We were lucky to catch up with Giselle Duran recently and have shared our conversation below.
Giselle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.
I’m not even sure how far back I want to go with this one. If I could go back to my childhood days, I would take my Bob Ross painting kit a little more seriously. If I could go back to high school, I would do dual enrollment and actually get credit for my AP classes. If I could go back to college, well I would change a lot during those years.
When I really think about it, the only thing that would benefit me now is believing I can do whatever I want. There are so many external factors that subconsciously and consciously affect the way you view yourself and your capabilities. Your family, friends, school, the media, coworkers, and even where you live have a say in how you develop and perceive yourself. Throughout the years, there was always a birdie of doubt, fear, or concern in my ear. If I was starting over, I would take that birdie, put it in a cage, feed it, love it, and nurture it into a birdie of confidence, adventure, and IDGAF.
But that birdie still served me well. It taught me things that I needed to know and made me experience things that got me where I am now. The birdie never really goes away, she just evolves over time into what you need her to be.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a design creative who enjoys creating in all the mediums she can get her hands on. Branding, websites, graphics, painting, coloring books, interior design, videography, photography, music, makeup, hair, and fashion – I like to do everything even if I don’t do it well. I am most known for my work as Giselle Marie Media, a visual brand identity and website designer that helps established creators and businesses take the DIY out of their branding and present themselves as experts in their field. The collaborative process of taking a client’s words, thoughts, and strategies and developing them into a cohesive visual story is euphoric, especially when all of my work is met with “YASSSSSS!! You killed it!!” or “LET’S GOOOO!!
” That never gets old.
I’m a 30-year-old, Afro-Dominican born and semi-raised between New Jersey and Florida and currently residing in the Greater Philadelphia area. I love to eat, go out, and have a good time but also stay in the house, mind my business, and watch movies – balance. My personality has no choice but to exude itself into my work and my business which usually works out because people like knowing the person behind the Instagram profile.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Once upon a time, a girl got laid off from her first design agency job. She loved that job and was having a great time. It was her first time working with other designers, and she was learning so much! She worked on projects for really big clients like Meta back when they were Facebook, United Airlines, and big law firms. The work wasn’t always exciting, but she enjoyed it and could see herself being there for a long time.
The one fateful day in February of 2023, she got the call. There was no warning, no signs that it was coming, she was just dropped like nothing. The girl had 2 choices, wallow and feel sad and apply for a new job, or realize this was God’s plan and move into full-time entrepreneurship. After spending a few months doing the first option, she eventually realized she had to wake up and start working on some things.
4 vacations, 3 mid-life crises’, 1 Beyonce concert, 1 COVID recovery, endless networking events, and countless therapy sessions later, the girl is feeling more moments of clarity than confusion these days. She’s prioritizing where she needs to, building community, and feeling confident in herself more and more each day. It’s not easy, some days are harder than others, but she knows this story is going to cultivate its own beautiful ending.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice
I still don’t understand what they are.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gisellemarie.media
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gisellemarie.media/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/gmarie36
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/gmarie36/
Image Credits
Thru B’ Lensss