Today we’d like to introduce you to Julian Deguzman.
Julian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It has been a long process, but it all boils down to self-discovery, choosing the right people to surround myself with, and my family’s’ overwhelming support.
Throughout my life, I have had moments of creativity, but I never intended to really pursue it. In middle school, I used to edit highlights of me playing video games (Call of Duty). And I picked up a camera to shoot friends and capture the city, but I never thought that these experiences would lead me to a career in art.
Like many kids I began college studying something that I didn’t love and it showed. I struggled a lot my first couple years in college. Failing classes, dreading studying the formulas of business, and being 500 miles from family. Fortunately, I was blessed to find good people who were doing better and that inspired me to get right. I also had a couple of key mentors that changed my perspective and pushed me in the right direction. Through some research, I learned that there was an intersection of art and business that I could be “successful” in if I applied myself. From then on everything shifted, I chose to pursue art in order to gain skills that I could apply to marketing and design. It is not a traditional route, but thankfully my family supported me!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely hasn’t been smooth. However, going through struggle is the best way to grow. Moving away from home while trying to grow up (and all the responsibilities that come with it) while planning for your future is HARD for any eighteen-year-old kid. If I could give any advice I would say trust the process. It sounds so obvious, but make sure you have goals and work hard to take the steps needed to hit those goals. Also, in your free-time make sure to do what makes you happy, I have lost sight of that throughout college and it is ESSENTIAL.
Tell us more about your work. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart?
I’m just getting started, ,but mainly, I do photography (event, product, and lifestyle) and also produce content (video-production, motion graphics), but I plan to expand my work within branding and graphic design.
Finding my intersection of passions and being able to work in that niche has been, so fulfilling. I work with lots of projects unrelated to basketball, but I have always had a deep passion for basketball and with my art background, I wanted to create what makes me happy while supporting myself and see where it takes me. I just started last April, but I’m definitely on the right track and excited for what the future holds.
My biggest accomplishments so far are landing an internship at Power Digital Marketing Inc. and producing content for Bleacher Report Hoops and Overtime. Getting this opportunity to be on SDVoyager is really validating too because like many artists I get imposter syndrome from time to time.
What sets me apart is my drive and versatility. I have a solid foundation in a lot of different areas creatively (Graphic Design, Web Dev, Photography, Video, and Animation). On top of this, I have made a lot of valuable connections here in San Diego and if I can’t help your brand/company, I know somebody who can.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” – Chris Do. The people who raised me, mentored me and those I have been able to teach played the most meaningful role in my life and business. There are too many to name, but I appreciate everyone who has helped me get to this point because I definitely didn’t do it alone. Thank you!
Contact Info:
- Website: juliandeguzman.myportfolio.com
- Phone: 510-207-0927
- Email: julian.m.deg@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raw.jules/
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