Joel Arzu
Website: http://www.joelarzu.com
Twitter: @ArzuBusiness
Who is Joel Arzu?
“10 years in this game has taught me that I’m a hustler. What I mean by that is, whatever I set my mind to I get done. When I was still in College I was fortunate to be in a program that gave students the opportunity to have evening classes taught by working creatives at their agency. One semester I had a class at Saatchi + Saatchi NY. This was back when Tony Granger and Menno Kluin were there (a couple of creatives I admire).
I remember my professor showing us into one of the conference rooms where we were going to have class that evening. On our way to the room we passed a couple of award winning pieces displayed in the hallway. It was very inspiring. It had to have been the first class when our professor gave a motivational speech about how our work can be in these halls one day. “You just have to work your ass off!” he said.
At the end of his speech I raised my hand to ask “If we put a great book together, can you show it to your boss so we can get a job?” He couldn’t hold his laughter in when he said “Sure,” but I heard “Sure, kid.” I was naive, and didn’t know the odds of landing a job as a creative. Plus, my school didn’t even focus in advertising as major (I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology). However, I did hear him loud and clear “…work your ass off!” I also never forgot his condescending laugh. The hustle in me took full control.
By the end of the semester I had a couple of book worthy campaigns. And by the end of the following year my portfolio was done, I had a student silver pencil, was named AdAge’s top 30 under 30 and my professor wasn’t laughing anymore when I told him Wieden + Kennedy NY offered me a job.
Thank you for reading.” (source)
Tags: art director, Chicago, Illinois, Joel Arzu