Because Then... It's Today 13/6/2026
RoLetras 1982-1991
It was nearly the summer of 1982. I was learning the ropes at a pizza shop just across the street from our house in the neighborhood of Floresta, Buenos Aires. One afternoon, one of the owners, José, asked me, "Since your dad is a graphic designer, do you think he’d know how to make a small sign for me?"
After work, I went home and asked my dad if it was something he could do. In classic fashion, my dad, "Papo," looked at me and said, "I can teach you how to do it!"
The next day, he brought home professional brushes and paint from his office. Using an old, metal real estate sign as our canvas, Papo showed me how to measure and mark the layout. Together, we painted the background, the letters, and the numbers. When we finished, Papo said, "Let’s take it outside and let it dry in the sun."
Seeing us, José yelled from across the street, "Looks great!"
Right then, another neighbor from a nearby shop crossed the street and asked how much I’d charge to repaint the lettering on his storefront windows. Papo jumped in and said, "Cheap, because Leo is still learning!" The neighbor, Don Ernesto, smiled and joked, "You should call the business 'Rodolfo and Leo Sign Makers'!" Papo just smiled and agreed.
Within days, people started noticing our garage turning into a full-blown sign shop. Papo looked at me and said, "If you like doing this, then RoLetras it is."
That moment hit me right in the heart. Instead of working away from home, I was going to be working right alongside Papo—my father, my mentor, and my absolute best friend. We had our share of ups and downs, balancing my crazy teenage attitude with the deep respect I had for him, but those afternoons working together after he came home from his office changed my life forever.
The Anchor Point: From Isolation to Purpose 13/6/2026
1985
The Foundation Beneath the Fabric: Finding Peace Before the Storm
When people look at a business today, they see the technical skills, the 3D designs, or the signage. But a business is only as strong as the man running it, and the man I am today was forged in a very specific era of history. To understand my drive, you have to look at a timeline of war, design, and a walk home alone in 1985.
1. The Wilderness: A Nation in Shocks (1982–1983)
I remember the morning of April 2nd, 1982 like it was yesterday. I walked into our living room and saw my dad watching the TV. It was a strange sight—usually, he would be listening to classical music or the radio.
"What are you doing?" I asked. He looked up at me, tears welling in his eyes. "We are at war." "No joke, dad!" I smiled, thinking it was impossible. "It is not a joke," he replied. "A war against the UK. The Malvinas were assaulted by the Argentine Army."
It was a devastating, surreal time for our entire nation. Argentina and the UK had always shared a deep connection, and suddenly we were adversaries. The conflict was short but brutal; a few close family friends died in the fighting, and the news coming through was chaotic.
By 1983, after years of a heavy military dictatorship, democracy finally returned—bringing its own wave of uncertainty and change.
Through the chaos, I focused on my craft. My dad was a Graphic Designer for the Buenos Aires City Hall, and I was working alongside him at our business, RoLetras. Business was great, and I was studying at the Fundación Gutenberg to become a Perito Gráfico, sharpening my instincts as a designer and printer. But while my hands were busy, the world around me felt heavy and uncertain.
2. The Turning Point: The Night the Melting Began (1985)
In 1985, a friend of mine named Martin asked me a simple question: "Do you like music?" I said yes, so he invited me to a live concert at a local Baptist church.
That night, my heart completely melted. A group of young people were performing The Witness, telling the story of Jesus through the eyes of the Apostle Peter. The raw emotion and truth of it shocked me in the best way possible.
After the performance, I walked home entirely alone. Under the night sky, I started talking to Jesus like I never had before. I told Him: "If you are real... give peace to my soul and my life."
The very next morning at 9:00 AM, my feet carried me back to that church. I slipped in and sat in the very last row. Right there, in the quiet of the back pew, His peace reached me. It wasn't just a emotional moment; it was an anchor.
3. The Launchpad: Shielded in the Army
God’s timing is perfect, because I needed that peace for what came next. Just one year later, the day before my 19th birthday, I received my orders for my two years of mandatory military service.
The army was a time of intense testing—parts of it were great, and parts of it were incredibly difficult. But because of what happened in 1985, I wasn't walking into that barracks alone. I had an unshakeable foundation. I spent those two years in a whirlwind: managing my business duties however I could, serving my country in uniform, and running back to the youth group at church whenever I was free.
Instead of breaking me, those intense years drew me deeper and deeper into my relationship with God.
Moving Forward with Absolute Integrity
When I look back, I see how the Master Designer was preparing me. The discipline of the army, the legacy of design from my father, the technical training at college, and above all, the peace of Christ—they all flow into the work I do today.
Being your own boss isn’t just about visual layouts or fabrication. It’s about character. When you buy a sign, a design, or a solution from me, you are working with a foundation that was tested in the fire and anchored in faith.