, business cards, letterhead, social media avatars and banners, branding kit, and high-resolution images)
- Web Design Consultation: Free
- Branding and Identity Consultation: Free
- Graphic and Print Design Consultation: Free
Contact Info:
- Email: gemma@losdoscreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/losdoscreative/
Image Credit:
Gemma Enriquez
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