When I was coming up with a personal brand name, I knew I wanted to include my Opa in some way. I grew up watching him take photos, draw characters, design sculptures, and create displays. I was always fascinated by the way he worked, how he edited images, set up his camera and lighting, and how his creative mind could put together something that looked amazing and informed people at the same time. I always wanted to do what he was doing.

I spent weeks trying to find a name that felt right. I started with our last name, but it was too hard for people to pronounce. I tried using it in its original German form, but that didn’t work either, it was still tricky to say and read. I even looked into the meaning of our name, Keeper of Geese and tried using Opa’s name, Roland Fritz, or even Roy, but nothing quite fit.

Then I had a conversation with my dad, Elliot (Opa’s eldest son), and he gave me the idea. He suggested I name my brand after Opa’s guardian angel.

Something important to know about my dad’s side of the family is that we’re very spiritual. We believe in guardian angels, in auras, and that our loved ones come back to visit us every once in a while. Opa had, and still has, a very powerful guardian angel who’s watched over all of us, especially since he passed away. Her name is Aravina.

That’s how I landed on the name The Aravina Effect. It felt right. To me, it’s a way to carry on Opa’s legacy through my own creative work. The “Effect” part of the name is about spreading the creativity and inspiration he passed down to me, and hopefully, passing that feeling on to others.