We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joel Martinez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joel below.
Hi Joel, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
Our work ethic comes from our own experiences. We have learned to listen to our clients and as different views as we may have, the goal is the same for all, success. We were brought up in a family environment with values, with being respectful and attentive. As we began to establish the studio, we learned that there is no reason to lose ourselves in the challenge of communicating someone else’s ideas. We are a society of people all trying to better ourselves, and that’s what makes us unique. We are grateful of engaging with so many clients, each one trying to tell their story, finding a way that we both are happy with the end result. This takes time and patience, and not everyone is on the same page, but we find a way to make it work. Having conversations and sharing experiences between us and clients builds stronger relationships and better understanding of their goals. This helps us focus on their vision and how we can help them get there. It is truly a great experience being able to be part of their success.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Iris Morales is a designer, educator, and community advocate whose work blends creativity with social responsibility. Raised on the U.S.–Mexico border, she earned her degree in Graphic Design and Printmaking from the University of Texas at El Paso and later completed an MBA.
Early in her career, Iris worked in Las Vegas before taking a transformative trip around the world with her partner. Traveling across continents deepened her belief in design as a universal language capable of sparking empathy and change.
Back in El Paso, she co-founded EME Design Studio, where she leads projects that center community and impact. Through the studio, she has supported nonprofits, cultural organizations, and businesses, while mentoring design students by hiring them or through lectures, portfolio reviews, and pro bono consulting. Her work has been recognized internationally, earning awards that highlight both craft and commitment to social good.
Iris also explores creativity beyond design, incorporating yoga, breathwork, and sound into her practice. These tools, like her design work, aim to foster connection and collective well-being. She has co-created initiatives such as What Remains, which combines art and research to raise awareness about humanitarian issues along the border.
Joel Martínez is a designer and creative director from El Paso, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a BFA in Graphic Design and Ceramics and began his career working at UTEP before moving to Las Vegas. There, he quickly transitioned into art direction, creating bold campaigns for entertainment, hospitality, and consumer brands.
Over the years, Martínez worked with agencies and companies including MGM Resorts, Bacardi, and IHG Hotels & Resorts, establishing a reputation for combining strategy with strong visual storytelling. In 2011, he and his partner, Iris Morales, left their jobs to backpack around the world, an experience that deepened their passion for cultural storytelling and collaborative design.
Together, they co-founded EME Design Studio, where their work for BOXHA Coffee House won a National American Advertising Gold Award and was recognized in international publications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Martínez helped lead EME’s expansion into Mexico City and Dubai, extending the studio’s reach beyond El Paso.
More recently, he co-created Desert People Golf, a lifestyle brand inspired by the textures and culture of the borderlands. Whether designing brands or building new ventures, Martínez approaches creativity with curiosity and a deep connection to the brand’s mission.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Never stop learning. Our industry as much of the works keeps changing and advancing, being open to learning something new is not just a choice but more of a necessity if you want to keep growing.
2. Being thankful. We feel truly grateful for the journey we’ve had. Over time, we’ve worked with all kinds of clients (some easier to work with than others) but ultimately, there’s a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that our efforts were worthwhile. One of our greatest rewards is retaining clients and building long term relationships, especially knowing they are happy with the work we provide. During the pandemic, many of our clients continued to support us even as we all faced difficulties, and for that, we are incredibly thankful.
3. Patience and listening. As designers, work can be very subjective so being able to listen and find a solution is what this is all about. Sure we can push for a certain design or concept but ultimately the client will decide, so even if it wasn’t your first choice, you should be able to be happy with your second and third choices because it is your work out there and you have to make the best of it no matter what situation.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Each other. We are a couple at home with the family and at the studio. Together we have helped each other through life greatest challenges. Being a business owner has been a challenge, we studied design but then learned business on the way and have not backed down since. It is definitely not easy and we have always found a way to keep going. One of our biggest teachers in life has been traveling. When we first got married, we took all of our savings and backed packed the world for 6 months. We had to leave our jobs of course, but has to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Since then, we’ve never stopped traveling. It opens your heart and mind to so many things you might never see again. Our 6 month backpacking trip really made our relationship stronger, it helped us understand each other more, gave us challenges to overcome and develop skills you don’t have to use when you’re in a comfortable place. I believe all of this has been part of our commitment to ourselves, our family and the studio.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thisiseme.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisemestudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisisemestudio
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisemestudio/
- Other: https://vimeo.com/thisisemestudio
