We were lucky to catch up with Laura Benocci recently and have shared our conversation below.

Laura, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

Before becoming a freelance Creative Director, I worked at a music label and in advertising agencies. I could never figure out how to balance my interests in advertising, marketing, communication, creativity, and art. I was constantly torn between these different aspects of my personality and education.

This left me feeling frustrated in every job I held, with a sense of misunderstanding and a loss of purpose. But I was terrified of going out on my own because I didn’t come from a family of entrepreneurs. My upbringing—and even the world just a few years ago—placed less emphasis on this kind of journey. It was considered safer and “more normal” to be an employee. I had never even considered another option.

After leaving my last job, I knew I wanted to find a way to manage my life and career more freely and to feel fulfilled by what I do. There’s still a lot to figure out, and I’ve made mistakes—and I continue to make them. But the freedom this path has given me is priceless. I believe I’ve grown much more as a person and as a creative since starting my own business. I wish I had been less afraid, had more role models at the time, and started this journey earlier.

That said, working in those agencies earlier in my career truly shaped me. It taught me discipline, gave me valuable client experience, helped me learn to lead teams, and provided a deep understanding of the various stages of the creative process.

So, while starting as a freelancer earlier might have saved me from a lot of frustrations, burnout, and self-doubt, I believe those experiences were perhaps necessary to become the person I am today.

Laura, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Laura! I’m a Creative Director with a pretty diverse background. I’ve spent about six years in advertising agencies and four years in the music industry. I’ve been working as a freelancer for almost three years now. I studied Fine Arts before getting a Master’s degree in Communication, and that mix of creative and strategic education has really shaped the way I approach projects.

My work ranges from coming up with concepts and designing visual identities to creating campaign strategies, directing photoshoots, and crafting narratives that feel genuine and relatable. Depending on the project, I either work solo or with a team, but I always oversee the entire process. I stay closely involved with clients to make sure we stay aligned and bring their story to life in a way that’s true to them and resonates with their audience.

Because of my experiences across different industries and countries, I’ve become really good at adapting to new challenges and understanding what a project or a person needs. I can quickly identify how to position a brand or a project in the market, helping them navigate trends and stay relevant.

I get a lot of inspiration from observing the world around me—taking photos on the street, saving things I come across online, or analyzing the work of people I admire. That curiosity helps me come up with ideas that are thoughtful, impactful, and visually engaging. My background has also taught me to understand every step of the creative process, which gives me a clear, big-picture view of how everything comes together.

At the end of the day, my work is about creating meaningful connections—through branding, campaigns, or creative direction—and I’m always looking to collaborate with people and brands who want to make an impact.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I think as creatives—or even as entrepreneurs—it’s easy to feel stuck, lost or discouraged at times. That’s why I love diving into the stories of other artists to understand their journeys, their thought processes, and the challenges they’ve faced. It often gives me a lot of inspiration and comfort in my own path, and it reminds me that even when things feel completely low, a new idea or breakthrough is always just around the corner.

I loved documentaries like the one on Die Antwoord, Kanye West’s jeen-yuhs, and Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives, as well as Julia Fox’s book or Just Kids by Patti Smith. I also make a point to watch documentaries about artists I don’t necessarily feel connected to, just to understand their lives and creative processes. It’s fascinating, and it helps me relate—I’ll sometimes have thoughts like, “Remember when they faced that challenge too.”

I’m also a big fan of Sofia Coppola’s work. All my friends know that The Virgin Suicides is my favorite movie—I watch it on repeat because the aesthetics and its softness move me deeply.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I often work closely with my dear friend Rafael Michaelson. Funny enough, we met at a hot yoga class! Shortly after, we followed each other on Instagram and started chatting. One day, he called me because he was working on a pitch for Kiehl’s for Pride 2024 and needed some help. That’s how we started collaborating. We worked on that first project together for months, from the initial concept to the shoot and final delivery. It was an incredible experience, both on a personal and professional level, where we learned so much.

I also work a lot with Athena de Callatay, who originally is my sister’s best friend. I randomly reached out to her one day because I needed help with a branding project, and now she’s my go-to person.

These are people I have such an easy connection with. We communicate openly, leave our egos aside, and share a similar aesthetic vision and curiosity about the world around us. Working together feels completely natural.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.laurabenocci.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura.benocci/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-benocci-a612b646/

Image Credits

Pictures:
Laura Benocci
Priscilla Dos Santos
Henri Doyen