Notice something different about my blog today?

“I like pink, but not too pink.  I want it to say “mom” but also “sporty”.  I like clean lines but that have some curves to it.  I used to like squares but now I am not sure. Oh! And I want it have the whole name but that I can turn into a symbol/avatar as well.” That’s what I said.  I was afraid of being too specific but I also wanted some of me to be in the logo.

Any graphic designer would’ve either sent me to hell or told me to make up my mind but not Oriana Bafunno.  She said “sure! I’ll try it.”  It was a relief because I knew she was someone who could turn my ramblings into something visual.  Oriana is a fellow triathlete who made it into the USAT Nationals on her first year in the sport.  Not only did she make it, but her time was fast enough to be selected as part of Team USA at the World Amateur Triathlon Championships in London 2013.  So, in my book she is kind of a rock-star.

Though we all have daytime jobs and hers is being a freelance designer.   Originally from Venezuela, she has been in the US for eleven years and graduated from Syracuse University.  She worked for their management school and later at Elmhurst College in Chicago.  When she had to leave Chicago due to her husband’s work, they kept her on as a freelance designer and that is when her independent career began.

Had you asked me to sketch something for TriathlonMami.com, I would not have come even close to anything like this.  However, I loved the concept!  We went back and forth and she very patiently listened to all my fears and observations: is it too flashy? Is it too pink? Can you read it? Does it stand out? What if we use a darker color? What if we use a lighter color? Not sure about the background. Definitely need a background.  So we decided to work on making it less pink to get these results: 

I have worked with designers in my past life and many tend to get very attached to their creations making the process of turning it into something that you love quite challenging.  You almost feel like you are insulting them when you comment or suggest a change.  Oriana was different.  From the get go her attitude was “I want you to love it” and we won’t finish until you do.

If you want help with your company or blog branding, give Oriana a shout.  You can view some of her work here, and she can be reached at:  obafunno@gmail.com. As you can see, I couldn’t recommend her enough!