Introducing Octoa: The CRM Tool Designed with Photographers in Mind
Fueled by photographers' feedback and our own mission to bring order to the chaos of running a photography business, Octoa has become a tool made by and for the people behind the lens.
Our Journey
Hello there! My name is Yuri, and along with Remi, we founded Octoa, a CRM tool that puts photographers at its core. Before delving into Octoa’s origins, let me introduce the minds behind it.
Remi and I share a history that stretches back over two decades. We first crossed paths at the Multi-Media Academy, where we competed and collaborated on designing and building websites. Our healthy rivalry during these early years pushed us to always strive for the best.
Our shared passion and ambition led us to establish a creative agency, Freshu, in Amsterdam. There, we worked on exciting projects for thriving startups like Boldking.com, primephonic.com, and nxchange.com. It was at Freshu that we honed our skills in crafting online products that users loved.
Order in Chaos
As time passed, our paths diverged as we pursued fresh challenges. Remi embarked on a successful journey with marufilms.com, traveling the world with his wife, capturing beautiful moments, and managing the demands of being a father of two. Meanwhile, I took time to learn new skills and grow as a creative professional.
However, Remi’s bustling life highlighted a pressing need – a tool to introduce order in his professional chaos. Researching different CRM tools to support their business he ended up using, 17hats, while helpful, was not user-friendly and lacked features he deemed essential.
The Birth of Octoa
Our shared trait of problem-solving sparked the idea of Octoa. We envisioned a CRM tool that was not feature-crowded but straightforward, designed specifically for photographers and videographers. So, we sketched out what we believed such a CRM should look like and set to work.
Feedback: Our Creative Fuel
Our first MVP was launched amidst the tumultuous Corona era. We adhered to a principle we’ve held dear from our agency days – release early and release often. And most importantly, always place the user – the photographer & videographer – at the center of everything.
We’ve received an abundance of feedback since Octoa’s launch, both positive and negative. This feedback acts as the fuel for our creative engine, propelling us to continuously improve Octoa. We pride ourselves on our swift response times and dedication to helping our users to the best of our abilities.
Looking Ahead
Have we built a great CRM tool? We believe so. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. Our commitment is to keep the photographer at the heart of our venture, pushing ourselves to enhance Octoa. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.
Interested in exploring Octoa and seeing how it can streamline your photography business? Sign up for a free trial today!