Change Is Good: A Personal Story from Abel Sánchez

Abel is an award-winning creative director with a background in graphic design, art direction, copywriting, and video production. He brings ideas to life and life to ideas. Abel is most fulfilled when his creativity makes a difference in people’s lives. He believes in the power of community and makes philanthropy a part of his work-life balance.

Something I've learned over the years– Change is good.

While growing up, my family moved a lot. That meant attending new schools, making new friends, and establishing new routines. At age six, my parents moved our family from Mexico to the United States. That required learning a new language and adjusting to a new culture. After settling in Illinois (and living in 3 different Chicago suburbs), we moved to Texas. Soon, we were back in Illinois. Moving was never fun or easy, but all those experiences opened a world of opportunities for my family and me. Of course, we faced some challenges along the way. As a result, I learned to accept and embrace change. I developed qualities like adaptability, optimism, and resilience. They've stuck with me to this day.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020, was my last day at CBS Chicago. After 18 years with the company, CBS eliminated my position due to the impact of COVID-19.

I'm grateful to my family, friends, former colleagues, and clients for the well-wishes during the transition. Most of all, I'm grateful for the love and support of my wife Tracy and children Daniela, Nico, Sofía, and Mateo. I'm happy and excited about this new chapter in my life because of them.

My CBS Chicago journey began with a phone call from Fran Preston, who had started a job as a senior executive at WBBM-TV. The following day, I resigned from my position at ABC 7 Chicago. Two days later, I walked through the front doors of CBS 2's McClurg Court studios as the Director of Design. Fran has been a trusted advisor and my strongest advocate — and the first person to call me after I lost my job.

I loved the years I spent at CBS Chicago. I made wonderful friends — among them the best coffee buddies. We shared many caffeine-induced cackles, hitting about every Starbucks location in the Loop.

As Director of Design, I hired and worked alongside the most talented designers in the market. A high point at CBS was leading the redesign of the co-branded station logo, which incorporated the iconic CBS Eye, designed by Bill Golden in 1951.

CBS management appreciated the simplicity of our design and asked me to consult with other stations within the CBS Television Stations Group. In 2006, our graphic design team won six national awards at the Broadcast Design Association Awards in Los Angeles; the most awards won that year by any television station in the country. I was fortunate to collaborate with the best design agencies (Linda Kane Design, Hothaus Creative) on station rebrands and world-class architecture firms (Perkins & Will, Goettsch Partners) on environmental design projects for the CBS 2 Broadcast Center.

More than any high-profile project or industry award, it's the people who mattered the most. I'm grateful to everyone at CBS Chicago who created opportunities for me to do something creative every day.

This past summer ushered in more changes for me. I began taking on contract work while determining the direction of my career. I reached out to old friends, former clients, and colleagues, as well as members of boards I have served on — to share my story and look for work.

I turned our gazebo into my work-from-home office. Some of the projects I have worked on include: a podcast for Dr. David Nayak, a logo for my friend Wendy Widom's new business, a video for Respiratory Health Association, and an advertising campaign for a strategic communications firm.

I delved into volunteering for One for One Chicago, a nonprofit supporting young adults living in Chicago neighborhoods with high crime rates and joblessness rates. I created a video (shot on an iPhone) for the organization and began mentoring a young man enrolled in their program. Zae is a high school senior who lives in East Garfield Park, a Chicago neighborhood often featured on the evening news for its high incidence of violent crime. Despite all the obstacles he faces daily, Zae perseveres with a positive outlook and a smile that lights up a room. To say he inspires me is an understatement.

Finally, I spent more time on LinkedIn connecting with people. One of those people is Molly Shunney, a former marketing manager at Eventbrite. She posted a short video about her job loss. Her positive energy compelled me to react, leave a comment, and add her to my network.

A few months later, Molly found meaningful employment at Cultivate, a start-up whose mission is to empower people to challenge the status quo within their organizations. She posted on LinkedIn announcing that Cultivate was looking for a part-time graphic designer. I applied, and two interviews later, Cultivate asked me to join their team!

It's been a little over one month with Cultivate. I am working on high-profile branding projects, while creating marketing materials for our clients. It’s been an adventure already, and I’m eager to see how this role evolves over time.

As I reflect, especially over the past six months, I'm reminded that change is inevitable.

And while it's not always easy, I know that it's good.