Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Fantauzzi.
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I usually like to start the “my life” story in Dec. of 2012 when I shipped out of Altamonte Springs to go to Parris Island,SC where I went on and became a United Stated Marine.
Throughout my time in the Marines I got to experience a multitude of experiences, from leaving US soil for the first time going across the world to lands like Thailand, Korea, Japan (x2), Guam, Hawaii. I’d say I had a pretty good set up and after 4 years I was able to get out honorably.
Right after boot camp I went to Southeast Lineman Training Center where I learned how to climb poles and set up power grids with hopes of becoming a topped out lineman. It was a move strictly for the money as I knew that they made fantastic money and with living in Florida I knew storm season was gold.
After graduating I got a job working for a Duke Energy contractor where I helped maintained central Florida’s distribution system and upgrading their service for their customers. I also went and worked several storms (Harvey, Irma, a few Ice storms in the north) and experienced even more of different cultures this time from here…from home.
After a few years I felt all the years of the Marines catch up and take its toll on me and after the 2nd Florida summer of wearing rubber gloves and sleeves I had to call it quits, mind you by then I was closing in on 30. I was totally ok with hanging up the physical labor as that more of a young mans game.
I wanted to start working with my brain and solve problems that didn’t involve either digging a 8ft hole and setting a pole, or wearing thick rubber gloves and sleeves in the Florida heat.
After I drug up, I went back to studying. This time I moved into the IT sector, while learning and getting my certificates I ended up getting a level 1 IT support tech position making decent money for a small firm in Maitland. Over the next two years I found myself all over different parts of Florida at different client locations troubleshooting things from server issues to simple new hire setups.
Worked this position through the lock downs, during that time with the extra time at home I decided to go back to college for digital marketing. While learning about how to build brands on the marketing side I ended up getting a volunteer position on a up and coming esports team (Team Inferno) and offered to manage their social media.
It was a perfect position to expand my skills as this was something I was very interested in at the time, I am grateful for the opportunities that brought me. During that time working social media you need graphics and with a budget of $0 to set aside for design work, I decided to download Adobe Photoshop and I got hooked.
Every chance I got I was designing random things, between IT tickets and classes I was on Photoshop, creating pieces for either the sports team or creating things trying out new techniques.
After 3 years of learning everything off of books, and on YouTube I was at a point in my life where I needed to decide what I wanted to do with this. If I wanted to take this seriously or just go and focus on a different career, by then I had left my IT job the lock downs where easing up.
I decided to really pursue design professionally, I went back to school one last time. This time I went to FIRST Institute in Maitland FL where I studied and graduated with Graphic Design and Web Development certificate. With my previous year of design knowledge I was able to set myself apart from the other students and became more so of a class leader where I was able to help the instructor help those in my class that had problems with the assignments.
I was able to design for a bunch of different projects including some small movies as well as the identity for the 2023 Orlando Film Festival. I was a sponge, all the knowledge that I was able to get from the instructors and the opportunities I was afforded I was hooked even more, I wanted to be a full time freelancer.
After graduating in 2024 I wanted to immediately get into freelance work, I have lived a large portion of my life being told where to be and what to wear etc. that I wanted to live the life of freedom and be able to have a say in how my days go, but if you have built a business from scratch its not as cracked up to be. Even with all the chaos in the current economy I strove forward.
That didn’t happen. No work came.
What did happen tho was an opportunity to work as a teacher assistant at the college I graduated from. I jumped right on it, I was back in my element. Designing everyday but I got the added bonus of being able to lead again. It reminded me of when I was a Corporal in the Marines and that really gave me joy in the work I was doing.
After a year of teaching the adobe suite this past year with all the current political climate the school didn’t fill up enough to need a teacher assistant and not getting the offer to promote to a full time teacher, I found myself again (like many today) in search of work.
Watching the news and hearing the abysmal job market made my decision for me and after weeks of applying for what seems like nothing, I decided to take myself off the job market as I feel I am way over qualified for minimum wage jobs with all my skill sets that I have been able to foster I deserved a pay that no businesses today are willing to pay. So it made it just that much easier to start Designedby.
I designed by website adjusted my social profiles and polished my portfolio. lately I have been working as a designer for hire helping guide brands to build their ideal brand. I have been able to work for a bunch of cool unique clients from a chef blogger to a dispensary.
I love being able to come to an unknown problem and help the client discover themselves, its like healing in a sense. being able to go deep and really uncover the message you are trying to send.
But yea that’s my story.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No It has not been a smooth road.
this road has had its ups but there have been a lot of challenges, a lot of losses, a lot of learning.
With dealing with the effects of being in the military and coming back into civilian life, I dealt with the mental storms a lot of our warriors struggle with, on top of everything that is happening in the world (pandemic, war, fascism etc)
Its like having both the outside and inside worlds feel as if everything is going against you. If you are a business owner you also understand the amount of self reflection you do when you start a business and with that and working with a therapist I have been able to create habits and mental spaces where I can manage.
But it felt like the road was just jungle, and I had to trek my own way. Its necessary tho, I think its like the universes way to see if you really want “this”. Whatever “this” is to you.
As you know, we’re big fans of Designedby.. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Designedby, Central Florida’s brand studio for founders who refuse to open quietly.
By compressing strategy, identity, and digital execution into one seamless build, delivering market-ready logos, color systems, and performance sites that position small businesses as category leaders from day one.
What sets Designedby apart is surgical focus on launch velocity: we don’t hand off basic design, we hand over authority.
I’m the most proudest when a client sees their finished brand and realizes competitors now have to catch up.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
That no matter what cards you may have been dealt in life, if you have a unwavering resolve you can accomplish anything.
Also I have learned that its better for your soul to use your skills to help those around you, design is the thing for me that makes my heart full. You gotta find what that is for you and pursue it unapologetically.
Pricing:
- Brand Identity starting @ $1500
- Websites starting @ $2500
- Full Brand Package (Brand & Web) $3500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.designedby.agency/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedby.michael/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefantauzzi/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@designedby.michael
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@designedbyy
Image Credits
Images of me, Images of my work, Images of Orlando Film Festival.
