Nico Poalillo spent years being told he needed to pick one thing.
Director. Producer. Photographer. Creative. Experiential.
Instead, he kept doing all of it.
Now he’s bringing that multidisciplinary career to General Motors, joining GM as Director of Global Design Visualization and Environments.
On this episode of Second Wind, Nico joins Gully Flowers and Kerrie Finch to talk about the unlikely path from growing up in Southern California to moving to Detroit, living in a $150-a-month closet, shooting bands, working across agencies and production, directing for brands including Cadillac, Acura, Apple and Nike, and helping create live experiences for artists including Bad Bunny and Bad Omens.
He also opens up about the cancer diagnosis that forced him to reassess his relationship with work, why it ultimately changed the way he leads, and what returning to Detroit to join one of the world’s most storied automotive design organizations means to him.
We get into:
• Why young creatives shouldn’t be afraid to do more than one thing
• How Detroit shaped Nico’s career and creative philosophy
• The rise of multidisciplinary creative careers
• Why experiential and IRL experiences are having a moment
• Building cultural experiences with Bad Bunny and Bad Omens
• What cancer taught him about ambition, work and leadership
• Why creatives are increasingly moving upstream inside brands
• The opportunity — and responsibility — of joining General Motors
• How Nico thinks about GM’s century of design heritage
• Why the next generation of creatives should build their own “creative ecosystem”
Nico’s advice is simple: go make the other thing.
Shoot something. Design something. Make the zine. Take the photos. Help your friend’s band.
The things that don’t fit neatly into your job title might eventually become the reason someone hires you.
Second Wind is a podcast about what happens next in creative careers, advertising, design, production, marketing and culture.
Hosted by Gully Flowers, Kerrie Finch and Jake Neske.
