Designing the Future

A couple of months ago, I co-founded FotoPool, an AI-powered event photo-management platform. The market was crowded with photo-sharing apps. It would’ve been easy to think, Why bother creating another one?

But here’s the thing: no one was solving the real problem.

Imagine being at an event where everyone’s taking amazing pictures. The vibe is perfect, the memories are everywhere, but how do you actually get those photos? And for event planners, how do you organise and share them efficiently without pulling your hair out?

Most apps focused on sharing. We decided to tackle collecting.

At FotoPool, we dared to innovate by zeroing in on one simple but overlooked moment in the user journey. Using AI, we made it effortless for attendees to pool photos together and for planners to distribute them seamlessly. That small shift created a big impact and what I learnt from this is that innovation doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel. Sometimes, it’s just about taking what exists and making it work better.

Innovation Isn’t Optional

If you don’t innovate, someone else will.

For me, just as it is with mt team at FotoPool, staying stagnant wasn’t an option, and it shouldn’t be for you either. Whether you’re building a product, growing a brand, or refining your craft, the key is simple: progress isn’t a luxury; it’s survival.

 

The most successful brands, as I explore in Amplify & Scale (a book I'm launching October 2025), thrive because they focus on creating experiences that matter. They recognise that progress doesn’t mean compromise. It means rethinking how they connect with their audience.

It didn't take long for me to realise that there are lots of startup or smaller enterprises who fail because they miss this singular understanding of innovation, and after 13 years of crafting end-to-end UX Design, including, user journeys and personas, product strategy, visual design, interaction design and prototyping, I finally understood why.

It's all because of FEAR!

• What if no one uses it?

• What if we mess it up?

• What if it doesn’t stand out?

But here’s the thing, fear is just a distraction. The future rewards those who dare to create, to embrace uncertainty, and to challenge the status quo.

So ask yourself:

• What moments in your process can you amplify?

• What frustrations can you eliminate?

• What would make your audience go, “Wow”?

If you don’t ask these questions, someone else will.

Your Task This Week (this will be a constant part of this newsletter)

Let’s make this practical.

Think about one moment in your product, service, or workflow that feels clunky or frustrating, either for you or your users.

 

1. Spot it: What’s the exact point where things could be better?

2. Reimagine it: What small change could amplify its impact or remove the friction?

3. Try it: Implement the change and see what happens.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Start small. Progress is about movement, not perfection.

The future belongs to those who dare.

FotoPool wasn’t built by playing it safe, and neither will your next big win.

What’s stopping you from creating something remarkable?

If you're interested in how Amplify & Scale can help elevate your business or if you're looking for UX consulting to make your product or service better, feel free to reach out via email: [email protected]

Oladimeji Ajegbile