Meet Jordi Castells | Lead Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jordi Castells and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordi, how do you think about risk?
Risk has been a constant in my life and career. Consciously or not, I’ve always seemed to take the unconventional road. Pick a career path and stick to it? Nah, let me try a bunch of different things instead. Find a stable job with a salary?, Nope, I’d rather start a company or two. Move to a new country in my 30s and basically start from scratch? Why the hell not. I don’t regret any of the risks I’ve taken because—regardless of reward—those decisions have led to growth and learning. Taking Risks has led me to where I am, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Tonalli Media is a full-service, hollywood-style digital content agency. We are proudly immigrant-owned and operated. We take great pride in creating exciting and effective content that results in conversions for our clients. Getting to where we are has been a long grind: the immigrant experience is anything but easy. One of the most impactful things I’ve learned along the way is that it’s healthy to choose your clients (when you can!). I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to let go of clients whose ideals, ethics, work-life balance expectations and general mindset clashed with mine, and along the way I’ve encountered great people working with great products/brands. At Tonalli, it doesn’t matter if the client is an international Fortune 500 or a local mom-and-pop shop if the story they want to tell is one that resonates with us.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some of my favorite spots and things to do in Atlanta are: Comfy Chicken at Homegrown, walk the beltline, catch an ATLUTD game, drinks and music in EAV, dinner at Gunshow, Grant Park Farmer’s Market, Korean BBQ at Gaja (or 678 if you wanna venture OTP…oh and dimsum at China Pearl too), Tlayudas at La Oaxaqueña or tacos from Supremo if you wanna stay closer, beers and vinegar popcorn at The Porter, bike rides and walks in my neighborhood (East Atlanta). And of course you gotta do the classics like the Aquarium, PCM, Piedmont Park…I could go on and on.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Kristen Castells, Jordi, Rita, Gonzalo and Natalia Castells, Laura Esquivel, Laboratorios de Cine y Creación, Charco, Creative Startups, Penguin Random House

Website: www.tonalli.media

Instagram: @tonallimedia

Image Credits
Kelly Strawinski