gtag('config', 'G-6TW216G7W9', { 'user_id': wix.currentUser.id });
top of page

Ray, CEO, Co-Founder at Nuñez, The People's Agency: Advize Career Interview

Ray's career story is a compelling blend of creativity, purpose, and entrepreneurial spirit.

From starting a design business in middle school to leading Nuñez, The People's Agency, a marketing firm focused on supporting nonprofits and minority-owned businesses, the career path showcases a consistent focus on storytelling and helping others communicate their impact.

The CEO role involves keeping all the moving pieces together, demanding strong time management, communication, and patience. Daily life is structured, balancing family, team check-ins, and tackling the to-do list.

Despite the challenges of adaptability and the all-consuming nature of entrepreneurship, the role offers immense satisfaction in making a direct impact, especially in helping clients achieve better results and challenging industry norms.

Essential for success is innovation, boldness, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

Aspiring professionals should consider entry-level positions like print shops or seeking marketing opportunities with local businesses to gain experience.

Ultimately, the key to success is recognizing that "every conversation is a job interview" and actively building connections, a lesson that has unlocked unexpected opportunities.

College served as a catalyst, with involvement in extracurriculars and leadership roles setting the stage for running a business.

Being a first-generation Latino has instilled a sense of responsibility to represent and advocate, shaping the agency's mission to serve Latino audiences and support the community.

This journey is an inspiration, illustrating how one can intersect business acumen with a commitment to social good.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Ray Nuñez

CEO, Co-Founder

Nuñez, The People's Agency

Johnson & Wales University

Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts

Advertising, Communications & Marketing

Business Strategy

Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student

Watch all of this Advizer's videos below

Career Path of a CEO and Co-Founder at Nuñez, The People's Agency

Ray's career journey began early, starting a design business at 13 and gaining practical experience at a print shop in high school, leading to a graphic design degree; after college Ray then initially detoured into nonprofit communications and fundraising, realizing that "doing good, felt really... fulfilling," before transitioning to become CMO of a magazine, and finally launching Nuñez, a marketing agency focused on supporting nonprofits and minority-owned businesses, where creativity and purpose intersect. It’s clear Ray's path reflects a consistent focus on "telling good stories and... helping people communicate their impact."

Main Responsibilities of a CEO and Co-Founder at Nuñez The People's Agency

As CEO and founder of Nuñez, The People's Agency, Ray's main responsibility is to "keep the pieces moving" between the creative, operations, and sales teams, ensuring each team is supported with whatever they need to succeed, whether it's a sales pitch or keeping the project management tool working. While Ray initially resisted the CEO title, now embraces the role, enjoying the variety of tasks and the ability to "switch hats" daily.

A Day In The Life Of A CEO And Co Founder At Nuñez The People's Agency

A CEO's day is structured, beginning at 6:00 AM with family, transitioning to work around 9:00 AM, which includes "clear[ing] your inbox" and team check-ins, and attempts to hold a lunch block, with a second sprint later in the evening to "clear off anything on to-do list" for a strong start the next day. As a co-founder, being structured is important because of ADHD.

Most Important Skills For A CEO Co-Founder At Nuñez, The People's Agency

To succeed as a CEO and Co-Founder, Ray emphasizes the importance of time management, stating "it's so easy to just lose track of a whole day" without tools like Asana, strong communication skills to clearly articulate goals and value, and patience to understand and support the motivations and strengths of employees who may not share the same level of passion for the business. Ultimately, developing these skills can impact the team's confidence and direction, and is "a non-negotiable if you're gonna do this job".

Favorite Parts of Being a CEO at Nuñez, The People's Agency

Ray, as CEO and Co-Founder, enjoys the direct impact Nuñez, The People's Agency has through working with nonprofits and social impact businesses, helping them generate revenue "to make more impact, to get more kids fed, to do the thing." The culmination of this fulfillment is exemplified in a United Way campaign that raised $5 million, leaving Ray feeling like "damn, I did that. We did that."

Biggest Challenges Faced By A CEO And Co Founder At Nuñez The People's Agency

The biggest challenge is being adaptable, as a project can get "completely derailed," such as the need to redirect a whole campaign towards immigrant advocacy due to the current political climate. This challenge also requires emotional intelligence to support struggling clients, often going beyond the scope of work, but CEO Ray has to compartmentalize this, realizing "can't be a superhero" to everyone, which is difficult given how much Nuñez, The People's Agency cares about their clients' success.

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Marketing Industry As A CEO And Co-Founder

Ray enjoys the opportunity to "push the needle around what's the norm" in both the marketing/advertising and fundraising/revenue industries, particularly loving when their innovative approach helps clients achieve different and better results than competitors. Being in an industry that evokes the reaction of "damn, why didn't we think of that?" is a source of professional satisfaction.

What Type Of Person Thrives In The Marketing Agency Industry, According To A CEO And Co-Founder At Nuñez, The People's Agency

Ray describes individuals who thrive in the marketing industry, especially within smaller agencies, as those who are "innovative" and "bold enough to call it out" when old-school practices are no longer effective, specifically pointing to a situation where Nuñez, The People's Agency challenged a competitor's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by highlighting the lack of representation within their organization. Ultimately, the career professional believes a willingness to challenge the status quo and offer innovative solutions is essential for success.

What a CEO at Nuñez Agency Wishes They Had Known Before Starting a Business

Ray wishes someone had emphasized that being in charge of a company, while glamorized, is "all consuming" and filled with stress and unpredictability, as illustrated by the co-founding of Nuñez just before the COVID-19 pandemic which became a lesson that real lived experiences trump any business models one could learn, and adapting to those is essential. Thus, Ray advises prospective entrepreneurs to prepare a financial and mental "safety net" because "all this could crash at any point."

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring CEOs And Co-Founders

Ray suggests looking into print shops, despite the perception that "print is dead," as they offer a comprehensive learning experience in production, marketing, and design, and also recommends gaining sales experience to understand sales personas, pitching, and communication, emphasizing that marketing and sales must "play nice with each other". Additionally, Ray advises seeking out opportunities with local mom and pop shops that may not be actively advertising for marketing support, where one can gain experience as a "little CMO".

Significant Career Lesson From a CEO and Co-Founder at Nuñez The People's Agency

Ray learned that "every conversation is a job interview" and that networking is paramount, emphasizing that while talent and a strong portfolio are valuable, connections are essential to open doors. This approach, consciously cultivated since college, led to unexpected opportunities, such as a client who reached out five years after a brief elevator conversation, proving you "never know who's gonna be that callback."

College Experiences That Helped A CEO And Co-Founder At Nuñez The People's Agency Succeed

Ray maximized the college experience by immersing themself in extracurriculars, from the newspaper to student government, and leadership roles like president of multiple clubs, which exposed them to diverse networks and professional development opportunities that "catapulted this accelerated track to run [their] own business 10 years later." Unlike classmates who just wanted to go home after class, Ray emphasized the importance of being active and proactive, investing time to build connections and gain valuable experiences.

How Identity Influenced A CEO And Co-Founder's Career At Nuñez The People's Agency

Being a first-gen Latino presented challenges such as navigating unfamiliar processes like FAFSA and class registration, requiring reliance on online resources and professors. The experience of often being "the only in the room" fueled a sense of responsibility to represent and advocate, ultimately inspiring the creation of a bilingual content creation agency focused on serving Latino audiences and "always supporting community".

bottom of page