Design Founder & Product Operator for Startups

I help early-stage teams move from zero to one — fast. From brand and UX to hiring and handoff, I plug in as your first design partner and help you build with clarity and momentum.

Why Me

I’m a Design Founder and Product Operator who partners with early-stage teams to design and ship fast.

→ Former Sr. Apple + SAP Product Designer

→ 5× Accelerator alum

→ 2x venture-backed founder (Gattaka Inc.)

→ EIR at a VC — I speak Design Founder and Product Operator

→ Helped dozens of teams go 0→1 with design

I’m not for everyone — I move fast, speak directly, and expect momentum.

Engagement opportunities

01 2-3 Week Sprint

$15K–$20K + optional equity Move fast and get results. Perfect for tightening up your UX, landing page, or pitch deck. → UX or conversion audit → Landing page or key flow design → Investor or demo deck polish

02 3- 6/mo Partnership

$25k–$40k depending on scope (3–6 months) Plug me in as your first or erly stage design partner in crime — I’ll help shape the product, vision, define your product, and help you hire the right people (very important!). → Vision, product, and GTM audit → UX flows, UI design, design system → Hiring brief + help finding your first designer → Final handoff + onboarding support

03 6/mo+ Design Partner & Product Operator

$125K–$175K + 2–3% equity For teams that need a founder-caliber design lead across MVP, launch, and growth. → Everything in the 3-month offer → Growth and retention UX → Investor collateral, experiments, onboarding → Weekly working sessions or async reviews

Clarity over consensus. Action over polish. Progress over perfection.

Testimonials

“Phil is one of those rare hybrid talents — a founder-minded designer who brings both strategy and taste to the table.”

William Ganser

CEO at Stack Influence

“We brought Phil in as a fractional Design partner and within weeks he transformed our landing page, clarified our UX, and helped us hire our first designer. A game changer.”

Brandon

Founder at Paragon

“Phil is an exceptional designer and entrepreneur. At Manhattan Venture Research, he consistently brought sharp UX thinking, strong collaboration, and clear communication. Any team would be lucky to have him.”

Santosh Rao

Head of Research at MVP.VC

“Phil is one of those rare hybrid talents — a founder-minded designer who brings both strategy and taste to the table.”

William Ganser

CEO at Stack Influence

“We brought Phil in as a fractional Design partner and within weeks he transformed our landing page, clarified our UX, and helped us hire our first designer. A game changer.”

Brandon

Founder at Paragon

Santosh Rao

Head of Research at MVP.VC

Samuel Davis

Designer at Omega

Santosh Rao

Head of Research at MVP.VC

Contractor vs. Design Founder

I’ve sat on both sides — founder and designer. No hand-holding required. I know how to move fast and plug in where you need momentum most.

Design Contractor

Best suited for startups or small teams that just need execution support on simple, well-defined design tasks.

Approach→ Takes a task list and executes

Mindset→ Pixel-focused

Scope→ Limited to design deliverables

Expereinces→ Freelancer background

Engagement→ Project-to-project

Value→ Produces assets

Design Contractor

Best suited for startups or small teams that just need execution support on simple, well-defined design tasks.

Approach→ Takes a task list and executes

Mindset→ Pixel-focused

Scope→ Limited to design deliverables

Expereinces→ Freelancer background

Engagement→ Project-to-project

Value→ Produces assets

Design Founder & Product Operator (Me)

Built for venture firms and high-growth startups that need more than design assets — they need strategic design leadership, product momentum, and business impact.

Approach→ Shapes the problem, defines priorities, then executes with clarity

Mindset→ Business-focused — clarity, speed, and outcomes

Scope→ End-to-end: product strategy, workflows, and design systems

Experience→ Ex-founder, ex-Apple, venture firm operator

Engagement→ Ongoing partner & product operator

Value→ Creates momentum and business impact

Design Founder & Product Operator (Me)

Built for venture firms and high-growth startups that need more than design assets — they need strategic design leadership, product momentum, and business impact.