We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zach Gracia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zach below.
Alright, Zach thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
I have, and every time I say that out loud, it still feels a little surreal. But let me be clear—it wasn’t some overnight success story. I didn’t wake up one day with a stylus in hand and a job offer from Disney. This journey has been anything but linear, and definitely not without a few detours, plot twists, and late-night existential crises.
I actually grew up thinking I’d play professional baseball. Art was never part of the plan. That changed the summer before my senior year of high school when my parents—probably tired of watching me spiral after I realized I wasn’t going pro—handed me a General’s Art Kit. I spent that summer sketching everything from family portraits to sports icons, and for the first time, I felt like I’d found something that helped me breathe.
I went to UC Davis right out of high school, but the art program there felt a little too abstract for what I wanted to do. (There’s only so much cloud-drawing a guy can take before questioning all his life choices.) Eventually, I left and joined the Disney College Program—not in art, but selling churros and hot dogs in the Florida heat. Glamorous, I know. But even in those moments, I was sketching guests on receipt paper and asking every leader I met how to get into creative roles. Nobody had answers… but I wasn’t about to stop looking.
What followed were years of grinding. I transferred to the Academy of Art University, took studio classes during the day, worked jobs at night, and eventually shifted to online school so I could juggle multiple jobs and keep my head above water. I did everything I could to avoid debt and still somehow squeeze in time to build a portfolio, do freelance gigs, and grow as an artist.
In 2015, I got accepted into another Disney internship—this time at Disneyland. It meant taking a big pay cut and basically starting over again. But I believed in the dream, so I said yes. I worked 40+ hours a week, and spent every free minute networking, studying, and updating my portfolio like my life depended on it… because honestly, it kind of did.
The turning point came when I got a meeting with a Senior Manager from the Pixar Toy Design team. He gave me a tour of the Grand Central Creative Campus, showed me projects he’d worked on from Toy Story to The Incredibles, and then casually asked if I’d be interested in applying for a job. I somehow managed to play it cool (on the outside). Two months later, I got the email:
“Congratulations, you’re now a Disney artist.”
Since then, I’ve built a full-time career designing toys, collectibles, and storytelling products that live in the homes of families around the world. I’ve worked on lines for Frozen, Coco, Toy Story, and more. And while I now manage an extensive portfolio of projects, what I’m most proud of is never letting go of the version of me that started this whole thing—broke, tired, drawing on scraps of paper, but relentlessly hopeful.
Could I have sped things up if I knew then what I know now? Maybe. But honestly, I think the tough parts were necessary. The long nights, the rejections, the ramen-fueled all-nighters—they all taught me how to adapt, how to keep showing up, and how to trust the process.
And if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: your path doesn’t have to be perfect to be purposeful. Chase the thing that lights you up—even if it doesn’t make sense yet. You never know when the dream you once drew on receipt paper becomes the thing you get paid to create full-time.
Zach, 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?
Hey, I’m Zach Gracia—a product designer, creative strategist, and storyteller who somehow turned a sketch kit, a few Disney internships, and a relentless refusal to give up into a full-time creative career.
Today, I manage global portfolios for some of the most beloved franchises in entertainment—Pixar, Marvel, 20th Century, and Disney. I’ve helped launch toy lines that have sold all over the world, led design teams on award-nominated products like Disney Doorables and Disney Bitzee, and directed design efforts on culturally iconic brands like Coco. But I’m also just a guy who spent a lot of nights drawing in a cramped apartment with an outdated iPad and a dream that felt wildly out of reach.
I specialize in product design, specifically toys and collectibles, but really, what I do is tell stories through stuff you can hold in your hands. That might mean stylizing a new version of Buzz Lightyear, art-directing a product line, or creating something entirely new from scratch. I’ve always been obsessed with the idea that good design makes people feel something. It’s a time machine, a trigger for joy, nostalgia, connection. If a product can spark a memory or help someone feel seen? That’s the real win.
But design is just one part of what I do. I also lead The Art Department, my personal lifestyle brand built around accessible, high-impact art. Think apparel, home goods, digital drops, all rooted in bold visuals, cultural storytelling, and a bit of rebellion. It’s my creative sandbox, and it’s where I get to show up 100% as myself: an artist who loves pop culture, graffiti, and anything else that inspires me.
What sets me apart?
Honestly? A mix of grit, gratitude, and vision. I’ve worked in food service, in retail, in classrooms, and now in one big creative campus. I’ve managed teams, led award-winning lines, and navigated iconic businesses, but I’ve also been the intern sweeping popcorn kernels at midnight. That dual perspective grounds me. I can dream big and execute practically. I speak fluent creative and corporate. And I care deeply about lifting others as I climb.
What am I most proud of?
-Helping bring cultural authenticity to products like Coco as a Mexican-American artist.
-Designing products that turn into memories—the kind of toys kids hold onto for years.
-Building a career without a blueprint—no trust fund, no shortcuts, just hustle, faith, and a lot of all-nighters.
-And staying true to myself in an industry that often wants you to blend in.
-I think the most important thing to know about me and my brand is this: I create with purpose. Whether it’s a toy line, a t-shirt, or a painting, if my work helps someone feel joy, seen, or inspired to chase their own dream? That’s everything.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Absolutely—and if you looked at my bookshelf, you’d probably find a pretty honest mix of creative inspiration, philosophical grounding, and a dash of “how to hold it all together when everything’s on fire.”
One of the most meaningful shifts in how I think about leadership and entrepreneurship came from diving into Stoic philosophy. Books like Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday found me at just the right time. They reframed struggle for me, not as something to avoid, but as something to lean into. That whole idea of “the impediment to action advances action”? That’s lived rent-free in my brain ever since.
The Obstacle is the Way helped solidify the mindset that resistance usually means you’re moving in the right direction. And when you’re trying to bring bold ideas to life, whether it’s developing something iconic for a beloved brand or launching a personal venture that reflects your whole creative soul, you’re going to face resistance. It’s part of the process, not a detour from it.
I’ve also pulled a lot of influence from conversations and interviews with creatives and entrepreneurs who built their own blueprint. I’m especially drawn to the folks who went off-script, people who didn’t wait for permission to build something meaningful. That’s always resonated with me because my own path has never really fit the mold. I’ve had to figure it out as I go, often with a sketchbook in one hand and a stubborn belief in something bigger in the other.
Now, as someone leading teams and designing for stories that matter to people around the world, I try to bring that same mindset into my everyday work. Empathy and clarity are my go-to tools. I lead with intention, give people room to take creative risks, and believe deeply in the power of collaboration. I don’t believe in gatekeeping or ego. I believe in lifting others while you climb, asking good questions, and staying curious, because the best leaders I’ve ever learned from did exactly that.
Stoicism gave me the mindset. Community gave me the fuel. And the work, both personal and professional, continues to teach me how to be the kind of creative leader I needed when I was first starting out.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
At the heart of everything I do, whether it’s designing a collectible, launching a new product for The Art Department, or mentoring an emerging artist, my mission is simple: create with purpose and help others feel seen. I believe good design tells a story, but great design connects people to something deeper. It makes you feel like you belong, like you’re part of something bigger. That’s the magic I’ve always chased, whether I knew it or not.
I’m especially driven by the idea of making bold, high quality art more accessible. I want to break down the gatekeeping around “high art” and show that meaningful creative work doesn’t have to live in a gallery to be respected. It can live on your wall, your hoodie, your water bottle, anywhere it has the chance to resonate. Through my brand and my career, I want to create work that reflects culture, identity, and humanity in all its color and complexity.
Ultimately, I want to build a life and legacy rooted in impact over ego. That means pushing myself creatively, building platforms for others, and staying curious, even when things get uncomfortable. I’ve learned that chasing the dream is less about reaching some final destination and more about showing up, staying open, and making something meaningful with the time and tools you’ve got. That’s the mission, and I’m still just getting started.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zachgracia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zach_gracia/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharygracia/
Image Credits
I have all image credits as I created them all.