My Story
I’m a product designer, tool maker, and startup founder. Here’s my backstory and how I approach product design.
I got my start in the tech industry as a student, working part-time at Apple’s flagship Regent Street Store in London. Working on the shop floor and talking to hundreds of customers each day was an experience I’ll never forget. It taught me a great deal about how real people use technology and what it takes to cultivate great relationships with every single customer.
Over the following years I continued pursuing my interests in business and innovation. I earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from RSM Erasmus University, took an internship at Groupon in Amsterdam when the hype for the company was at its peak, and visited Silicon Valley for the first time.
It was during this period that I began experimenting with different startup ideas. These included a collaborative whiteboard for online learners, an online dictionary for writers, a real-time notes sharing app, and a retro side-scrolling game for Apple TV. While their commercial success was limited, each project gave me hands-on experience with every aspect of product development, from concept to launch.
I also traveled around the world, working remotely in places like Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Seoul. I spent more time in the Bay Area as well, taking part in hackathons and startup events.
All of these experiences eventually led me to create GreetBot, a B2B SaaS application for onboarding new employees on Slack. Before it was acquired, GreetBot delivered over 5 million welcome messages to more than 4 million people across 14,000+ organizations and was ranked #4 fastest growing app on Slack of 2018. It was as intense as startup life can get, but it showed me that anything is possible if you work hard for it.
Today, I continue to experiment with new technologies, startup ideas, and design concepts in the foggy San Francisco, where I live with my wife and our 1‑year old daughter.
Design Principles
Great products take countless iterations, failed experiments, and hard-won lessons about what actually moves the needle. To be effective, your design principles must reflect that reality: push you to ask tough questions, challenge your assumptions, and help you make difficult trade-offs. For me, it comes down to five core concepts that guide every design decision I make.
Be Pragmatic
Deliver solutions, not fairy tales
Be Open
Invite feedback at every turn
Be Direct
Tackle problems head‑on
Be Patient
Don't rush to conclusions
Be Technical
Know how things work
Design Process
Effective design processes aren’t about following rigid frameworks but about establishing reliable practices that adapt to changing conditions. While some design problems can be solved with templates or step-by-step guides, the more complex ones require judgment, iteration, and a willingness to make mistakes. My approach to navigating that complexity boils down to three key practices that closely align with my design principles.
Start with the most critical part of the user journey.
It gives you a sense of priorities and sets the stage for everything else.
Look beyond the first solution you come up with.
The deeper you understand a problem, the cleaner and more intuitive the final design will be.
Pitch your complete design process, not just the end result.
It fills everyone in on the details and opens the floor to constructive feedback.
Design Expertise
Over the years I’ve built up expertise in areas that are critical to early product development and market success. These skills reflect both my core interests and years of hands-on experience, from early-stage startups to established companies.
Zero-to-One
Taking ideas from concept to launch
End-to-End Design
Owning the complete design process
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Bridging design and development
Multi-Platform Design
Designing for all user touchpoints
Systems Thinking
Building for speed and scale
Let’s Work Together
I’m always excited to tackle new challenges and collaborate with teams who love great design. Whether you’re looking for design strategy, hands-on product work, or someone who can bridge the gap between design and development, I’d love to hear about your project. Drop me a line at [email protected] and let’s build something great together.