Navigating career:
Changing countries and cities
Changing countries and cities
Moving to another country or city may be stressful, even if the relocation is clearly beneficial for your life or career. But it can also work miracles and let you see and create opportunities in places you never thought to look for inspiration. Two top designers told us their stories, sharing the motivation and challenges behind their relocations.
Moving to another country or city may be stressful, even if the relocation is clearly beneficial for your life or career. But it can also work miracles and let you see and create opportunities in places you never thought to look for inspiration. Two top designers told us their stories, sharing the motivation and challenges behind their relocations.
Relocating from Australia to Germany has been a great move forward for me profession-wise, mainly due to the drastic timezone difference between my country and the rest of the world. I decided Berlin was my first go-to choice, and this move essentially opened the doors to working with brands from Europe, America, and Asia, and positively contributed to my career and to where I am today.
It wasn’t an easy move, coming from the other side of the world with no contacts in Berlin at all. Moving abroad alone can be a constant rollercoaster of emotions and comes along with a lot of tough hurdles to overcome, personally and professionally. I can still clearly recall the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach when I came from the airport. I was suddenly marinating my own cesspool of uncertainty, isolation and a constant mental reminder of, “Why on earth did I think this was a good idea?” But in the end, this move to Berlin was the best decision I made, and I wouldn’t change this decision for the world.
Relocating from Australia to Germany has been a great move forward for me profession-wise, mainly due to the drastic timezone difference between my country and the rest of the world. I decided Berlin was my first go-to choice, and this move essentially opened the doors to working with brands from Europe, America, and Asia, and positively contributed to my career and to where I am today.
It wasn’t an easy move, coming from the other side of the world with no contacts in Berlin at all. Moving abroad alone can be a constant rollercoaster of emotions and comes along with a lot of tough hurdles to overcome, personally and professionally. I can still clearly recall the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach when I came from the airport. I was suddenly marinating my own cesspool of uncertainty, isolation and a constant mental reminder of, “Why on earth did I think this was a good idea?” But in the end, this move to Berlin was the best decision I made, and I wouldn’t change this decision for the world.
Carla Palette:
A Brand identity designer and Art director currently working in Berlin. She moved from Australia to Germany in search of a larger design market, which had played very well in her favor.
Carla Palette:
A Brand identity designer and Art director currently working in Berlin. She moved from Australia to Germany in search of a larger design market, which had played very well in her favor.
Armin Vit and I left Mexico City and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, then to Chicago, and finally to New York, which was a dream of ours. Then came the recession, our toddler, and a feeling of being overworked, and we realized we needed to leave New York. We literally opened Google Maps and searched for good places where a young family could settle and set up a business, and we ended up in Austin, Texas. We enjoyed our choice up to the moment when many tech companies came to the city and it started getting crowded and expensive—the things we left behind in New York. Because we have the independence of not being tied to family or a workplace, it’s our duty to always question the circumstances we’re in. After more research and Google Mapping, we moved to a small college town in Bloomington, Indiana. The move has allowed us to be more ambitious with conference materials and, at the same time, given us more flexibility to use our income—the other things we value more than being in a big city.
When we moved to Austin, we faced the recession and took a chance to start the Brand New Conference. This endeavor marked a big shift between our share of client-driven and side projects: previously, we had 80% client work and 20% fun, but from then on, our projects took up 80%. As the passion side of our business grew, we realized how much we valued the ability to create content, information, and experiences for designers and the design industry at large.
Armin Vit and I left Mexico City and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, then to Chicago, and finally to New York, which was a dream of ours. Then came the recession, our toddler, and a feeling of being overworked, and we realized we needed to leave New York. We literally opened Google Maps and searched for good places where a young family could settle and set up a business, and we ended up in Austin, Texas. We enjoyed our choice up to the moment when many tech companies came to the city and it started getting crowded and expensive—the things we left behind in New York. Because we have the independence of not being tied to family or a workplace, it’s our duty to always question the circumstances we’re in. After more research and Google Mapping, we moved to a small college town in Bloomington, Indiana. The move has allowed us to be more ambitious with conference materials and, at the same time, given us more flexibility to use our income—the other things we value more than being in a big city.
When we moved to Austin, we faced the recession and took a chance to start the Brand New Conference. This endeavor marked a big shift between our share of client-driven and side projects: previously, we had 80% client work and 20% fun, but from then on, our projects took up 80%. As the passion side of our business grew, we realized how much we valued the ability to create content, information, and experiences for designers and the design industry at large.
Bryony Gomez-Palacio:
Designer and Co-founder of the UnderConsideration graphic design firm and the Brand New Conference. She has lived in Mexico City, Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Austin, and now resides in Bloomington, Indiana.
Bryony Gomez-Palacio:
Designer and Co-founder of the UnderConsideration graphic design firm and the Brand New Conference. She has lived in Mexico City, Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Austin, and now resides in Bloomington, Indiana.
