We recently connected with Marz (mariano) Garcia Jr. and have shared our conversation below.

Marz (Mariano), thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Moving to NYC is definitely on my list of big risks I’ve taken so far in my life. I moved to NYC for my first Art Director job in advertising. The uncertainty of moving to an expensive city filled with talented people made me question my abilities. I kept thinking about what could go wrong, like whether I would run out of money, and at the same time, asking if I was talented. But I overcame these doubts by focusing on what could go right and reminding myself of my talents. Shifting to a positive mindset helped me take the leap.

So, I moved to NYC in March 2022, not knowing anyone. I moved here with only two suitcases and a two-month sublease in East Harlem, which I found through the Gypsy Housing Facebook group. Although I didn’t know anyone when I moved to NYC, I started making friends with people from work. Then, when my two-month lease was up, I moved to Bushwick, and my Bushwick roommates introduced me to many people who are now my friends (shout out to Kevin Magarity and Brandon Kim, very talented creatives).

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into advertising because I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life working on spreadsheets. I started college as a computer science major but later switched to business. However, I quickly realized that the theory and economics side of business weren’t for me. Like, where’s the creativity in this major?
Outside of class, I was always working on fun stuff with my friend Tyler Armentrout, a talented lighting designer for Stone Temple Pilots. For example, we launched a food delivery service on our college campus, where we designed the website and created the logo. We even did some graphic design work for the Sammy Davis Jr. Estate. These fun projects got me thinking: is there a job where you get paid to be creative?
During my final year of college, I discovered there was—advertising. Even though I found out about it late, I was determined to learn the craft and build a portfolio to land a job.
Fast forward to today, I’m an Art Director at Merkley+Partners. And no, it’s not a law firm; it just sounds like one. We’re a creative agency. I primarily work on White Castle, but I’ve also created work for Mercedes-Benz, various pharma clients, and new business pitches.
Some projects I’m most proud of include the commercials and TikToks we’ve created for White Castle, which I worked on with Brian Chau, a talented Art Director. Collaborating on social content with Martha Stewart and Tracee Ellis Ross for Mercedes-Benz was another great experience alongside Alex Ngo, an amazing copywriter. I also designed merch for Fat Joe’s collaboration with White Castle.
Outside of work, I’ve been featured on some popular meme pages for some of the funny shit I’ve made.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the idea that everything has to be perfect. Not just in creative work but in life overall. As a kid, I remember not completing assignments because I didn’t know how to do them. But the real reason wasn’t lack of knowledge; it was fear—the fear of trying and not being perfect.
Over time, I learned a life-changing lesson: Done is better than perfect. Whether it’s designing a logo or thinking of ideas, I tell myself, “Just start. Write something down, even if it’s messy.” I remember reading somewhere about a photography professor who divided his class into two groups. One is graded on the quantity of photos produced, and the other on the quality of a single photo. Surprisingly, the quantity group produced the best photos by taking many pictures, not worrying about perfection. Meanwhile, the quality group focused on creating one perfect image and ended up with only a mediocre result due to overthinking and lack of practice.
That story always stuck with me and made me embrace the mindset of “Done is better than perfect.” It has helped me overcome procrastination, embrace uncertainty, and improve my creativity. Because over time, the quality of your work gets better every time you “write something down.”

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The most impactful books I’ve read are “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, “Hey Whipple, Squeeze This” by Luke Sullivan, and “Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon. The YouTube videos that have impacted me the most are “Everything is a Remix” and “1 + 1 = 3 – Will Chau.”

“Atomic Habits” taught me how to build habits and goals, and make them stick. “Everything is a Remix” and “Steal Like an Artist” taught me that nothing is original. That every new idea is just a mashup or a remix of one or more previous ideas. Meanwhile, “Hey Whipple Squeeze” and “1 + 1 = 3 – Will Chau” taught me tricks and techniques to think more creatively.

These resources didn’t just influence me, they shaped who I am today. So, if you’re looking to be a better creative, I can’t recommend these books and videos enough.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marzgarseeya.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marzgarseeya/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marzgarseeya/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@marzgarseeya3730/videos

Image Credits

Marz Garcia