Long before I was a copywriter, I “won” an SUV off a bag of chips during the FIFA World Cup ‘98. It went great until eligibility came into play. Then the fine print won out. Tough break for my parents, who missed out on a hell of a gift from an 8-year-old.

I also ran a playground side hustle trading video game cheat codes I’d find in Tips & Tricks. It was through these experiences that I realized words carry more weight than you think. Turns out that’s a useful realization when you grow up to write ads for a living.

Today, I’m the lead copywriter at a multicultural advertising agency in El Paso, TX. Outside of writing, I run long distances, swim when I can, and chip away at a video game backlog.