This Weeks Member Spotlight / Artist Edition: Ricardo Neumann from Sectis Design
Tell us about what you do?
We’re specialists in manufacturing and production…with a focus on collaborating with artists, designers, and creatives in general. We take their ideas and give them physical form. In other words, we transform the prototype into a finished product.
How did you get started?
I was born in Venezuela and, like many fellow Venezuelans, I was forced to leave my country because of security concerns. I was born into a family where art & design were very present: on every wall, in every piece of furniture, in every conversation. I grew up looking at a finished work and asking myself how it was created. What was going through his head when he designed that? Why this material? All these questions brought me to create Sectis Design, where the process of creating is as important as the finished product. I talked to several artists and concluded that their main need was in the cutting & acrylic solutions. That’s how I came up with the name “Sectis” which is “cut” in Latin.
What has been the most challenging moment in your career?
Having to leave my country, family, friends, relationships and contacts to start over again in a new country with a different language and culture, and different laws…all of this was very challenging.
What was the most braggable moment?
The birth of my daughters was my proudest moment. You can’t beat that!
What would you say is your biggest weakness?
I am a very sensitive person, which can be difficult in business.
And your greatest strength?
Ironically, I think my biggest weakness is also my biggest strength. My sensitivity to what others are thinking and feeling helps me relate to clients and my staff in ways that others often cannot.
What was the greatest lesson you’ve learned from a mistake?
I love mistakes! Some of the best pieces we have created were the result of mistakes.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love that my job allows me to meet so many interesting people and then transform their idea into a finished product.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever heard is to never make a decision when you’re angry.
How do you define happiness?
To me, happiness is always having an alternative.
What book are you currently reading?
Right now I am reading ‘Goodnight Moon’ and other bedtime stories for my daughters.
What’s a personal habit that you believe contributes to your success?
I think exercising every day is important to business success.
Have you collaborated with another business/artist in the past?
I frequently collaborate with others. Every project in my life teaches me something different. The most important lesson to date is that with the right planning and perseverance, every dream is possible.