By Lily Robles
The Opus Design team is working with a new client to develop a logo and website design. Irina, Rick and Dmitri are the founders of ForYourStudent, a company that offers discounted hardware and software to K-12 students, parents and schools. Ten years ago, when my girls were in elementary school, the idea of buying a computer and software was crazy and pretty much impossible, until they were in high school and I could afford refurbished laptops. Now, with the need for more technology even sooner in a household, their idea just makes so much sense.
Our work began by naming their website. Irina, Rick and Dmitri were responsive, open, critical, and a bit unpredictable. Naming their new website was like naming a baby — fun, but SO much pressure. After all, it would grow up to be its name, fulfill its promise, and make the right associations, partners and most importantly, friends. After brainstorming sessions, surveys, internet searches, reviews and even a test run with a local psychic, the results were in. The new site will be called “Eduporium,” an educationally focused marketplace, a destination where students can explore and find the information and tools they need for anything from science, to music and math. It was a happy day.
Last week, I had the pleasure of joining Irina, Rick and Dimitri at their office in Watertown on what happened to be “National Women’s Day.” Julia joined via Skype since she was working from Germany. Dimitri brought bagels and presented tulips to Irina and I, and even had a chocolate rose for Julia when she returns. The meeting purpose was to review the first round of logos for Eduporium. As always, the feedback was clear, honest, and unrestrained. We presented several dozen ideas/executions, and we worked through them to identify the ones that worked the best. Throughout it all, there was a sense of excitement, respect and appreciation which is most definitely mutual. Even sans-psychic, I can tell that the group’s smart, spirited, and inclusive personality will mean all good things for Eduporium’s future.
