Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalia.
Hi Natalia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was always that artsy kid in the family — the one constantly doodling, covered in paint, and trying to turn cardboard into “masterpieces.” My mom signed me up for after-school art classes as soon as I could go on my own, and honestly, it became my little happy place. I loved the challenge of creating something from nothing, but what I loved most was making things for the people I loved. I’d paint or craft little gifts for my parents and grandparents, and seeing their faces light up, and those pieces proudly displayed around the house, made me feel so fulfilled. The idea that I could make someone smile with something I created just stuck with me.
Art class was always where I felt most myself. So when I turned sixteen and started thinking about what I wanted to do with my life, it was pretty clear it had to involve creativity somehow. My aunt, who’s an interior designer, was the one who introduced me to the world of design. Through her, I got my very first internship at a branding studio run by a family friend, and that was it. I was hooked.
I grew up in Barcelona, one of the design capitals of Europe, so I was lucky enough to study at an amazing design school, intern at incredible agencies, and really immerse myself in the creative world from the start.
At first, I fell in love with editorial design. I pictured myself designing beautiful coffee-table books at a small, artsy studio somewhere in the city. And for a while, that dream came true… until it didn’t. The job I thought I wanted turned out to be pretty limiting. The pay wasn’t great, and I quickly realized that as much as I loved design, I wanted more room to grow, creatively and professionally.
So, I started exploring. By total chance, I stumbled into consulting, something I honestly didn’t even know existed. I applied for a junior designer role at Designit, got an interview, and decided to just take a chance. I didn’t have the experience they were looking for; I had graduated less than a year earlier. They offered me an internship, and even though I knew I didn’t want that, I said yes to the interview. When I got there, I pitched myself for a full-time position instead. I guess they liked my spunk, because I got in. And it turned out to be one of the very best years of my life.
From Designit, I hopped from one consulting firm to another, eventually landing back in Spain after spending several years living in Peru. During that time, I started a Master’s in Design Management and Strategy, worked full-time in consulting, freelanced on the side, and even started a company with some friends (which didn’t quite pan out but taught me so much). That year pushed me to my limits, but it also showed me my potential and helped me figure out where I wanted my life to go.
During the pandemic, I started posting my work on Instagram and somehow, clients just started finding me. By the time I graduated from my master’s, I had been juggling so many things—consulting, freelancing, studying—that it felt like the right moment to take a leap of faith.
So, I did. I started my own studio.
It’s been two years now. I have a small team, amazing clients, and a business that keeps growing in ways I never expected. I’m not just a freelancer anymore; I’m a studio owner, learning every day and building something that truly feels mine. It’s been a wild, challenging, incredibly rewarding ride—and I’m so grateful I get to wake up and do this work every day.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Not even close. There’s been a lot of emotion, a lot of doubt, and so many moments when I genuinely wondered if I’d made the right choices.
In the early years, I questioned my decision to study design all the time. The pay wasn’t great, and I felt like I’d boxed myself into something with no real future. My sister was studying law, and I couldn’t stop comparing myself to her. She seemed so put together, so “on track,” while I was still trying to figure things out. I remember feeling like I had let everyone down and that maybe I had let myself down too.
When I started working in consulting, I actually turned my back on design and branding. I didn’t even want to call myself a designer anymore. It made me feel small, like that word didn’t belong to me.
Then came the pandemic, and everything shifted. I started posting my work on Instagram, just for fun at first. But through that, I began connecting with other young, creative women who were building their own businesses, sharing their stories, and figuring it out as they went. That community healed something in me. It made me see that there isn’t just one “right” path and that creativity can exist in so many forms if you give yourself permission to explore.
In design school, you’re fed this idea that unless you work at a top agency or win a big award, you’ve failed. And for years, I believed that. I thought success looked a certain way, until I started creating my own version of it.
It took time to rebuild my confidence, to stop comparing, and to believe in myself again. But looking back now, I’m really proud of that process. It taught me that success isn’t about who validates you, it’s about trusting yourself enough to keep going, even when you don’t have all the answers.
As you know, we’re big fans of Studio Nika soon to be rebranded to Brass Creative. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Studio Nika is a female-led boutique studio where we specialize in branding and brand strategy as our core. From there, everything else branches out — websites, marketing, merchandise, and all the other touchpoints that help a brand come to life. We like to think of ourselves as a 360° creative partner rather than just a design studio.
My goal has always been to support our clients from start to finish. Once someone trusts us to build their brand, I want them to feel they can rely on us for everything that comes after without having to jump between different service providers. We make sure they can find a complete, cohesive solution in one place.
Something that really makes us different is the way we combine business and design. I have a background in strategic design consulting, and my master’s focused on strategy and entrepreneurship, so I approach every project through both a creative and business lens. I think of myself as an entrepreneur as much as a designer, and that balance between strategy and creativity is something our clients really appreciate. We bring the artistry and the vision, but we’re also pragmatic, we care about how design supports growth, clarity, and real results.
Another thing that truly sets us apart is how collaborative our process is. My goal isn’t to disappear into a cave and come back months later with a finished product. From day one, our clients are part of the journey — part of the conversations, part of the decisions, part of the creative process itself. We guide them every step of the way, but we also make sure the process feels enjoyable and empowering. At the end of the day, we want them to walk away with something that not only looks beautiful but also makes sense for their business, something they can actually use, implement, and be proud of.
Most of our client relationships last years, not months. I don’t see Studio Nika as a place for one-off projects, but as a long-term partner that grows alongside our clients. The brands we build together evolve, just like the people behind them and that’s one of my favorite parts of what we do.
While we’ve worked with a variety of industries over the years, our specialty lies in the world of real estate, construction, contracting, interior design, architecture, hospitality, and home-related brands — basically, anything that connects to the idea of space. That includes furniture, fixtures, styling, and home goods too.
It’s a niche that feels really personal to me. My dad works in real estate development, and several of my relatives are in interior design, so I’ve grown up surrounded by conversations about spaces, materials, and how environments make people feel. I’ve always loved that world, and that’s exactly why it became ours.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something that usually surprises people is that I don’t really go to Pinterest for inspiration. I find most of my ideas in architecture, history, mythology, and literature. I’m a total nerd when it comes to those things — I love uncovering symbolism and stories and weaving bits of that into the projects I work on whenever I can.
I also have a soft spot for Japanese culture and aesthetics. That’s actually how I ended up learning Japanese in the first place. I love languages and the way they shape how we see the world — I speak six of them!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thestudionika.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studionika.design/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nibarcena/
- Other: https://contra.com/natalia/work?r=natalia
Image Credits
Portrait by Lu Manes Photography
