What does the word “Zoobi” call to mind? For its creator Ayodhya Galappaththi, Zoobi encompasses all that is cute, funky, unique. And that is exactly what her Zoobi cards are.“When we were planning Zoobi (my sister and I) we had been looking for a cool name, which is easy to pronounce, easy to recall, something cheerful, simple, musical and so on. Basically something like partying. So we called it Zoobi,” she says.
What started off as a stress buster and hobby has now turned into a lucrative past time which takes up most of Ayodhya’s nights and weekends- when she is not busy pursuing her career in a finance organization and her marketing qualification.
“I have always loved doing creative things, and I started with birthday cards for my friends and colleagues,” she recalls. “The feedback I got from these was phenomenal, and I received a lot of requests, and I started Designing cards on commercial perspective since late 2009.”
While observing the latest trends online, Ayodhya stands firmly by the principle that Zoobi designs will always be entirely her own. “I believe that the combination of creativity and a unique concept can work wonders. And so while I refer designs on the Internet, I never replicate them because I want Zoobi to stand out as something special.”
Working her magic primarily with board and paper, Ayodhya is constantly open to the possibility of using other materials that attract her attention. “If I happen to come across anything that looks nice to me,” she says, “I incorporate it into my designs. It is for this reason that each creation is different- I never repeat a design unless I am required to for a corporate design. As a result, my portfolio is quite large. Each design is personal, customized. And I want the person who gives the card- as well as the one who receives it- to feel the same way. It’s all about expressing your feelings with high quality, innovative and customized greetings. This is the main theme of Zoobi.
A recent addition to Zoobi is a brand new series of wedding stationery. Ayodhya also handles corporate requests flyers, folders and invitations for events.
The youngest in a family of three elder sisters, Ayodhya studied at Visakha Vidyalaya. Currently she is a student of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). “My mother has always been my mentor, encouraging me to be creative. I have also had a great deal of support from my family and friends. I also love music, design and photography; and I am busy working on a few event management projects and interior design.”
While nurturing her growing enterprise, Ayodhya is all too aware of the challenges she would have to face in the future. But she is also positive and looks forward to overcoming these challenges.
“The magic of Zoobi is not just how it looks,” she concludes. The real magic is how people feel after receiving Zoobi. The expressions and feelings of those who give and receive are the most wonderful thing that I experienced, and the relaxation and pleasure of delivering something nice.”
For more details, pictures of designs, visit Zoobi’s Facebook page, titled Zoobi- Magical Wish. |
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