Daily Inspiration: Meet Rick Nuñez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Nuñez

Rick, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey kicked off in the middle of the 2020 pandemic. After getting laid off from my corporate job—where I had spent five years and had just been promoted to a leadership role—I suddenly had a lot of free time on my hands. I used it as a chance to dive into new hobbies, which led me back to drawing, coloring, and just being creative again. It reignited that artistic spark I had as a kid when I used to love drawing my favorite anime characters and selling them to other kids at school haha.

In 2021, I decided to go back to school to pursue one of my longtime passions: business. I enrolled in Johnson County Community College’s Business Administration program, but even while studying, I kept getting pulled back into the creative world. I’d throw on graphic design videos on YouTube while doing my accounting homework and even ended up taking a few art classes as electives. As I got closer to finishing my degree, I had a big realization—I could actually combine both business and art through graphic design. That lightbulb moment led me to extend my academic journey by jumping into a Design program at JCCC right after wrapping up my Business degree.

Fast forward to 2023, and I got my first real shot at putting my skills to work. A friend of mine, who owns the Kansas City boutique Westside Storey, asked me to design some T-shirts for his shop. That gig ended up turning into something bigger—I became the store’s go-to merch designer, which also inspired me to start freelancing. Over the rest of my time in design school, I kept creating merch for different local brands (and even a few out-of-state ones), which helped me pay my way through school while building my portfolio.

Then came my final semester in 2024, where I took the Professional Preparation capstone course in the Design program. The course pairs students with a design mentor to help them fine-tune their portfolios and get industry-ready. I was lucky enough to be mentored by Edwing Mendez, the founder of Nada Creative Collaborative. As the semester wrapped up and graduation got closer, he offered me a spot in his studio not only to work alongside him but giving me the chance to keep growing my own freelance career.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, definitely not. School is never easy, but as a non-traditional student, it was extra challenging. I didn’t go back until I was 30, but hey—better late than never, right?

I dealt with all the usual struggles—awkward class schedules, endless study sessions, and tight deadlines. But on top of that, I had extra stress. Juggling school while also supporting my family financially—and being a dad and husband—was a serious balancing act. Add work into the mix, and it felt like there just weren’t enough hours in the day.

And if that wasn’t enough, I also had the pressure of trying to build a freelance career. Having a solid portfolio is a must, but as a freelancer, networking is just as important. So between school, family, work, and trying to get my name out there, it was a lot. But I was determined to make it all work.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
When it comes to my work as a creative, I’d say there are two sides to me. Since I first started designing t-shirts—and as a product of the ‘90s and early 2000s—I’ve always loved streetwear design. Nothing gets me more hyped than a collage-inspired, rap-style tee. But after going to design school and getting a more traditional education, I developed a real appreciation for clean, minimalistic aesthetics—though not to be confused with boring design. To me, design is a language, a way to communicate and solve problems. It’s different from t-shirt design, where the goal is often just to make something cool. My approach to design is about solving problems effectively and efficiently—while making sure the final product connects with its audience.

My specialty? I guess you could say merch design—like t-shirts—and editorial work. Anything involving layout gets me excited, I’m a total sucker for a good modular grid. But I’d say my true calling is brand development, I love flushing out a brands identity from its logo and color palette to its patterns and digital presence really creating an experience.

As for work I’m most proud of, a few projects stand out. Designing back-to-back Super Bowl Championship shirts for the Chiefs for a major Kansas City apparel brand was pretty awesome—seeing them out in the wild never gets old (even though we missed the three-peat). I also created a poster for an exhibit celebrating Black and underrepresented communities and an editorial piece for a Kansas City nonprofit teaching kids financial literacy. Each project meant something different to me, but that’s what makes design so rewarding.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Where do I see the design industry heading in the next 5–10 years? Well, a major topic of conversation right now is AI. There seem to be two schools of thought on the matter: some believe we’re doomed as designers, that AI is taking over, and it’s time to pack our bags. Others see it as a game-changer—a tool that enhances our work rather than replaces us. I fall into the latter camp. I think AI will streamline workflows, improve work-life balance, and take over some of the more mundane design tasks—like cranking out another birthday invite for Timmy—allowing designers to focus on more impactful, creative work. (No offense if you’re in the birthday invite business!)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rnunez.design
• Instagram: @its.rnunez
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/rick-nunez
• Other: Email: [email protected]