We had the good fortune of connecting with Dominic Figuro and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dominic, what role has risk played in your life or career?

Risk to me is the make or break in your life. A lot of people associate risk with irrationality and aimlessness. That is not necessarily the case.
Anytime I think about potential risk, I ask myself three questions: (1) Do I have a plan for executing my idea? (2) How likely will I be able to follow through with my plan? and (3) What are the roadblocks that may come up? By looking at risk this way, I can decide if this move is worthwhile or not. While nothing is 100%, I feel much more comfortable when faced with risky situations when I break it down this way.
After graduating college, I moved back in with my parents. I didn’t have any job or internship lined up for me in L.A. Even though I had just graduated, I felt like I was a disappointment.
After a couple of months, I had to decide whether to stay at my current job in my hometown or go back to L.A. to try to make it. While I didn’t have a job waiting for me, I chose the latter. As soon as I came back to L.A., I had my plan in place that I knew I needed to execute, whatever it took. The rest is history.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m currently working full time as a graphic designer and doing freelance jobs on the side.

Being a graphic designer here in L.A. is a tough gig. You’re literally competing with thousands of people for one position. Not to mention, you have to keep up with the ever-changing designing world.
I am where I am today in my career because I worked diligently to be here. Honestly, my first 5 years as a designer were a struggle. I felt lost because I was grinding, but nothing was happening for me. It was difficult for me to accept that I had so much more to learn (design-wise) even after graduating from college.
After making some changes, my career is finally heading in the direction that I want it to be. These past two years have been very exciting. I have a lot of pending projects that will unveiled in the upcoming months. One project that I am hype about is a magazine ad that’s going to be released in four countries in Europe. And for the first time in my career, I’m involved in the product design. I’m going to have a LOGO THAT I DESIGNED, ON A PRODUCT THAT’S GOING TO BE SOLD TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE! The best part is that I know this is just the beginning; I already have eyes set on something big in the upcoming year.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Where do I start!? There are so many things to do when visiting L.A. The first place I would take my friend is to an art museum. Even if they are not art savvy, they are bound to enjoy one of the amazing museums L.A. has to offer. It would be a disservice to miss the top spots like The Getty, The Broad, and my personal favorite, LACMA. Museums around L.A. are amazing and they’re so easy to visit. After that, we would definitely hit Santa Monica Pier and Venice. As far as dining and drinks, I’m taking my bff to some fine dining. Beverly Hills Golden Triangle is the spot. I recommend going to a place called Ocean Prime; they offer some of the best seafood I’ve tried in my life. My favorite dish there is the teriyaki salmon, it is chef’s kiss! Lastly, if time allows, I would like to cap off the week by hiking near Griffith Park, so that they can see the legendary Hollywood sign.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Besides my family, friends and professors, one person that deserves the most recognition for my career is my wife. If there’s someone who witnessed my evolution as an artist, it would be her. She has been there from the beginning when we were in our college dorms. From staying up all night with me to finish a class project and spotting my typos, to making sure I am ready for my interviews. Nobody understands my approach and process when designing like she does.

While her background is not at all related to art or designing, she is my favorite critic. Initially, I didn’t usually agree with what she would say about my designs. In the past, I’ve completely ignored a lot of her feedback. However, she usually turns out to be right. More recently, I’ve learned to listen to her critique. It’s good to have someone I trust, with a different point of view, looking at my designs. It’s almost like a cheat code having her beside me. Her background as a behavior analyst really helps me put things in perspective when I need to. I had the pleasure of being introduced to reading psychology-related books, which I used to think was something I didn’t need in my life. The support and love we share has been unreal since day one. She is always confident in me and gives me the reassurance that I am where I need to be in my career.

Website: https://www.dominicfiguro.com

Instagram: domdom__67

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/dominicfiguro

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