A few weeks ago we launched a design challenge for our community: to design MOB stickers! After a tough competition, there was a winner! And you’ll find out all about him in this interview: Meet Dario Stefanutto

Tell us about yourself! where are you from? how did you end up in Barcelona?

Hello! I’m from a pretty little town near Venice called Portogruaro, but I have been living abroad for the last 10 years.

My move to Barcelona happened pretty randomly. In 2018 I had been living in London for 4 years and I was growing a little tired of big cities and rainy weather. During summer that year I went on holidays to Spain. The final destination of the trip was Barcelona. I was already working remotely at the time so I decided to stay for a month. One month became two. And then three. At that point I decided that I was going to live here. I went back to London only to pick up a few clothes a get rid of most of my things.

What is your profession?

I specialise in product and web design. As a product designer I help startups create digital products, mobile and web apps. My other passion is designing and building websites for tech startups. I also work on brand identities and design systems.

how did you start working independently? (freelancing)

I started freelancing about 5 years ago, when I was living in London. I had a job at a prestigious design consultancy but I was tired of the office routine. I didn’t like to be at the office every day, 8 hours a day. I needed a change so I took a sabbatical and went travelling to South America. When I came back, 3 months later, I quit my job and started freelancing. The first year was pretty rough. I had no idea how to run a business, but then things started to get easier over time as I gained confidence.

What’s your favourite part of your job?

I get paid to draw squares. No joke. I’m very lucky that I could turn my passion in my profession.

The favourite part of my job is seeing something I made see the light. It could be an app, a website, a brand, or a video.

I also love the fact that I work with direct clients, without intermediaries. This can be stressful since all the responsibilities are on me, but it also feels empowering.

How long have you been in MOB? and what do you like about it? 

4 years 👀. I love MOB’s welcoming and warm vibe. It’s a place where you can feel at home. When I moved to Barcelona I tried working from home for a couple of weeks. I ended up feeling pretty lonely so looked for a co-working space. MOB was the first and last place I tried. I met a few of my best friends through MOB, so I’m very grateful for what it’s given me.

What’s your favourite project you’ve worked on so far?

My favourite projects are self initiated. I built a few free resources, such as component libraries for web development, free templates, and so on. It feels great when I receive emails or comments from people thanking me for sharing a resource. This is something I want to do more of in the future.

Thank you Dario!