Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony.
Hi Anthony, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Hey, my name is Anthony Quintana, but most people know me as Tony,Tonydidit and even the Pastelito Pacer ya a lot of alias. Funny enough, my journey didn’t start with running it actually started in the art world. I built my career as an Associate Creative Director in advertising, spending years creating ideas, designing campaigns, and living in a fast-paced creative environment where the grind never really stops. Creativity was always my lane, but somewhere along the way, I realized I was pouring so much into work that I wasn’t pouring enough into myself.
A few years ago, my doctor diagnosed me with pre-diabetes, and honestly, that news hit me hard. Diabetes has affected my family deeply I’ve lost family members because of it, and my father is currently diabetic so hearing that felt like a wake-up call I couldn’t ignore. I knew I had two choices: keep heading down a path that scared me, or make a real change. That’s when running entered my life.
At first, running wasn’t about medals, races, or posting finish-line photos. It was survival. It was me trying to fight for a healthier version of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. I had to really look in the mirror and admit that I wasn’t happy with where I was in life or with how I was treating my body. And change isn’t glamorous it’s uncomfortable, exhausting, and humbling. But little by little, mile by mile, running started rebuilding me.
What’s crazy is how much running mirrors both life and creativity. In advertising and design, you learn that great ideas take patience, consistency, failure, and resilience. Running taught me the exact same thing. Every long run, every tough workout, every moment where I wanted to quit showed me that hard things are possible if you stay committed to the process. It taught me discipline. It taught me confidence. It taught me that you don’t have to move at anyone else’s pace to still cross the finish line.
And even now, after dealing with injury and having to start over again, I’m excited for the challenge ahead. Because running taught me that starting over doesn’t mean you failed it means you’re brave enough to begin again. I’ve already overcome things that once felt impossible, and I know I can do it again.
So if there’s anything I hope people take from my story, it’s this: your pace is your pace. Whether it’s fitness, life, creativity, healing, or chasing a dream, don’t let fear convince you that you can’t do hard things. You absolutely can. One step, one mile, one day at a time.
Alright, 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?
Pssssh… smooth? I wish. Nothing in this life comes easy, so why would this journey be any different, right? There were mad struggles along the way. I dealt with a lot of imposter syndrome like, who am I trying to be out here running races, getting fit, and stepping into this new version of myself when I wasn’t even fully comfortable in my own skin yet?
My circle changed too, because I started chasing a more active lifestyle, and not everybody around you understands that shift. There were moments where I questioned everything like, do I even deserve the good things coming my way from this community? Do people really think I’m good enough? And mentally, yeah, there were days I wanted to fall right back into my old habits because that version of me felt familiar and easy.
But honestly? I wouldn’t trade those struggles for anything. Every doubt, every setback, every awkward “figuring myself out” phase pushed me toward the right people, the right energy, and the right environments that actually supported the growth I wanted for myself. Running didn’t just change my body it grounded me. It humbled me. It taught me how to keep showing up for myself even when my mind was trying to convince me not to. And that’s the part nobody really talks about sometimes the hardest race is just becoming the person you know you’re capable of being.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As for work, I’m currently an Associate Creative Director at an ad agency, and yeah… I take a lot of pride in what I do. I’m mostly known as an illustrator and brand designer, and over the years I’ve had the chance to work on some really dope brands and accounts. Some of my work still lives out there with brands like Authen, Virgin Voyages, Sandals Resorts, Nike, Snickers, Twix, Skittles, The NFL, Once Upon a Coconut, and the list keeps going. Seeing ideas I helped create actually exist in the real world will always be a crazy feeling to me.
But honestly, what I’m most proud of isn’t even the brand work it’s the community work. I volunteer with the Broward County Animal Care and Hollywood Run Club, where we take shelter pups out for a day with runners so they can experience fresh air, love, movement, and just pure joy outside the shelter. Seeing those dogs light up, run around, and get attention they deserve? Man, that’s bigger than any campaign deck or billboard.
And look, every designer and artist probably says they’re passionate about what they do but I really stand on that. I care deeply about the work, the people, and the impact behind it all. I bring energy, creativity, and heart into everything I touch. So if somebody gets the chance to work with me, they’re not just getting an award winning designer they’re getting somebody that’s genuinely obsessed with creating dope work and building meaningful experiences.
And if anybody’s curious about what I do, you can check out my work at Tonydidit.co.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Honestly, for me, finding a mentor was actually pretty easy especially when you’re already working in the industry you wanna grow in. I literally looked at senior leadership and paid attention to the people whose careers inspired me. The people moving how I wanted to move. And instead of sitting around hoping they’d notice me, I reached out. Sent the emails. Shot my shot. Hit them with the “Hey, I see what you’ve built, I respect your journey, and I’d love the opportunity to learn from you. Do you have time maybe once a month to connect?”
Now, I’m not gonna lie at first, a lot of those emails felt like they disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle. Almost no responses. But I stayed persistent. And eventually? I started getting those meetings. That’s the thing about opportunities they usually show up for the people willing to go after them instead of waiting around for permission.
I’m a very “go-for-it” type of person. If I want something, I’m gonna speak on it. I’m gonna create the opportunity for myself because nobody’s gonna magically hand it to you. But the biggest thing I learned is this: don’t approach mentorship like you’re trying to take something from somebody. Focus on building a real relationship first. Be genuine. Be curious. Actually care about the person and their story instead of just what they can do for you.
And another key thing? Find the relatable factor. Find the thing that connects you and that mentor outside of just work titles and LinkedIn bios. That’s what makes relationships real. At the end of the day, people wanna help people they connect with not people that just pop up asking for favors.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Tonydidit.co
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-quintana-9498268a?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic
