I feel in love with Amsterdam from the first day I arrived. It does feel like a 3rd home now, and I feel so lucky to be in a career that facilitates transcontinental experiences. It has been a huge growth experience in my career, to provide critical leadership within the office as well as growing and securing new accounts and projects. I want to continue to create breakthrough products for my clients. Continue to blur the lines of online & traditional communications. And continue to be innovative and creative, both in my personal life and at work.
After the 2+ years at the multi-layered, top heavy, IPG company, I was looking for something in the middle. A company that was independent (not owned by a holding company), that favored creativity to production, and that could allow me to grow from a client management perspective. I wanted to own a piece of business and see that business grow. AKQA provided the perfect place to achieve all those things, as well as bring my dog into the office :) Working on the Target account was a phenomenal opportunity, especially as Target is one of the most loved American brands- with their passion and inspiration to do cutting edge creative work. When I heard of the Amsterdam office opening I was vaguely interested: going to Europe was never in the books, I had always planned to move south (warmth!) instead of north. However, after doing some research I learned that Amsterdam is a hotbed of creativity and an international crossing. I approached the lead of the office and sold myself into that start up..
In my efforts to avoid the city of San Jose, I moved to SF and commuted for nearly 2 years. SF became home quite quickly. I loved the new adventures, all the different things to do & see. Being in college and living in a city like SF was just thrilling. And after graduating I was fortunate enough to make my career in SF. Giving back to the community is close to my heart and I contributed back to the city that gave me so many experiences by volunteering- as a driver delivering food to homeless shelters, and also by becoming a big sister mentor.
I was able to secure a summer internship at a local branding agency. I was very well received and quickly became part of their full time staff. But unfortunately the dot com burst blew this bubble and the company shut down. Fortunately, I had the great experience of writing a business plan (from primary research, to situational analysis, to fiscal projections) as well as meeting with local companies to cross promote the product. It was a great experience and I also made one of my closest friends through that company.
Getting the job at Freestyle was beyond a dream come true. It was a heaven-sent gift. I remember the endless nights, nearing my graduation date, I would spend searching online for entry-level type jobs. But I was searching in the Q1 2002 bust. The worst possible time ever to be looking to build a career in advertising. But one Friday night, as all my friends were getting dolled up to go out dancing it arrived: the job posting for an Account Coordinator at Freestyle. I told my girls I had to pass and instead submit my resume. Fun Friday night! But that weekend I dedicated to creating a unique, stand-out CV, I knew I had to do something to get noticed. I knew I wouldn't be the only one wanting this job. After endless hours of concepting, engaging my parents, and family friends, we settled on the simple idea of an interactive tissue box, with my resume written on the tissue sheets. With each tissue you pull out of the box, the next tissue would follow. Needless to say this got their attention and I was hired that same day. And just to brag for a moment, over 200 people applied for that job (and I got it!). But in all honestly, I needed that job. My father was dying of cancer and he's biggest dream was for me to secure a career, so that I could continue to support myself once he passed on. He got his wishes, and sadly did pass on just a few months after. Freestyle was an amazing experience. I was 1 of about 10 as the original start up crew. Being such a small team I had a large hand in how the office both managed work internally, and grew business externally. Freestyle was purchased by Carat (Aegis holding company) about a year after I started. We moved locations, and the office started to change. Which is when I began looking for something new.
After falling in love in Rio and traveling around the world with my father's job, my parents decided to make their American home in the sleepy town of Moraga, 1 hr east of SF. We were the first latin-American family around and my mom's foreign accent, and our late night dinner parties, certainly drew attention. But in this small, safe (and very conservative, rich, white) town, I learned how to ride my bike, sneak out of the house without making a sound, and get straight A's.
Being away from my very large family in Brazil was difficult for my mom (eldest of 6 and only one who ever left the city, let alone the country). So every summer break, we would pack our bags and spend 3 months in the neighborhood of Campo Grande- far from the shimmering lights and action of famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Where my family lived had no stoplights. We were the only ones to actually have a phone line, TV, and running water (and thanks to our American dollars we’d send). These summers were the best times of my life. Learning to have fun without toys, but with your friends- making up games, building kites, and crowding around the lone TV with all the neighborhood kids watching Vasco da Gama & Flamengo play football, while my favorite aunt made us popcorn. As I got older my love for Brazil grew as well, and I finished high school early so I could spend 6 months with my family, and learn more about my country. And it was then when I learned how to surf, spend endless nights dancing samba, and was old enough to understand the perspective I gained from all those summers of visiting Brazil.
With Portuguese being my second language, yet not being offered in High School, I pushed my principal to allow me to take Portuguese courses at Berkeley. After gaining approval by the UC, I took two years of the most advanced Portuguese courses. It was certainly fun to experience college even before I finished high school. And Berkeley rightfully, earns its reputation. On more than one occasion class was held at a local café, because we were all protesting… something.
After learning how to appeal to take college courses while still in High School, and separately excelling in my volleyball career, I tried out for the college volleyball team as a senior in high school. Once making a spot on the team, I had to become a full time college student to be a collegiate athlete- while also being a full time High School student, as I still had courses to meet graduation requirements! Should I also mention I had 2 jobs?? Early morning shift as a coffee "barista" at the local cafe, and a weekend job as a respite worker for families with mentally challenged children. I look back and ask myself, how did I ever pull this off. I was on the go from 4:30am to 10:30pm every weekday (5-10am Barista, 11-12:30pm Berkeley, 1-3 High School, 3:30-7 Volleyball practice, 7:30-10 College classes.) Perhaps this provided the juggling skills needed to be in client service :) Or better yet, prep me for when I will become a mom.
I always knew would have to transfer to SJSU to complete my bachelors degree. Since High School I have been working towards a degree in Advertising, because I knew that's exactly what I wanted to do professionally (instead of pursuing a major in a broader discipline like communications). But the sound of living in San Jose was never appealing. And my options were slim: the only other 2 universities on the west coast that offered advertising as a major, were both too expensive for my family to afford. So state school was my destiny. I turned these two years into a fairly good experience, becoming the Ad Club president and taking graduate honors courses.
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