Petr, a Russian designer with a strong academic background in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and Applied Physics from the Moscow Institute, took an unconventional route into design. Initially influenced by skepticism regarding the viability of a creative career in Russia, Petr engaged in side projects drawing him toward design. His experiences at MIT and the Boston startup scene, along with mentorship from industry leaders, refined his design ethos, emphasizing user empathy and attention to detail. His multidisciplinary approach continues to shape his successful career in product design.
Getting into design was not a linear journey. I grew up in Russia, where my parents told me there was no real future for artists, so I followed a more traditional path.
Along the way, I got involved in organizing events and side projects, where I gravitated toward the design side, making posters, websites, and thinking through experiences.
I met Paul English, a cofounder of Kayak who got me into Boston startup world, and taught so many things about product and attention to detail.
At Zappos they required every new employee to participate in taking customer support calls, that empathy for end customer really stuck with me.
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