Design Driven by Entrepreneurial Spirit

As a high school sophomore, Bryan Veloso ’05 knew two things: He wanted to major in entrepreneurship in college and he had a strong affinity for Web design. He’s succeeded in both areas.

With a degree in entrepreneurship from JWU, Veloso started “five or six” businesses — three that still keep him busy. As CEO at Revyver Inc., Veloso and his fiancée, Jen Verduzco, do everything from design for the Web to stage corporate training workshops and networking events. Veloso and three friends co-founded Sidebar Creative, offering higher-level products than they can through their individual businesses — books, tutorials, interfaces, Web applications and content management. And his longest-running vocation, begun in 2000, is his blog, “Avalonstar.”

“Did I think I would start this many businesses? No. I think it just goes with my personality,” says Veloso. “I will always be a startup person. It aligns perfectly with entrepreneurship … I got the degree first and then learned through working that my personality matched the degree … Entrepreneurship is who I am.”

His instincts also led him to leave a job others would envy. Veloso worked for Facebook for one year, first as interaction designer and then as creative director. Self-described as “sensitive to the corporate environment,” he left in May 2006 when the company grew to more than 150 people. Having once worked closely with founder, Mark Zuckerberg, he began having to go through others to speak to him. “When I reminisce about Facebook, I tell people … I loved the start-up experience. I came in fairly early … I believe I was employee number 27 — what they used to call the original Facebook mafia.”

Based in Los Angeles, Calif., Veloso now charts his own creative and entrepreneurial course. “Revyver and Sidebar Creative are ever-evolving. We sort of take it as our mood changes,” he says. “It all revolves around a desire to seek happiness … through my designs and making sure people have good experiences.”