PAOLA BERMAN

Why did you apply to Next Creative Leaders?

Sometimes I feel like I’ve got it all figured out, and other times impostor syndrome knocks on my door and makes me doubt if I’m on the right path, or even good enough. In both cases, I keep coming back to the same instinct – I want to learn, see new perspectives, and connect with people who’ve been through these same questions and moved forward. For me, applying to NCL is about finding that community – leaders who are redefining what it means to grow, to lead, and to stay human in this industry.

How did your upbringing, family, or culture shape you as a creative?

I grew up in Mexico, a place where contradictions live side by side – joy and chaos, tradition and reinvention, resilience and humor. That duality is in everything I create. I was raised to be strong and independent, but also to find laughter in the hardest moments – something very Mexican, I think (we joke about everything, even when we probably shouldn’t).

Then, becoming a mother added another layer. It’s taught me to be more selective with my energy, to focus on what really matters and to see creativity as a tool for brands and also as a way to shape the world my son will grow up in. And, of course, being Latina means I carry a deep sense of community, emotion, and stubborn optimism.

How are you approaching the tension between AI tools and human creativity in your work?

I don’t see AI as a problem. I think it’s actually a great tool, not only for creatives, but for everyone. What I do see as a problem is the misconception that AI works like magic – you open ChatGPT, type something random, and voilà. The truth is, AI doesn’t replace the creative process, it depends on it. In the right workflow, with the right people, and with the right prompts, AI can push ideas to places we haven’t imagined yet. To me, it’s not human versus AI, it’s human plus AI. One provides speed, exploration and scale, the other provides the instinct, the taste, the irreverence, the real experience of life, the little moments, the profound insights. When you mix them, that’s when creativity gets really exciting.

“To me, it’s not human versus AI, it’s human plus AI.”

What does “paying it forward” look like in practice for you?

For me, it’s less about grand gestures and more about everyday choices. It’s recommending someone for a project when they’re not in the room. It’s giving real feedback, not just a “nice job.” It’s opening doors that were once opened for me. So paying it forward also means leading with humility. I believe in honest conversations, in showing the messy parts as well as the shiny ones, and in learning from people who are just getting started too. As the famous quote says, “always be a trainee.” For me, that means never pretending I have all the answers, staying curious, asking questions, and being willing to learn from the intern sitting next to me as much as from the CEO in the room.

“Always be a trainee... that means never pretending I have all the answers, staying curious, asking questions, and being willing to learn from the intern sitting next to me as much as from the CEO in the room”

What would success look like for you five years from now, beyond traditional career metrics?

Career-wise, success feels like leveling up in a videogame – solving things faster, with more quality, pushing myself to get better every day. But it’s also about people, the friends I’ve made in this industry, the late-night laughs, the mentors and teammates who’ve shaped me. If no one remembered the awards but everyone remembered how I made them feel, I’d still call that success.

And above all, success is staying true to myself – speaking honestly, trusting my instinct, and telling my impostor syndrome to please sit down and stop making things up. Big moments matter, but if we only measure ourselves by them, we’d be miserable the rest of the time. So in five years and today, success is one day at a time, with joy, truth, and a little stubborn optimism.

What personal or professional challenge has shaped you most as a creative?

Becoming a mother changed everything. There’s a passage by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that I carry as a mantra, “Motherhood is a wonderful gift, but don’t define yourself only by it. Never apologize for working. Loving what you do is a fantastic gift for your children.”

That perspective has shaped me both as a woman and as a creative. I want my son to see me happy doing what I do, so he knows it’s possible to chase your passions without guilt. It’s made me sharper at work, calmer at home, and more honest in both. The challenge is real, balancing ambition with motherhood is messy but it’s also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

“The challenge is real, balancing ambition with motherhood is messy but it’s also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever ever done.”