We recently had the chance to connect with Facundo Yebne and have shared our conversation below.
Facundo, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately, what’s been bringing me joy outside of work is my recent trip through Malta, Tunisia, and Italy. Traveling always reconnects me with a sense of wonder, but this time it also gave me perspective. I explored vibrant cultures, visited new art spaces, and recharged creatively. Stepping away from my usual routine and being surrounded by beauty, history, and nature reminded me why I started creating in the first place—to share joy, connection, and a sense of play.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Facundo Yebne, also known as FLY, an American-Argentine artist and entrepreneur based in Miami. I create large-scale contemporary artworks using rubber ducks and glow in the dark materials, blending playfulness with purpose. My brand, FLY Miami Art, was born out of a moment of personal transformation, turning grief and reinvention into joy and connection.
In just one year, my work has gone from a private passion to public installations commissioned by Lincoln Road BID and the City of Miami Beach, including two major installations displayed on Lincoln Road for Miami Beach Pride and international Pride Month in June, becoming instant landmarks and sparking smiles, interactions and conversations. My pieces are colorful, interactive, and designed to spark reflection, nostalgia, and optimism.
Right now, I’m preparing to exhibit at the Florence Biennale and continuing to explore new ways to connect my art with community, purpose, and public spaces around the world
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was imaginative, expressive, and always building things, sometimes with my hands, sometimes with my ideas. I grew up believing I had to achieve, to prove myself through business and results. And I did. I built multiple companies, led successful ventures in hospitality and real estate, and created a solid foundation that most people would define as success.
But deep down, even while running profitable businesses, I felt like something essential was missing. I didn’t crash, but I outgrew the chase. Business gave me purpose, but not peace. I realized that being successful didn’t mean I was fulfilled.
Everything changed when I started creating art. It began unexpectedly, almost playfully with rubber ducks, resin ducks, and glow in the dark effects and paint. What started as an experiment became a calling. Through art, I rediscovered a version of myself that had been buried under decades of ambition. I didn’t abandon who I was, I learned and evolved. Now I build joy, connection, and meaning through every piece I create.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me something success never did, how to feel again, and how to find meaning in the simple things that we have.
Success brought structure, power, and validation. I knew how to win, build, and lead. But when I faced personal loss, deep loneliness, and the quiet emptiness that came even after reaching major business goals, I realized I had neglected my inner life. Suffering cracked me open.
It taught me presence. It made me slow down. It made me sit with my emotions instead of distracting myself with the next business deal. That’s when I found art, or maybe it found me. Creating became a lifeline, not a strategy. I stopped trying to impress and started trying to express. And in that process, I discovered a deeper version of success, one that’s measured by connection, joy, and truth.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what really matters to me is connection, real human connection. Whether it’s through art, business, or simply a conversation, I care deeply about creating moments that feel meaningful and honest. They know I’m driven, but they also know I’m happiest when I’m building something that brings people together, sparks joy, or makes someone feel seen.
They’d also say I value loyalty, depth, and showing up when it counts. I don’t care much for surface-level success anymore. What matters to me is impact, did I bring light into someone’s day, did I express something true, did I leave something better than the way I found it?
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I was someone who turned pain into purpose and joy into legacy. That I didn’t just build businesses or make art, that I built moments that made people feel something real. That I wasn’t afraid to start over, reinvent myself, or do things differently, even when it didn’t make sense on paper.
I want to be remembered as someone who brought light, in every sense of the word. Through glowing in the dark ducks, public installations, and unexpected art, I hope people felt seen, uplifted, or even just smiled at a time they needed it most. I hope they tell the story of someone who used a simple object like a rubber duck to build something meaningful. And more than anything, I hope they say I lived fully, loved deeply, and never lost the courage to be myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.flymiami.art
- Instagram: @flymiami.art
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/facundo-yebne-a5b5a3b/
