Founding Product Designer (first hire)
Founder + myself, later multiple dev teams & advisors
Product design, brand identity, prototyping, user research, fundraising support
2017–2019
When I joined WOKEN, the company had a clear mission — help young professionals take control of their careers through coaching and technology — but no product.
The founder wrote a book on coaching and wanted to use technology to scale her teachings. We started with a tiny budget and no technical team. I was tasked with shaping every aspect of the brand, business and platform to bring that vision to life.
How might we build and validate a career coaching platform with little resources — moving from a book into a real product that users love — while navigating pivots, technical constraints, and multiple development teams?
Launched a fully functional prototype in Google Sheets, enabling 50+ users to test assessments and track progress. User enthusiasm validated the concept, while frustration with the format pushed us to build a real app.
Designed our first dashboard in Sketch, translating early ideas into a tangible interface. User and developer feedback revealed usability issues, guiding us to refine both features and feasibility.
Partnered with a new development team and reimagined the platform based on stakeholder input. Navigated tech challenges and team changes to deliver a more robust, user-informed product.
After countless user interviews and meetings with advisors, the biggest piece of feedback we received was that the platform needed to feed users with bite-size information. I simplified and reimagined all pages.
The stakeholders had apprehension of the creation of a mobile app, however the user feedback strongly indicated a need for responsive screens and on-the-go use.
Scrappy prototyping accelerates validation and builds momentum. Launching in Google Sheets gave us rapid feedback that shaped the platform’s direction.
Advocating for users, even when stakeholders were hesitant, drove adoption. Pushing for mobile and simplified flows aligned the product with real user needs
Early product leaders influence both culture and product. My role extended beyond design to shaping process and growth strategy.
Limited funding and resources forced us to be inventive, turning scrappiness into a competitive advantage.
Launched a working platform used by paying customers and enterprise pilots within two years.
Helped secure $250K in grants, competitions, and accelerator programs.
Recognized by NYU and startup accelerators for innovation and traction.
Built a foundation for growth through brand identity, early user research, and iterative UX.
I learned how to balance scrappy problem-solving with executive-level vision — moving from spreadsheets to investor demos without losing focus.
I became more confident in championing users as a driver of strategy, even when it meant pushing back on stakeholder resistance.
Navigating pivots, funding shifts, and dev team changes showed me how to lead through uncertainty with focus and continuity.
As the first hire, I learned to lead without formal authority — aligning stakeholders, developers, and advisors around a shared vision.
