Since the dawn of time, people have been using images to share ideas and information. From prehistoric cave paintings, artistic contributions of Ancient Greece, to the breakthroughs of the Renaissance or the Modern Age, visuals have played a significant part in helping us make sense of the world around us. Images were our first alphabet. And today, the importance of visuals moves at a speed never seen before, leading a revolution that profoundly impacts everyone’s lifestyles, as well as communication and purchasing habits.
Ever wondered how to change the world through innovation? At the age of 25, we found our calling, and launched BOOM from scratch, against all odds.
We were the odd startuppers: an engineer, an economist and a philosopher, who were still full-time university students at the time. The first photo shoot was a test for us and our abilities. All we made was a handful of euros but we didn’t care. We shot photos during the day, and we post-produced them at night. We wanted to learn, and every day was the perfect opportunity to improve.
Looking back, I still remember how hard those days were, punctuated by our enthusiasm, our obsessive attention to detail and the pure energy – which is precisely how all incredible journeys should start. When I think back of June 2018, when I had to fly to London at the client’s request . It was my first time there and I went by the name “Augusto”, so that no one would know that Federico, the founder, was also the guy shooting the pictures! Such crazy times! It was like a new beginning. It gave me the strength to try. the courage to set a global dream and the desire to try. Going to London was overcoming my personal limits!
Together we looked where no one else ventured, we looked for “Ithaca”, recalling the words of the poet Konstantinos Kavafis, wishing ourselves a long, fruitful journey of adventures and experiences. We too have met our cyclops, and facing them stimulates us to go on, pushes us to question ourselves and improve every day, looking for the most exciting chances.
Soon, a great opportunity led us to a new path, and our company shifted from being a vehicle for products to becoming something bigger – a company able to make a difference in its market segment and beyond. This required many changes. First of all, I went from being “just” a start-up founder to a CEO, with the skills set and responsibilities that come with the title. It was a second calling, a chance to change the status quo for visual content production, leaving the old way for the new, setting the best context possible to dream big together, making BOOM an example of the “new capitalism”. A sacred space to share thoughts, ideas, hopes and curiosities, encouraging original and innovative thinking, always championing a leadership model made of mutual inspiration and transparency, rooted in ethics, trust and integrity.
And do you know what the secret is? The realization that there are no shortcuts, magic potions or workarounds. As always, the real treasure is People.
Since our foundation, we have thought about our company’s long-term mission to build something that endures. Most companies overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in two or three decades. And the truth is that no matter how much we achieve we never think we’ve done enough. It doesn’t matter what phase your company is in, we all have to keep our standards high as we grow and stick to our principles because it’s what happens in the long term that matters, where the means used to accomplish the ends are as important as those ends! We are not about winning awards or reaching fame, we’re about never giving up on our designs to build something significant, where there was nothing before. And setting entirely new standards takes extraordinary ambition and consistent, long-term effort. But we gather strength as we go. That’s how we do it. That’s what we’re all about. This is our path, and we have to pursue it with determination and courage.
So by now I’m sure you get it. BOOM is not just a place to work. It is a place where, together, we change the world for the better through innovation. I have learned to remain confident that a small group of thoughtful and committed people can do it. So today’s message is clear – Always Keep Ithaca in front of you!
