Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Celestino and Pia Celestino.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Paula, Pia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
We arrived in the U.S. with our family two days before Christmas in 2001, just three months after the 9/11 attacks and in the midst of a huge economic and social crisis in Argentina.
With no friends or resources and a total of $1,500 to our name, my parents were devastated and in shock. Pia was 16, my brother Gonzalo was 3 and it was my 19th birthday.
Both Pia and I were lucky to get jobs within a week after moving here even though we barely spoke English. I was fired within a few hours from my first job at a pizzeria.
In this process, our dad became sick and we didn’t have insurance or enough money for his operation. We found medical help and I bartered a website design in exchange for his treatment. We had never designed a website before, but we had always had a passion for computers and creating things. We jumped into the opportunity so that my dad could get his surgery.
This opportunity literally saved my dad’s life and, was the beginning of our entrepreneurship journey.
The overwhelmingly positive reaction I received to the work I created gave me a new found confidence and opened my eyes to a world of possibilities. I realized I was able to help my family by providing a steady income while doing rewarding work. It was then that I decided to partner with my sister Paula and launch Crea7ive, a boutique creative agency.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In many ways, being an immigrant is pretty similar to be running a startup business. Risking it all for a chance of a better future, feeling fearful that it may not work out, dealing with constant change in a foreign country with a new culture, language and stepping outside of our comfort zone at all times. In this state of mind, survival mode kicks in and you become your strongest, most determined, fearless and resourceful self – beyond what you could have ever imagined.
Some days can be tougher than others. Entrepreneurship comes with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, often within the same day and is not for everyone.
As an entrepreneur, you are responsible for everything and it can be stressful. You must love what you do in order to endure the pains that come with entrepreneurship.
Please tell us about Crea7ive Branding Agency.
Founded in 2006 and strategically located in Miami, we are a multicultural team with a global vision. Some of our clients include Armani Casa, Wendy’s, Kraft, Pizza Hut, DreamWorks and Arianna Huffington’s new venture, Thrive Global.
We are members of the American Advertising Federation, won 14 Addy awards and have been featured on Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and TEDx.
We believe that finding new ways to solve challenges and connecting with people are the key catalysts for business growth.
Our services include: Branding, design, UI/UX, APP development, web design, augmented reality, virtual reality, social ads, digital Innovation.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1101 Brickell ave, Miami, FL 33131
- Website: http://crea7ive.com/
- Phone: 7542453165
- Email: paula@crea7ive.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crea7iveweb/
- Twitter: @crea7ive
- Other: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Crea7ive+Interactive+Branding+Agency/@25.7632775,-80.2609804,12z/data=!4m18!1m12!4m11!1m3!2m2!1d-80.1916292!2d25.7691521!1m6!1m2!1s0x88d91b25951a5cd1:0x65506017efeb46ae!2sCREA7IVE+google+MAPS!2m2!1d-80.1909401!2d25.7632943!3m4!1s0x88d91b25951a5cd1:0x65506017efeb46ae!8m2!3d25.7632943!4d-80.1909401
Image Credit:
Crea7ive.com
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