We maintain a balance between the commercial side and our personal proposals. As a design studio, we must always be one step ahead in terms of aesthetics and trends. When an aesthetic becomes popular, we already feel that its time has passed.
We spoke with Paola, Natalia and Andrés about how the project came about, what barriers they have encountered on their entrepreneurial journey and their future plans.
Interview with Paola, Natalia and Andrés, co-founders of Espacio Crudo
What is Espacio Crudo and what do you offer your clients?
Paola: Espacio Crudo is a design studio focused on developing visual content for products, especially food. Our experience in cooking, as both Nati and I have a culinary background, gives us a significant advantage. In addition to our knowledge of technology and design methodologies, as designers, we are able to perfectly handle everything related to the image of a food.
By combining these two fields, we have made Espacio Crudo stand out, offering everything from recipe development to online promotion and advertising.
Natalia: Although our initial focus was on food, we have expanded our offering to other types of products. We started working with various companies and clients, and our courses at Domestika are focused on food, but we have been adapting to the market and expanding our portfolio.
Andrés: In addition to our commercial activity, at Espacio Crudo we carry out personal projects with a strong emphasis on the identity of food in Latin America. We strive to highlight the importance of food and its cultural context in our region, trying to create unity through them throughout the continent.
Paola: We understand food as a network that reflects the customs of a count france business email list ry and its history. Being Latinos and with roots in Colombia, a country rich in culture and food yet to be explored, we use our platform to expose this cultural wealth through our photographs.
How and when did the project come about?
Natalia: Espacio Crudo was born at a time when we were all frustrated in our jobs and wanted to get together to create beautiful things. The day I met Pao, we realized that we had both been linked to the world of gastronomy. She studied pastry making in France and I came from working in the kitchen and in a publishing house. It was like an instant connection, we decided to do something together. Also, Andrés is a photographer, which completed our team. So about nine years ago, we started meeting and working on this project.
At first, it was a way to express ourselves creatively without the restrictions of having to satisfy bosses or clients.
Paola: Yes, Espacio Crudo became a reflection of our creative process and our job dissatisfaction. It was our way of escaping the routine and doing what we were truly passionate about. From the beginning, we made sure that each project was something that all three of us liked, and if something didn't convince us all, we didn't publish it. This has been fundamental to maintaining the authenticity and integrity of our work.
How did you start out and what barriers did you encounter when starting out?
Natalia: We met through a mutual friend. At our first meeting with Paola, we created one of our first series called “”Palo quemado”. Andrés joined as a photographer, and that’s how we got started. For a couple of years, we kept working at our formal jobs, but Crudo started to grow, and we eventually quit to fully dedicate ourselves to this project, turning it into a company.
Paola: It was the typical case of a hobby that became a business.
Natalia: Yes, and that's why we're like three heads that seem like a giant team. We do everything: from coffee to messaging, invoicing and quotes. We learned how to do everything and we do it together. We didn't expect Crudo to grow so much, but each of us has learned and contributed in different areas.
Paola: One of the first barriers was learning how to charge. At first, we didn't know how much we should charge and sometimes we worked from a portfolio or resume, which led to losses.
Natalia: Nobody teaches you management and finance for a creative business. Valuing time and creative ability is different. Learning to manage resources, including time and mind, was a challenge.
Andrés: From the start, choosing to make a living from the creative industry is a barrier, especially in a country where this industry barely exists. Overcoming this requires courage and often relying on financial support from family to keep going without income for a while.
Natalia: Also, the media was very closed. Getting into those circles of photographers, art directors and other professionals was difficult. But little by little, we managed to attract attention with our work, doing things that no one else was doing.
Pao: Yes, we were constantly working, like in The Hunger Games. We went to agencies in the morning and baked at night to finance our projects. We said yes to everything and then figured out how to do it.
Interview with Espacio Crudo
Natalia: Crudo never had a direct commercial role. We didn't have someone actively selling us. It's all been by recommendation, word of mouth. Sometimes, we get calls because someone saw our style on Instagram and wants something similar.
Pao: Everything we learned in previous jobs has been useful. I was an account director and project manager, so I knew how to manage clients. Andrés came from the fashion industry. All that knowledge was integrated into Crudo.
Each one contributes what he or she knows and that is how we have built our path.
