We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mari Hosho. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mari below.
Mari, 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?
I’ve moved around many different countries since I was young, and the experience of moving unexpectedly has allowed me to see hardships from various angles. People say, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” but I’m the type of person who squeezes every bit of fiber out of those lemons to create the best lemonade I can sell—at double the price.
When faced with difficulty, I try to focus on the positive side of the situation and ask myself what I can learn from the experience. For example, if I get rejected from a job, I see it as an opportunity to learn something valuable, or maybe I should thank the universe for redirecting me to a better career path.
Through these hardships, I’ve also learned the importance of letting go. I used to be a perfectionist, always needing to get exactly what I wanted. But I’ve realized that the more tightly I hold on to something, the harder it becomes. Sometimes, our beliefs can act like a prison, confining us, so I’ve learned to let go and start from scratch.
Once I clear my mind and beliefs, I list actionable steps that are visible and achievable. During this process, I lean heavily on my partner and friends, who give me strength and offer fresh perspectives. I’m deeply grateful for the people around me and hope to grow into someone who can give back to them in return.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a graphic and interactive designer based in New York. My design focuses on branding design incorporated with interactive design, such as coding, to create more dynamic brand experience.
https://mari-hosho.com/
As one of my New Year’s resolutions is to explore the diverse cultures of New York and the United States more, I started a 100-day poster challenge featuring the restaurants I’ve been to in the US. It has been a bit past 20 days now, but I enjoy recreating each restaurant’s brand into a poster, and experimenting with typography, AI, and various software.
https://www.instagram.com/_designed.by.mari/
I’m also re-studying UI/UX design and front-end coding, aiming to gain more knowledge and experience in interactive design as well.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Understanding People’s Backgrounds and Struggles
While living in New York, I realized that, despite the city’s flashy exterior, many people are carrying significant struggles—whether financial, emotional, relational, or related to their career or visa status. This made me understand that everyone has their own challenges, and it’s important to be empathetic and learn from their experiences. Before becoming a designer, I worked as a project manager in an advertising agency, a role that required me to interact with diverse teams. Through this, I gained valuable insight into different personalities and learned a lot from both the positive and negative interactions.
2. Curiosity
Curiosity has been a key driver in my journey as a designer. Living in different cultures has sparked my interest in the diverse values, history, crafts, and traditions people hold. In addition, I have many hobbies—both indoor and outdoor—that I want to excel in. What I love about design is how it allows me to connect with and express various experiences. The more diverse experiences you accumulate, the broader your perspective becomes. I believe that life experiences give you the ability to see things from many different angles.
3. Persistence
From ages 3 to 18, I played the piano in a highly competitive setting. The daily practice and dedication required taught me that skills and achievements don’t happen overnight. It’s about consistency, practice, and gradually building up your abilities, one small step at a time, to reach your goals.
Advice for Developing These Skills:
To develop these qualities, I would advise staying open to new experiences and connecting with people who are different from you. Travel, read, try new things, and meet people who are completely different from you. Reflect on your experiences—what you liked or didn’t like and why—and think about what you can take away from them.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, I usually step away from my desk for a few minutes and grab my favorite drink—usually a Vanilla Latte from Starbucks, a Matcha Latte, or just a regular coffee works too.
I take a sip, then grab a piece of paper and write down all my fears and everything I need to do to the level I can see.
Next, I highlight the parts that mention about actionable steps I can take.
Finally, I set a time and tackle each task one by one.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mari-hosho.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_designed.by.mari/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mari-hosho/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
