THE BRIEF

Back in 2015, I co-founded Awato. We wanted to help graduating high school students find their path. We noticed that while the "traditional college track" had plenty of resources, students looking for alternative paths like trade schools, local internships, or direct-to-career routes were often left in the dark.

We learned early that guidance counselors were overwhelmed and students couldn’t see the link between classroom work and their future potential. We needed to build a presence that felt like a supportive guide, not a corporate database. One that felt friendly to young students, but formal enough for our buyers to feel comfortable.

THE STRATEGY

Our strategy was to move away from the stuffy, academic feel of the space. We also realized the real “aha” happened when students could see opportunities in their own backyard.

The brand needed to be a way finding partner. We dropped the dry, academic tone and leaned into messaging that focused on the spark igniting student motivation by showing them a personalized, achievable future.

THE EXECUTION

Visually we focused on the concept of the individual journey. We drew inspiration from pathfinding motifs: guiding stars & constellations, waypoints, GPS lines, etc.

We used clean, interconnected lines and a vibrant but trustworthy color palette to represent the different directions a student’s life could take.

fig. 1: logo drafting

THE RESULTS

Awato grew from a New Hampshire startup into the state-selected platform for career development. We eventually expanded to serve over 200 K-12 schools and higher-ed institutions, including major partners like Southern New Hampshire University.

The ultimate win came in 2021, when Awato was acquired by Xello, a global leader in the space. By joining forces, our pathfinding approach was integrated into a system serving over 9 million students and educators.

>>> Xello Acquires Leading Career Pathfinding Platform for K-12 and Higher Ed students