Today we’d like to introduce you to Angel Bernard Soto.
Angel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My junior year of high school, I enrolled for an architecture class and immediately fell in love with design. I would work through lunches, redo the same projects over and over trying to improve with each turn, study concepts and design fundamentals — that passion for being able to create something out of nothing just consumed me entirely. The teacher of that class, Mr. Simpson, took notice of all the extra time I was putting in and began taking an interest. He would critique my work, recommend certain books to read, give me pointers on how to avoid making the same design mistakes. He truly taught me how to have confidence in my work.
Towards the end of that school year, I applied and was accepted to a summer program at the University of Notre Dame for high school students to see what a college architecture program was like. And it was during my time at that program where I really solidified the decision that architecture and design was something I was going to pursue for the rest of my life.
After high school, I attended the NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego. Where I majored in architecture with a minor in construction management. But it was during my third year of college where I began entertaining the idea of starting my own Design Studio.
You see, I have always had a knack for computers — I taught myself how to code when I was 15. So throughout those first three years of architecture school, I kept thinking about how there was this common connection that computer programming and architecture shared, And it was during that school year where I realized the connection was a simple one: you could use coding to enhance the architecture experience by tenfold.
From then on, I began focusing on understanding how architecture and programming software intertwine with one another. By doing that, I was able to begin producing basic websites, which progressed to mobile applications, followed by renderings. And it was at that point where I began working as a consultant; creating prototypes, architectural renderings and coding websites for clients.
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?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I think most in my industry would say that architecture school alone is a nonstop five-year struggle. But I believe the biggest struggle for me personally has been learning to trust the process.
When I first launched The Sotto Studio in 2018, I truly believed I would make giant business strides in just a few months. So imagine my surprise when I understood that this was a process that was going to take years to complete, if ever. That’s when I realized why it’s called a grind. Because you have to put in work every day with no reward and you have to remind yourself that the little things will eventually add up to be big things.
So, that philosophy itself isn’t the challenge. The challenge comes when you’ve been working on something for weeks just for it to not work out. It’s wanting to shut down shop when you’re broke and haven’t had a client in months. It’s wanting to put your self-doubt at ease and stay in your comfort zone. But you don’t. Instead, you keep working and trusting that hard work gets rewarded.
So that has and is my biggest obstacle that I’m overcoming every day: learning to trust the process.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Sotto Studio – what should we know?
We specialize in designing new and innovative tech products such as mobile applications, virtual reality renderings, prototypes, and websites.
And I believe that the company’s desire to progress is what sets us apart from the others. Staying up to date with the latest software, studying new methods and concepts; doing these things really gives us an advantage over most. And in the not so distant future, technology such as virtual reality or design tools alike will be integrated into our lives in ways we never thought possible. And I hope The Sotto Studio plays a key role in that integration process, to ensure that the well-being of humanity is the main focus for tech innovators everywhere.
With that being said, working deeply with tech, you realize how much good can be done, but you also realize how much bad can be done as well. So what I take pride in most about my company is the code of ethics that has been established: Do Good For Humanity. With this ethos in place, I truly believe we can create new worlds that will help the progression of mankind.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I believe the most important characteristic to my success so far has been persistence.
These first few years have been a whirlwind of emotions. I’ve gained clients, I’ve lost contracts, and I’ve had my fair share of personal setbacks. But what truly pulled me through was persistence.
There were times when I would have a horrible day, but would still continue forward. You just have to tell yourself over and over that giving up is not an option. And once you form that mindset, it truly gets easier. Because over time, that work ethic becomes almost second nature.
Contact Info:
- Email: angelbernardsoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesottostudio
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