One of the most noteworthy advantages of working as a WebCreek writer and content specialist is that you can be productive almost anywhere with electricity and internet. That’s how I ended up visiting one of my best friends last Tuesday, June 11th, 2019, where I set up a video conference interview in the comfort of his home. Here, I was able to get to know a bit more about, Pedro Pazmiño, the man responsible as creative director for giving WebCreek clients their finished products, complete and well-designed, which fulfill (and even surpass) initial expectations.
I now invite you to read what Pedro Pazmiño shared with me; may it help you to understand how Jason Bott’s business really “connects the dots.”
Rafa: Hi Pedro, thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview. And welcome here, to Mexican soil, albeit through this virtual connection. How is it going, over there in Ecuador? (He-he, I kept thinking about a previous chat, in which he was located in the South American WebCreek office).
Pedro Pazmiño: (taking a breath and forming a smile) Uh, I imagine well. But I couldn’t tell you, because I’m actually in Houston right now (WebCreek headquarters).
Rafa: Ha-ha, I’m sorry, you’re still in Houston…
Pedro Pazmiño: Yes, my trip extended longer than I had planned. So, I’m here for two more weeks.
Rafa: Cool, okay perfect. Because then, the interview will coincide with a very specific question, related to this subject, which I’d like you to answer. Okay, let’s start. I’d like for you to answer: What do you most remember from your formative years at Palermo University?
Pedro Pazmiño: I think that it would be getting to know something totally different for me. It was really the first time that I left Ecuador and saw the world first-hand… I saw something different in the architecture, the people, the music, the food, mmm, especially in the food. Just when I was studying my Design and Communication major, we were in the most intense peak of the 2014 World Cup, when Argentina got to the final and lost against Germany. I was very surprised by the fanaticism for soccer, and it allowed me to see the intricacy of a universe that I was just barely waking up to see.
Rafa: We could say that it was a moment of opening your world.
Pedro: Yes, of course. I had already graduated as a tech specialist in Ecuador, and at Palermo in Argentina, I went to study a Degree in Communication. It was a great opportunity to expand my panorama, but not only that. My second trip to Argentina was with the woman that now is my wife–actually, we went as boyfriend and girlfriend. There, we were together, I developed my career, and more, it was the first trip with the love of my life. What more could I ask– both mind and heart content!
Rafa: How do you coordinate a multicultural team? What is the key to this task?
Pedro: When thinking about how I manage the team, it’s interesting to clarify a bit about my background. Well, until arriving at WebCreek, I worked with a graphic design and publicity firm of extremely large projects. This taught me a working process for complex products, and also to organize a talented and diverse, cross-disciplinary team. Three years ago, we were myself and two other people; now, we are a department of more than 10 people. The key to a business’s growth is that each person generate some type of tangible contribution to the team. Not just the programming rockstars or tech geniuses are valuable for WebCreek; everything is connected when it comes to a digital solution.
User experience is the theme that drives me in the department– to recognize the conduct and opinion of the other, to organize information and make it cohesive. It’s hard to convince me that anything is detailed enough; I’m always hammering my teammates until we arrive at the most minute point. But we always are looking for the best possible result. My team is conformed by multiple sections: user experience, website design, 3D, marketing, content, and social media. And this exact diversity of tasks what I need to coordinate each day makes everything new and exciting.
Rafa: How do you align users and consumers through design?
Pedro: The problems…
Rafa: Solve problems.
Pedro: Yes. What I like about this digital product development chain is identifying what is the final argument, in order to propose a solution– what is the problem that we’re solving and, above all, for whom.For a long time, all my conversations about web design have been based in trying to change the meaning of “design” as a concept. Design isn’t what my grandfather said: to play with crayons, dying of hunger as a starving artist. It is analytic process, and looks to solve problems. Each piece has a purpose; it’s about finding the middle ground between the interests of a business and needs of the user.
Rafa: How was the experience of working with clients in situ in Houston?
Pedro: At first, it was transcendent because of communication–giving a face to the company. Although technology has advanced so much and we are in constant communication, there’s nothing like a good, casual conversation before jumping into large projects. It has a really positive impact.
I came to Houston for meetings that, I’d say, were even mysterious, with super important clients. But it’s about solidifying these relationships with the experience of coming here and allowing them to get to know me. I mean, they hear my name as Creative Director, and now that I meet them and give a face to the voice that they hear each day, we achieve this magic touch that it necessary for generating trust.
Rafa: Here is a question a bit off topic, but I’d really like to ask: if WebCreek were a movie or play, which would it be and why?
Pedro: Ha-ha (laughs). Good question. I think that it would be Star Trek. Besides the fact that I’m a fan of the series, I believe that it’s a very similar dynamic: a trip to the unknown, by a group of scientists– of nerds– which find themselves with some problem to overcome. They have a harmonious and respectful relationship between all the people that work onboard the ship.
Rafa: Good. This is related to the last article, where we mentioned 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hey, on a last note and to finish up our talk for now, I want to know if you have any message for our readers– above all youngsters– interested in technology.
Pedro: I would tell them that there’s no lack of tech and software development businesses around the world. And that these companies are willing to offer a job. But WebCreek ventures into something that young people value: travelling, getting to know people from different countries and cultures, and learning something every day while doing something you love. There are days in which problems get complicated; but the only way to grow is to feel challenged, and to continue learning daily.
I said goodbye to Pedro, also sending a hearty “hello” to the team members at WebCreek Houston. I closed the video conference, sitting down to transcribe these notes to share with you all. It seemed so interesting to me– the comparison of a business with one of the most successful ever science fiction series– that I took on the homework of looking for more members of this triplation called WebCreek. Soon, you will read more about other interviews, letting you know how each individual contributes, as we carry out the team mission.
