Today we’d like to introduce you to Amelia Diaz.
Hi Amelia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
For the entirety of my life, I’ve always experienced the world through a creative lens. As a kid, I was obsessed with those Velcro coloring posters that changed color, and my favorite books were always the interactive ones. I can still vividly remember this little 2D brown bear from one of them.
Growing up, I always said I wanted to be a veterinarian. I soon realized, however, that I was horrible at science and, bizarrely, really good at math. Art class, on the other hand, always felt like recess to me.
Fast-forward to high school, when I took a graphic design class on a whim. I had absolutely no idea what graphic design was or what I was signing up for. I remember opening Photoshop for the first time and thinking it was the world’s most complicated program. That version of me had no idea how much that one class would change the course of my life, because by the time I graduated, I knew I wanted to make design my career.
I went on to earn my B.F.A. from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and eventually landed my first design job at Oxford Communications, a creative agency in New Jersey. While there, I worked as a designer and continued freelancing in the music and entertainment industry. That chapter of my life really shaped me into the designer I am today. I owe so much to my seniors and mentors at Oxford—Adam, Trami, Chris, Chuck, and others—for the invaluable skills they taught me that I still use to this day.
I grew up in New Jersey, and I’ve learned there are two kinds of people: people who love their hometown and never want to leave… and people like me, who leave at the first opportunity.
Don’t get me wrong—I miss my loved ones, the bagels, and the pizza. I do not, however, miss shoveling snow or state taxes.
At 24, I was offered a position at Northrop Grumman in Melbourne, Florida. Six years later, I still work there full-time with the best team, who have become like family, while continuing to build my freelance career. And honestly, freelancing is the part of my career that truly serves my soul’s purpose.
Also, not to brag, but I genuinely have the best clients. I’m also the Branding Ambassador for the best fitness studio I’ve ever been to, Studio SOUL, which has been an incredible addition to my life.
I really couldn’t ask for a better life. More than anything, I’m grateful for the support system around me. They give me the courage to believe I can achieve anything, because no matter what happens, I know I have people there to catch me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Believe it or not, I almost failed both my junior and senior reviews for my design program in college. The reviews were essentially a collection of your best work from throughout your studies, and you had to pass them in order to graduate.
If I’m being completely honest, I struggled with time management. That led to unfinished work, procrastination, and, at times, not paying as much attention in class as I should have. By senior year, though, I knew something had to change. I turned it around, became much more disciplined, and finished the program stronger than I started.
Then came a struggle I think a lot of people entering the workforce can relate to: graduating with a degree and realizing a full-time job in your field doesn’t necessarily come right away.
I graduated when I was 20, but I didn’t land my first full-time design job until I was 24. During those years, I worked a lot of different jobs while continuing to pursue design. I worked at a dog boarding facility, and at one point I was even a brand representative for a healthy ice pop company, traveling to stores and handing out samples.
Basically, my career did not begin with me walking across the graduation stage and immediately into my dream job.
And that was discouraging.
There were definitely moments when I questioned whether all the work I had put into earning my degree was actually going to lead somewhere, but I kept going. I continued designing, building my skills, and making connections. Eventually, a friend referred me to The Creative Group, where I began working as a design contractor. One of the clients I was contracted to work with was Oxford Communications, which ultimately became the opportunity that helped launch the next chapter of my career.
That experience taught me something I would tell anyone entering the workforce now: keep making connections, keep expanding your skills, and don’t assume a delayed opportunity means you chose the wrong path.
Rejection is just redirection.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in branding, but over time my work has grown into something much broader than just logo design.
A lot of my clients are startup entrepreneurs who come to me with an idea they can see clearly in their heads, but they need help turning it into something tangible. That might mean creating a logo, building a website, developing merchandise, designing advertisements, or expanding an existing brand into something that feels more cohesive and intentional.
My creative skill set grew even more when I became a brand ambassador for Studio SOUL in Lake Nona, where I developed my photography and videography skills. More recently, I’ve also begun expanding into voice acting, which has given me another creative outlet centered around storytelling, character, and human connection. Because of that, I now consider myself a creative freelancer rather than simply a graphic designer, with branding at the core of what I do.
What I’m most proud of is being able to take someone’s vision and make it feel like *them*.
I’m not interested in designing a generic logo or editing a basic video just because it looks nice. I like getting to know my clients—their personalities, their goals, what matters to them, and what they want people to feel. I then try to weave those things into every part of the final product.
I think what sets me apart is that I put empathy and humanity into everything I create. Whether it’s a brand, a video, or even a character I’m bringing to life through voice acting, I want people to feel something. That human connection is what makes creative work memorable.
At the end of the day, I’m not just creating assets. I’m helping bring ideas, stories, and identities to life.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My soul’s purpose is helping people.
There is something incredibly fulfilling about taking someone’s vision and making it tangible. It’s seeing their reaction when I reveal a new brand, capturing the perfect moment, or creating a wedding highlight that lets them relive those emotions all over again.
I also love being a creative problem solver. Translating an abstract idea into something visual, meaningful, and uniquely representative of a client is one of my favorite parts of what I do.
Creativity, to me, is ultimately about connection. If my work can help someone feel seen, understood, excited, or more confident in what they’re building, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Pricing:
- Website – Starts at $1700
- Digital Design – Starts at $200
- Print Design – Starts at $200
- Photography – Starts at $150
- Videography – Starts at $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thatboujeebranding.com
- Instagram: thatboujeebranding
Image Credits
Gerson Lopez GLPX Studio Orlando
Rebecca Rose Fine Portraits Orlando
