I am a graphic designer from Poland, specializing in branding and visual communication. My long-term goal is to start my own creative studio, helping small entrepreneurs build strong and visually consistent brands. I discovered the EYE program as an opportunity to see how a professional creative agency operates abroad and to gain a deeper insight into the business side of the design industry.
My Host Entrepreneur was a creative agency based in Gran Canaria, specializing in branding, digital marketing, and web design.
I expected to gain practical business knowledge, expand my digital marketing skills, learn efficient project management, and understand how to manage client relationships in a different cultural setting.
During my stay, I was fully integrated into the agency’s team. I participated in daily brainstorming sessions and supported various projects, including visual identity design, website concepts, and social media content.
My relationship with my Host was based on transparency and mentoring. She provided me with regular feedback on my ideas and explained the strategic side of the business, client contracts, budgeting, and managing projects. This approach allowed me to see how creative ideas are turned into successful business results.
I have gained a lot of practical experience and improved my design and social media marketing skills. I now have a much better understanding of how to manage a small creative company on a daily basis. On a personal level, I overcame my language barrier and feel much more confident communicating in Spanish in a professional environment. In addition, I expanded my professional network and learned how to adapt to a different organizational culture.
The exchange gave me a clear and realistic view of the design industry and helped me move from theory to practice. I learned how a creative agency works on a daily basis and gained valuable experience that prepared me to run my own creative business in the future.