DreamChaser | Mx DES G
Mx Des G. Bauza
They/Them
22 years old
Lead Brand Strategist at Trans Brands
First Time Business Owner
About Me
I’m Des, I am 22 years old, from Hunts Point and I am the founder of the first gender neutral design company; Trans Brands. I am non binary and Boricua.
Growing up, I was always the youngest in the room and the first one to ask the questions. I was fascinated by learning and was desperate to hear older people’s understanding of the world. I was always searching for new ideas and new perceptions. I was called annoying a lot, because once I got stuck on a topic I was fascinated by, I’d explore it for hours.
I ‘ve learned best in my life by throwing myself into new experiences. Coming from an unconventional background, with no degree, no parents spotting me, no safety net- I had to learn two crucial skills. Adaptability and resourcefulness.
As an entrepreneur, in my theoretical business toolkit, I carry conviction, sharp observation, intuitive initiative and adaptability into every project I enter, and that’s how I’ve scaled my first business during a pandemic and teach others to do the same.
2. What sparked my business
By 18 I was a new runaway, working grimey service industry jobs in New York City, I’d serve celebrities like Nina Dobrev by day and then clock out and go home to brooklyn. I was quite lucky back home, I was surrounded by so many artists and organizers doing amazing work.
Where I worked, in the streets of Greenwich village the city was alive with art, soho dwellers buying million dollar pieces for their living rooms. I thought to myself: people LOVE quality and innovation, everyone can appreciate beauty.
While the Trans community might not be tapped into that supply of coin just yet, I noted there’s money to be made here.
I had the right idea, but I had some more growing up to do.
By 20 I began shadowing several different community leaders in new cities, I’d moved to. I stood beside creatives and thinkers who had monetized their passion projects, geniusly. I analyzed the steps that worked for them, and knew I had to find a system for implementation.
First, I got into marketing, because if I could figure out the key to working any platform, and integrate it with what I’d directly observed from mentors, I could create a recipe that would take any message, any idea and have it catch wind quicker.
By 21 I finally zoned in on my “why.” Previously, I was really annoyed by people asking me- because I HAD NO CLUE. And that’s not something you can force.
My “why” came from everything I came from. It’s for my people, it’s for those who look like me, sound like me, it’s for the babies who are looking for a model of success, those who are eager to grow bigger. To carry some weight to their name- the baby mes.
I launched my branding strategy business, knowing I’d have ALOT of proving to do.
I didn’t take it lightly, I learned, invested, practiced, cried, failed, practiced, and learned some more. Eighth months in, I had built up a steady flow of supporters and clients excited about Trans Brands.
At 22 I’ve built a strong fanbase of amazing thinkers, leaders and organizers, who I blush to think about. I feel honored to look around and see the folks I admire, admire me back. I love that part of our community. Trans Brands is rebranding for Season 2 this summer.
3. Who I’m most influenced by
I can answer this two ways. I’m most *jazzed* by abstract futuristic design, because I’ve always adored surrealism - my favorite person as a teen was philippe halsman.
My favorite creatives are FKA Twigs, Grimes, Tierra Whack, Nathy Peluso. My favorite designers are Julia Malaska, Rocket Studio, The Pink Creative.
I’m most activated and inspired by organizers and thought leaders like assata shakur, marsha p johnson, and the NYC friends I grew up with. Common denominator is I am overall most inspired by thinkers of new worlds.
4. My first job
My first job ever was as a youth media producer for El Barrio’s sector of the Manhattan Media Network Channel. It was really cute, I was 16, I had pink hair (lol), and I carried around a notebook all the time. I produced and edited a news segment on intersectional feminism in the hood and won that summer’s award. It was really fun.
“Representation and visibility is mad important. Who is telling the success story, and where they’ve come from is super important!!! I feel it’s important for someone to hear that I am a mixed non binary boricua entrepreneur who is one year into scaling a successful business. ”
5. Proudest Achievements
Monetizing my business, learning design from scratch, moving to new cities, finding my own style, strengthening my friendships, healing often.
6. Most Important life skill
Patience, Self Trust and know who you are and who you are not. Lead with conviction and confidence- you self define- not social media, or other people.
7. A Typical Day
I wake up to sunlight or rain, I roll out of bed and set some intentions, wash up. Then, I make some coffee, journal my dreams, and listen to music or abraham hicks. I get dressed up depending on my mood, check my emails, look over designs I was working on the previous day. Check in with social media a few times, eat something yum, stretch. Go out for a walk to get some sunlight, and call my friends, eat lunch, get back to work. End with calls to my clients or my mentors. And then clock out.
8. Biggest Obstacle I’ve faced
Not feeling confident or “worthy?” enough to name my boundaries from the jump. It took me a while to find the mental health balance when using social media for business, and networking. While I was implementing strategies and seeing fast growth, I was like yay!!-- but on the other hand, I was totally mentally unprepared to encounter sheisty energy, or things I wouldn’t agree with online.
In real life, I’m very protective of my focus and my surroundings. So for a while I was stuck- could I build a real brand that would last decades, while holding present boundaries for my wellbeing? It was a pivotal moment for me, and this is what I’ve learned...
While we can never expect constant perfection, we can ask ourselves for honesty.
And what is honest to you, might not be socially popular- but that’s where courage and integrity comes in.
I redesigned mine and my clients’ approach to personal brands. I leveraged strategy that honors our personal boundaries, emphasizes value to our time and focus, and curates a safe digital environment. We are to know what we are digitally consuming, and lower the noise.
Now, I understand that to be effective IT must have clarity on what I want in my world and boundaries for what I don’t want. The quicker I name it, the quicker I focus on what’s most important- impact.
9. The Biggest piece of Advice
“Confidence sells anything” - someone in my nuyo rican family
“Highest energy wins” - mentor and friend, Sara Z Kas
10. Best Ideas
I get my best ideas from magazines, music, fashion, documentaries, inspiring mentors, my own ideas in the night.
“I think the more our generation regularly sees complex and multi-layered experiences, the more we can all learn how to hold each other safer and grow inspired by LOVE, not fear or shame.”
11. Last failure
I once failed meeting an income goal on a beautiful collaborative project, I was helping out with. It was tough because I knew the goal was more than possible, but it was clear that just a few of the variables had to be moved around a bit. First, I had to give myself space to be okay with all I poured into it, and get some rest. Then, I needed to regroup, readjust priorities from a space of neutrality and realism.
12. How I unwind
I unwind with a joint, a cup of rooibos tea, a dim lit room and my projector shooting out a starry night on my wall.
I unwind with close friends and my older sister, chatting or giving them fashion advice or just being silly.
I unwind with design and learning from other brilliant creators.
13. A sacrifice I’ve made
To pursue my dreams, I’ve sacrificed a need for perfection.
14. Advice to others
Don’t be afraid to go against the crowd. Be you, find out what you’re into and then stick to it. Eventually, you’ll meet your crew.
15. Hopes
I hope people take away from my story, that someone like them can make it too. Representation and visibility is mad important. Who is telling the success story, and where they’ve come from is super important!!! I feel it’s important for someone to hear that I am a mixed non binary boricua entrepreneur who is one year into scaling a successful business.
It’s important for the babies to hear that, just like alot of them, I was raised in the hood by a single mother of three AND me too, just like them my mom didn’t have the liberty of worrying about college funds, we hopped turnstiles daily. Just like them, I’ve been in alot of places I’ve been made to feel unwelcome, and just like them, sometimes that got to me alot of times, and I had a phase where I believed it. We can be both dynamic, inspiring and real, we can be admirable and imperfect, we can be the “both ands.”
I think the more our generation regularly sees complex and multi-layered experiences, the more we can all learn how to hold each other safer and grow inspired by LOVE, not fear or shame.
16. As a child,
I wanted to be someone remarkable, who did something great.
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