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

Hi Paola, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
As an entrepreneur I feel that it’s important to take risks, always keep challenging yourself and not settling . I feel that my greatest achievements have come from taking risks and doing things out of my comfort zone. My family took a huge risk when we all move to this country, as immigrants you always feel a little out of place and out of your comfort zone which can be a blessing in disguise because for me that experience of the unknown allows me to have the confidence to take risks. I moved to NYC 12 years with a bag full of dreams, which sounds cliché but it’s how I got things done, taking risks not being afraid and just doing what I love doing every day.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m Paola Zamudio, founder of NPZ Studio+ , an award winning creative design studio. I consider myself rule-breaker in the historically hierarchical design industry, and my mission is create amazing transparent work +  coach creatives alike. As a minority in the industry, I’m a proud Latina leading a fabulous team and inspiring through design, research, and innovation. My projects share a common goal: designing spaces to inspire future generations. This includes curating spaces that promote health + wellness, as well as connecting the dots so that her projects have a distinct brand identity represented physically + digitally.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So many places so little time! The city is full of surprises and places to be, to me a perfect weekend starts walking my dogs Joy-Z & CoCo to the Seaport area, I love the new Food Hall by Jean Georges at the Tin Building, simply spectacular. After grabbing a bite and walking their Hester vintage fair where you can find the coolest 90’s shirts and gear, Love the 90’s! After that taking a stroll trough the historic cobblestone streets and stopping at the McNally bookstore. For a delicious bite I love “Le Gratin” at the Beekman Hotel…. and for a night cap & some dancing Primo’s in Tribeca is the place to be.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My biggest influence is my mom, from as long as I remember she has always wanted me to be creative and made lots of sacrifices to give me a great education and provide the best life for me. I really admire her tenacity, work ethic, grace and power. I will always remember when I was a girl and she would take me to her Design Studio where she would teach classes and create beautiful designs, I would watch her and she was so happy and inspired, that I would never forget.

Website: npzdesign.com

Instagram: npz_studio

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paola-zamudio-32539710a/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.