Mucho on My Life In Design podcast

Bitten early by the creative bug, Marc’s path into design felt like second nature, and almost inevitable. It all began in art galleries he didn’t want to visit, leading to enrolling in a design and arts school, to landing his first job at Grafica studio alongside well-known Spanish designers, and eventually working for the redesign of El País, a prestigious national newspaper, alongside his friend and co-founder of Mucho; Pablo Juncadella — a job considered “super high-end for the nineties”. Marc recalls the intense days and nights living and breathing design, yet within the four walls of an apartment in one of Madrid’s tallest skyscrapers. As Marc jokingly recalls: “this was both cool, but borderline slavery.”

From their sky-high creative bunker in Madrid, sketching obsessively with his work partner; Pablo, to collaborating with talented designers, and later joining the iconic design studio; working for leading names in the editorial world such as the Pentagram, The Observer  in London — Marc’s early career was nothing short of extraordinary — defined by intensity, fearless experimentation, and an unwavering dedication to craft, while juggling between London and Barcelona on a weekly basis, earning him enough AirMiles, to make even a travel blogger jealous.

The longing to return home to Barcelona planted the first seeds of what would become Mucho—Marc’s next chapter as early as in his mid-20s. The studio was born, quite literally, around Pablo’s kitchen table. The hardest part? Not the work itself, but picking a name. Among the early (and questionable) contenders: Ping Pong.

As fresh-faced founders in a world of heavyweight studios, they were well aware of their underdog status — “kittens among lions.” They said yes to everything, took on whatever came their way, and charged next to nothing just to stay in the game. It was scrappy, chaotic, and driven by a deep desire to learn. There was constant uncertainty — ”Am I going to make it? ”— but eventually, you stop overthinking and just take the leap. That’s how Mucho began: with risk, restlessness, and a belief in something bigger than themselves.

The very first clients were landed through local connections and family ties. One of the most unforgettable clients, Marc recalls, were the Chocoa brothers — a family-run business led by two wildly creative brothers, mixing innovation with the art of chocolate making, varying anything from spices to anchovies. Marc alongside his partner Pablo were able to match their energy with a playful, experimental approach, designing 20 unique wrappers every two weeks — chaotic, intense, and completely original. 

Ultimately, these early, medium-sized projects shaped their philosophy that good design comes from listening closely, embracing the unexpected, and catering to each client’s unique vision.

Mucho began as a small, ambitious studio of just a few people. From the start, Marc and Pablo viewed it as a collective — not about themselves, but about something bigger. As their ambition grew, they realized they couldn’t scale alone.

Bringing Tilman Solé into the picture — now one of Mucho’s partners in Barcelona — marked a key turning point in the studio’s evolution. Tilman´s arrival brought a sharper focus on strategy and helped elevate Mucho to the next level. It became clear that creative talent alone wasn’t enough; strategy had to take a leading role in shaping the studio’s direction.

Later, reconnecting with friends from Pentagram in Lodnon helped broaden their vision — but most notably, joining creative forces with Rob Duncan, now Mucho’s partner in the San Francisco office, became a pivotal moment in their expansion as well. Today, Mucho proudly operates as a global collective of eleven partners, rooted in collaboration and bold ideas.

At Mucho, design is viewed not just as an output, but it is viewed in a holistic way, as a way of thinking — a mindset that extends into leadership, culture, and growth. Rather than separating creative work from management, the team sees both as part of the same design process: shaping environments where people thrive, ideas evolve, and talent is nurtured. This holistic approach reflects a deeper belief that good design doesn’t stop at the deliverable — it is embedded in how teams are built, challenges are reframed, and futures are imagined.

 Listen to this episode of My Life In Design podcast, now available on your favourite podcast platforms.