We recently connected with Luis Tun and have shared our conversation below.
Luis, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
From selling food with my mother every Friday to help pay rent, recycling cans to afford bus fare, and walking every day to Starbucks to do my homework and apply for scholarships—my Mayan-Mexican immigrant mother taught me the value of hard work and resilience. I was born in Yucatán, Mexico, and came to the United States at the age of six, without knowing a word of English.
Growing up, I witnessed my mother endure years of domestic abuse from my alcoholic father. School and media quickly became my escape—a safe space where I could distract myself and dream of something more. I watched my mother struggle, working 12-hour days cleaning houses, cooking at Carl’s Jr. and McDonald’s, and serving as a caretaker—all to give me and my siblings a better future. She even saved money to pay neighborhood high school girls to tutor me and teach me English. From a young age, I knew education was my way out.
I found hope in movies and TV shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Yu-Gi-Oh, Young Justice, La Misma Luna, and American Pie. Most of my shows had themes surrounding friendship, hope, and love. I remember seeing kids go to college and live lives full of joy and opportunity. That planted a seed in me — if I worked hard in school and found a way to get to college, maybe I could experience that life too. But as a first-generation student, I didn’t know how I would get there or how I could afford it.
Living in Newbury Park, California — an affluent, predominantly white neighborhood — I was one of only two Latino students in honors, AP, and IB classes. Many of my friends came from privileged backgrounds. I’d visit their homes to work on science projects or prepare for mock trial competitions, and I saw a different world: one where people had careers as doctors, lawyers, engineers, and business owners. I realized that if I followed their example, perhaps I could also build a better life — one where I didn’t have to share a bed with my mother and sister, or use the pantry as my closet.
At the same time, life at home grew more difficult. My brother was born prematurely with a chromosomal mutation. My mother and I would take long bus rides to visit him in the NICU, and I learned how to perform infant CPR and asked doctors endless questions. When he finally came home, we took turns caring for him, all while I balanced schoolwork and helped care for my younger sister. Sadly, just a few months later, my brother passed away. His loss deepened my father’s drinking and abusive behavior. For me, though, it sparked a desire to one day become a doctor and help families like mine.
That’s when I found Westminster Free Clinic (WFC), a local nonprofit that provides free healthcare services to low-income and uninsured families. They also ran a teen healthcare pipeline program, which I joined, along with S.A.L.U.D. (Student Advocates Leading Uplifting Decisions), where I helped with bilingual community outreach.
As high school went on, things became even more unstable. My father was deported, taking with him the little financial security we had. We could no longer afford even a small room, often sleeping under the stairs in our living room or moving from place to place while I balanced academics, extracurriculars, and community service.
WFC changed everything for me. Through mentorship, leadership opportunities, college advising, SAT prep, and scholarship support, they helped me navigate a world I didn’t understand. Two of my mentors from WFC even drove me to all my USC interviews. When I was accepted, they helped my family and me move in because we didn’t have a car.
I became the first in my family to graduate from high school, attend college, and earn a full-ride scholarship to USC. I went on to complete both a BA in Political Science and an MS in Communication Data Science, graduating magna cum laude and receiving the Dr. John R. Hubbard Award — the highest honor given by the USC Latino Alumni Association for academic achievement, leadership, and service.
Never could I have imagined that a kid from rural Mexico, who once stored clothes in a pantry and dreamed of college through a television screen, would graduate from USC and start a career at Goldman Sachs.
My resilience comes from my mother’s sacrifices, the mentorship and support I received from Westminster Free Clinic, and the power of stories that taught me to dream of a brighter future—and believe that if I worked smart and kept going, one day it could become real.
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?
I’m a creative marketer, content creator, storyteller, data-strategist, and business owner — but above all, I’m someone who’s always seen creativity as problem-solving. Social media, films, and creativity have been at the center of my life. I used to think creativity was limited to things like singing, drawing, or painting. But navigating life as an undocumented student taught me that creativity is also resilience — finding solutions to pay for school, pitching myself for unpaid internships, and figuring out ways to open doors where none existed. That mindset has shaped me into the creative and strategic thinker I am today.
I’m the founder of Tu Creative, a marketing agency dedicated to helping private clients, businesses, brands, nonprofits, and students craft powerful stories and data-driven strategies. At Tu Creative, we focus on creativity, innovation, and strategy — but what I’m most proud of is our social impact pillar. We leverage storytelling and marketing to support first-generation, low-income, Latino, and POC communities.
Through this mission, I’ve launched two signature educational programs: the Scholarship Mindset Masterclass and the Personal Branding Baddie Course. After earning over $450,000 in scholarships to complete both my BA and MS at USC, I knew I had to pay it forward. My Scholarship Mindset Masterclass teaches others how to use storytelling to fund their education. Personal branding is another area where first-gen students are often left in the dark. I worked with the USC Career Center to teach students and alumni how to refine their personal brands using storytelling, data, and strategy, just as I did when applying to college and building my professional career.
One of the most important investments I’ve made in myself has been growing my social media presence. I began creating content more intentionally in July 2024, and by January 2025, I committed to taking it seriously. Since then, I’ve grown my following to over 12k across LinkedIn and TikTok. My mission is to uplift first-gen, Latino, and POC communities by sharing my story and knowledge in social media marketing, personal branding, resources, and — most importantly — mindset building. I see this work as a love letter to my younger self, sharing the tools and guidance I once wished for.
I’m not self-made—I’m community-built. I’ve had mentors who drove me to college interviews when my family didn’t have a car, supported me through scholarship applications, guided me through internships, and encouraged me as I navigated corporate life and entrepreneurship.
One of my proudest professional moments has been contributing to the Live Beyond Campaign with the California Surgeon General’s Office for ACEs Aware (Adverse Childhood Experiences). The campaign reached over 9 million youth and young adults, ensuring critical health education made it to those most affected.
Some key milestones:
1 – 818 million total paid media impressions
2 – 1.8 million impressions from the Drew League activation, surpassing goals by 80%
3 – 244 million targeted placements across schools, cinemas, concerts, and pediatric offices in underserved areas
4 – 125 million audio impressions on 80+ California radio stations in English and Spanish
5 – 214 million social media impressions across Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and Reddit
6 – A 0.37% CTR in Q1, exceeding benchmarks by 85%
7 – 392,000+ views for our Twitch Mental Health Month activation — one of the campaign’s top engagement moments
My healthcare background (starting as a medical assistant at the Westminster Free Clinic) combined with my marketing experience helped shape the campaign’s strategy. I’m proud to have played a key role in this $24 million initiative, raising awareness around toxic stress and mental health for marginalized communities across California.
At the heart of everything I do—whether through Tu Creative, content creation, or large-scale campaigns—is the mission to tell stories that uplift, educate, and inspire others to believe they can accomplish their dreams, too.
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?
One of my favorite quotes is from Avatar Aang in The Legend of Korra: “When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change.”
Looking back, this couldn’t be more true for me. There were many moments in my life when I felt like giving up — losing a sibling, financial hardships, being undocumented — all things outside of my control. But what got me through was hope and the courage to ask for help.
I still remember one pivotal moment in high school, sitting in my apartment and thinking, “I have nothing to lose.” I walked into the Westminster Free Clinic and told the college advisor everything — my story, my struggles, my dreams — and asked if she could help. That one moment of vulnerability and honesty led to life-changing guidance, college acceptances, and eventually two full-ride scholarships. It taught me that mindset is everything.
For those early in their journey: build a resilient and hopeful mindset. Be willing to ask for help, be open to growth, and believe that no matter your circumstances, you can change your trajectory. Skills and credentials are important — but the people who truly make an impact are those with the mindset to keep going and keep evolving.
The second key quality is creativity. I believe creativity is a skill everyone has, though many don’t realize it. Being undocumented taught me to think creatively from a young age — whether that was finding alternative ways to pay for school, pitching myself for unpaid opportunities, or navigating systems designed without me in mind. Now, as a business owner and content creator, creativity shows up daily: developing unique campaigns for clients, crafting stories that resonate, and building communities online. In an ever-growing digital world, creativity isn’t optional; it’s the secret ingredient that makes you stand out and make a lasting impact.
Lastly, authenticity. In today’s world — especially on social media — we hear “be authentic” all the time. But authenticity becomes more challenging the higher you climb or the more you feel you have to lose. As first-gen professionals, we’re building wealth, social capital, and legacy. It’s tempting to code-switch or hide parts of ourselves to “fit in.” But staying true to who you are is powerful. Authenticity has attracted every opportunity I’ve received — from scholarships, to career growth, social media following, to brand partnerships. People connect with real people. My advice is: make strategic decisions, but never lose sight of who you are. The compound effect of consistently showing up as yourself will open doors you didn’t even know existed.
In short: nurture your mindset, embrace your creativity, and protect your authenticity. That combination will not only help you succeed — it will help you build something meaningful and lasting.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I tell my clients, students and community partners all the time — think of yourself as a tamale. Why a tamale? If you know anything about Latin cuisine, you know that each region across Latin America has its own version of tamales: different seasonings, corn husks vs. banana leaves, different fillings, spices, and techniques. Each one is special, each one is delicious, and people naturally gravitate toward the flavor that speaks to them.
In the same way, I believe that what makes you unique — your natural strengths, lived experiences, and talents — is what will make you stand out in a world full of other “tamales.” But first, you have to understand what makes you you.
I like to think of it with a tech framework lens (thanks to my master’s in communication data science): we are all products with unique features. The key is to identify what your strongest features are, double down on those, and refine them over time. That takes experimentation, asking for feedback, paying attention to what people come to you for, and noticing what feels like play versus what feels like work.
For me, creative strategy, storytelling, and big-picture thinking have always felt like play. I can generate ideas and solutions for brands, campaigns, or content easily—while for others, that might be exhausting. So I’ve learned to lean into that and leverage it as a strength. It’s the foundation of my agency, Tu Creative, where we help others build storytelling narratives and social media strategies that feel authentic and impactful.
That said, I also believe in balancing strengths with intentional growth in key areas. If there’s a skill that aligns with your long-term goals, invest in it. For me, that was public speaking and technical skills. I used to be shy, but I pushed myself by doing mock trial, student government, and community outreach starting at 16. Over the years, I refined that skill—not because it was my natural strength, but because I knew it would help amplify the strengths I already had.
Similarly, I pursued a technical master’s degree and worked in analytics roles to strengthen my data skills—because in marketing and strategy, data storytelling is critical. But even while improving those areas, I never lost sight of what comes naturally to me: relationship building, communication, creative thinking, strategy, and storytelling.
My advice is: lean into what feels like play and what makes you different, but don’t ignore areas that will help you scale and sustain your strengths. In the end, the best version of yourself is a combination of unique flavor, refinement, and intentional growth — just like the perfect tamale.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.luistun.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luistun__/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luistun/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@luistun_
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luistun_
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