Why Mauricio Daniachi Always Keeps His Idols Close

Mauricio Daniachi is the founder and executive director at Flavor, a craft-obsessed studio specialising in design, motion, and mixed media for clients worldwide, such as Novo Nordisk, McDonald's, The Ring, WSL, Taco Bell, TikTok, and Twitter.

His work has been recognised at the most prestigious awards worldwide, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards, One Show, Latin American Design Awards, and IF Design Awards.

He also co-founded Skillcore, a digital consulting firm focusing on the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, engaging with significant projects that leverage design, technology, and innovation.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Mauricio> My first experience happened when I founded Flavor, almost 10 years ago. Initially, we were just a few guys with no idea about anything, but thirsty to create beautiful stuff without the fear of getting our hands dirty. Over time, leadership skills came naturally, little by little.

Before Flavor, I had never experienced being a leader, so I thought, ‘OK, I'm not a leader (yet), so let's study with the best ones, talk to leaders, make friends, and study how to build my leadership style’. I love reading about leadership stories in the creative, fashion, business, and sports markets. And believe me, I have the coolest idols ever.

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?

Mauricio> First of all, I want to be a human leader. My role is to provide the coolest, most relevant, and safest space for everyone. It's a daily challenge, but I try to do my best every time.

I always ask myself, ‘What kind of place would I like to work at?’, and ‘What type of leader would I like to have?’. These questions guide me towards the ideal space to provide and the leader I want to be.

My job here is to create the coolest, safest, and most relevant environment for the team to thrive. It's a daily challenge, but I do my best.

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

Mauricio> I learn every day, and all moments are genuine teaching moments. The situations are always different, good ones and bad ones. My biggest lessons were that we are constantly being taught something, and how important it is to be honest and human with the team, clients, and myself.

LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?

Mauricio> I had never imagined being a leader, nor an entrepreneur. Things just happened naturally, and I'm so glad about that. That's my path and my vocation. I genuinely love it.

LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?

Mauricio> Leadership is a mix of skills, repertoire, and life experiences. That's it.

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?

Mauricio> People are different. The goal of being a leader is to be yourself and understand how unique each co-worker is. That means articulating different skills, repertoires, and life experiences.

Besides that, being human means dealing with your temper. So, even with all the tools, the outcome is always different. And that's the challenge: dealing with all those variables.

LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?

Mauricio> For sure, and it is always a challenge. When we fail, it's difficult to stay grounded. We fight our emotions, and it is hard. But in the end, I always realise that whatever issues I have, even if it was my fault, sometimes, things just happen. We must shift our focus to the great things we've done so far and learn how to work with failure. Still, it's impossible to say that this will never happen again.

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?

Mauricio> Being yourself. If you are as transparent as possible, that's great. But if you are more careful, it's excellent as well. You can bring any of these according to the circumstances, but I can't think of any recipe. In my case, I follow my instincts according to the situation that I am in.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so, who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?

Mauricio> First, I have a personal rule: ‘Keep your idols close’. People are genuinely passionate about idols, but it's always best to keep them just a message away. Throughout the years ahead of Flavor, I learned much with some awesome people.

Thiago Nascimento and Rafael Vieira, my partners at Skillcore, have sharpened my thinking and taught me to approach challenges analytically. Filipe from Canja Audio Culture, a friend since we were just a few EMO kids, offers valuable advice on management and finances. Bruno Regalo, the global chief design officer at TBWA\Worldwide, supports me during crucial career moments. Rose from Taste provides key business advice. Lucas Sfair from Bumblebeat, a lifelong friend, is always open to inspiring and pushing me forward. Last are my former partners, Baranhuk, Emerson, and Vandré, as well as my entire team, with no exceptions. Love you all!

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Mauricio> I’m pretty open with the team during difficult times. Rather than focusing on the problems, I seek out different views on those changes to determine the best way to adapt and overcome situations like that.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Mauricio> We love working with different voices, stories, backgrounds, and perspectives. We work to create a space where people feel seen and heard. And it's an ongoing process; we're always learning, listening, and evolving.

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?

Mauricio> Creating an impactful culture and keeping it alive is a true challenge. First, I'm trying to make it the coolest space to work – a space where everyone has the same voice, the same space, and no barriers to leadership.

Our culture is also deeply connected to creativity. We constantly push the boundaries and aim for the best work on every project. And that only happens when people feel safe and happy. We have problems, but it's part of our culture to face them with openness, honesty, and collaboration. That's how we grow.

I like a quote that says that culture is how the people from outside see you. It makes us think.

LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?

Mauricio> People. As simple as that.