While the global pandemic has forced all of us to adapt in different ways, Andreia (a.k.a. Andie) Rauta of Cohort 14 saw an opportunity to use technology to adapt changing needs and help bring people closer together.
THE NEED: REDEFINING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE TOGETHER
Early this year, Andie and her husband (then fiancé) Artur began planning a wedding that would bring together family and friends from around the world to celebrate. However, once the pandemic hit, those plans had to be put on hold. Not only did they have to change their wedding plans, but like most, had to find new ways of staying in touch with loved ones. As the original wedding date in August drew near, Andie and her fiancé decided to adapt their wedding into a virtual one. With the help of two of their close friends, Ayana and Mel, Artur and Andie were able to have more than 190 virtual guests from eight different countries, interactively attend their wedding via an online platform.Andie reflected on the day, “The feeling of bringing together so many people despite the distance and engaging them in a meaningful way made it feel that they were emotionally close, even though physically far away.”
THE SOLUTION: CREATING A SERVICE OF VALUE FOR OTHERS
The solution soon scaled as Andie along with her two friends (now startup co-founders) Ayana and Mel sought to reimagine the virtual event experience for others who were looking to find a different way to celebrate life’s big moments. And thus, the “LEO Group” was born! Founded only a few months ago, it is steadily growing as a way to design life events and connect clients through technology for a virtual experience.
QUEST LESSONS: SKILLS APPLIED FOR SUCCESS
Andie mentioned applying a number of skills she learned from her years in QUEST. “During QUEST, I developed skills in problem-solving, team-building, and innovation that continue to help me today. I learned that every iteration, every discussion and suggestion had a significant impact on the outcome of the project.” She also credits teamwork as a key ingredient to the start-up venture success. “You can’t do it yourself,” Andie says. “So don’t pretend you can. Find the right people who share your vision and work hard to build an effective team to deliver something of value to your clients. This was definitely a critical lesson I learned from my time in QUEST, starting on my first day in 190H and continuing all the way through my 490H capstone course.”
WHATS NEXT: GO LIVE WITH LEO
In it’s next chapter, the LEO Group is focused on how to continue to help clients re-envision and design memorable experiences in a post-pandemic world. Andie’s advice for those looking to start their own business ventures: “It’s most important to be of value. Start with problems that are important to you, however small, and build from there. Taking on challenges that affect you and those around you can help you grow into taking on larger ones. For example, the LEO Group began from the necessity to celebrate a major life milestone and has grown into a business that provides memorable virtual experiences through creativity and technology.”
This is great advice, and here at QUEST we are excited to see where this venture goes! Check out www.golivewithleo.com to learn more!