Hello! My name is Yuri, and together with Remi, I co-founded Octoa\u2014a CRM tool designed specifically for photographers. Before I dive into the story of how Octoa came to be, let me introduce you to the faces behind this project.<\/p>\n
Remi and I have known each other for over twenty years. Our paths first crossed at the Multi-Media Academy, where we designed and built websites together\u2014sometimes as competitors, but often as collaborators. This healthy rivalry pushed us to always aim for the best results.<\/p>\n
Our shared passion and ambition led us to establish Freshu, a creative agency based in Amsterdam. At Freshu, we worked on inspiring projects for promising startups such as Boldking.com, Primephonic.com, and Nxchange.com. It was here that we honed our skills and learned how to create digital products that users genuinely loved.<\/p>\n
Over time, our careers took different paths. Remi embarked on a successful journey with Marufilms.com, traveling the world with his wife, capturing beautiful moments, and balancing it all with fatherhood to two children. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to learn new skills and grow as a creative professional.<\/p>\n
Amidst Remi\u2019s busy life as a filmmaker, a clear problem emerged: he needed a tool to bring order to his professional chaos. Although he explored various CRM tools and eventually used 17hats, it proved cumbersome and lacked key features.<\/p>\n
Our shared problem-solving mindset sparked the idea for Octoa. We envisioned a CRM tool that wasn\u2019t overloaded with features but was simple, practical, and tailored specifically to the needs of photographers and videographers. With this idea in mind, we began sketching what such a CRM should look like\u2014and got to work.<\/p>\n
Our first MVP was launched during the turbulent COVID-19 period. We adhered to a principle we had followed since our agency days: launch early and often. Above all, we placed the user\u2014the photographer and videographer\u2014at the center of everything we did.<\/p>\n
Since Octoa\u2019s launch, we\u2019ve received a wealth of feedback, both positive and critical. This feedback is our fuel, enabling us to continuously improve Octoa. We\u2019re proud of our quick response times and our commitment to supporting users in the best way possible.<\/p>\n
Have we built an incredible CRM tool? We think so. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. Our dedication remains steadfast: to keep photographers at the heart of what we do and challenge ourselves to make Octoa even better. We can\u2019t wait to show you what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n