Note: This is my experience, as well as Tudor's.
Design As A Service 2023 - 2024
Role: Co-Founder
Overview:
This story unfolds one year into my first venture. It's about the birth and evolution of Blureo, a project that emerged when three individuals—myself, Tudor, whom I met at an event, and Razvan, an old friend—decided to combine our talents and experiences. Much like Takameru, which focused on minimalist designs and storytelling, Blureo embarked on a similar path, aiming to create impactful designs accessible to everyone. This narrative delves into how our experiences shaped the journey of Blureo.
Starting out:
Blureo began when we combined our skills and dreams. While my agency had a strong brand and website, Tudor and Razvan wanted to take things in a new direction. We thought carefully about what to call our project and settled on Blureo because it sounded modern and cool. These early days were filled with excitement and hope as we started building something special together. We put a lot of thought into every decision, all sharing the belief that our project could be something amazing.
Challenges:
Starting Blureo wasn't easy, especially because our way of doing things was new for our country (daas). We faced lots of problems that made things tough. For one, we spent too much time at the beginning because we wanted everything to be perfect and after Razvan left we were only two. We thought it was a good idea to create a whole bunch of new apps, called The Blureo Suite, but looking back, maybe it wasn't. Later, we even rebranded them as Zunego Suite.
Adding to our struggles, we lacked direction and didn't have a clear plan. Our servers were expensive because we didn't know how to use cloud computing efficiently. We also faced technical challenges since we didn't know much about CSS and PHP, which we needed for our apps. We learned along the way, but we made mistakes that slowed us down. Another challenge was that we isolated ourselves, staying at home without interacting with others or sharing our progress publicly. This lack of connection made it harder to get feedback and support.
Lessons Learned:
Our journey with Blureo taught us some important lessons. One big lesson was that trying to make everything perfect from the start can backfire. We spent too much time and money trying to make our brand and apps perfect, but it didn't guarantee success. It's better to start small, learn as you go, and adapt along the way.
Another lesson was the importance of being proactive in sales and marketing. Waiting until everything was perfect before reaching out to clients meant we missed out on potential opportunities. We realized that it's better to start selling early, even if things aren't perfect, and improve as you go.
We also learned the value of networking and seeking feedback. Staying isolated and not sharing our progress publicly made it harder to get support and guidance. We discovered that reaching out to others, sharing our work, and asking for feedback can help us grow and improve faster.
Lastly, we learned the importance of staying resilient in the face of challenges. Despite setbacks and failures, we didn't give up on Blureo. We kept pushing forward, learning from our mistakes, and trying new approaches. This resilience ultimately helped us persevere and continue moving towards our goals.
Moving On:
After struggling with running Blureo for a while, I realized something important in early 2024: I wasn't happy doing design work anymore. So, I decided it was time for me to leave Blureo and find something else that made me happy.
When I told Tudor, my friend and partner in Blureo, he understood completely. We talked about it, and he agreed that it was the right thing for me to do.
Even though I was leaving Blureo, I wasn't worried about Tudor, who decided to stay in the industry. I trust him completely with all the design work I'd need for my future projects. I know he'd do a great job.
Leaving Blureo was bittersweet, but I was excited to see what the future held. It was the start of a new chapter for me, and I was ready for whatever came next.
Conclusion:
Leaving Blureo was tough, but it was the right choice for me. My time there was a blessing, and I learned a lot. I really liked working on the apps, and I don't regret any second. I'm thankful for the lessons learned and the memories made. Blureo may be in the past, but its impact will always be with me as I move forward. It's shaped me into who I am today, and I'm excited to see where the future takes me.
Key Takeaways:
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It's important to remain flexible in the face of changing circumstances to navigate through them effectively.
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Persistence is key to achieving long-term success, as it allows us to stay determined and resilient during tough times.
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Embracing imperfection and taking action, even when things aren't perfect, can lead to valuable insights and growth.
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Every failure presents an opportunity to learn and grow, helping us improve and become better equipped to handle challenges in the future.
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Working with a variety of talents and perspectives encourages innovation by combining different ideas and approaches.
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