HI, I'M JULIE.
I’m an Apple-trained product designer, prev @ Samsung, frog, R/GA.
I partner with entrepreneurs to turn their entrepreneurial visions into market-ready products through expert product guidance. ☺
Heya, I’m Julie, currently designing for the future at Apple! My journey started with a secret mission: using my parents’ computer to secretly learn how to use Photoshop at age 13, so I could design banners for my favorite K-pop band.
I've always had this knack for blending creativity with the business side of things. When I was 18, I started a side business at night after classes and made over $4,000 in profit by selling Japanese cosmetics. By 20, I was already coordinating events with Alibaba, with thousands of people attending, showcasing my knack for leadership early on. Alongside, I've dabbled in PR, strategy, and marketing, and worked in global agencies and innovative startups.
After joining Samsung, I led product design and shipped 2 products in the Samsung portfolio. Then, I decided to join Apple, my dream company, to build innovative solutions for the future of retail.
Now, I dedicate my expertise to assisting startup founders in refining their ideas and crafting products that stand out. Ready to bring your vision to life?
What are founders saying,
"Julie has been an exceptional asset in the early stages of my startup journey, bringing a unique user-centric approach to design.
She excels in identifying design gaps and applying systematic frameworks, significantly contributing to product development. Her insights into design flaws and competitive market strategies have been invaluable, enhancing my platform's appeal. Beyond her professional expertise, Julie's friendly demeanor and consistent reliability make her a go-to resource in product design. Her skill in distilling user research into actionable tasks is noteworthy, fostering significant professional growth. Overall, my experience with Julie has been incredibly positive, earning her my highest recommendation for her outstanding contributions."
What I offer
I partner with founders to crystallize their understanding of business, product, and user needs. Although I don't provide design solutions directly, I guide founders in developing effective product strategies and business best practices through a pragmatic lens focused on what's achievable within the product roadmap. My goal is to empower you with the confidence to clearly define both the challenges and solutions, ensuring a solid foundation for your venture's success.
Market Research and User Interviews
Providing insights into market trends, prep for user interviews, and competitive landscapes to inform product design strategies.
Design Thinking and Product Workshops
Facilitating workshops on design thinking principles to help entrepreneurs understand and apply user-centered design approaches.
Accountability
and Check-ins
Providing ongoing support for entrepreneurs to guide them through the founding journey.
Idea Validation Framework Demo
I've devised an Idea Validation Framework centered around user interviews, competitive analysis, and brainstorming solutions. This framework has been particularly effective for early-stage startup founders, offering them a profound insight into their user base and providing a clear, actionable direction for their product development.
What are founders saying,
"Julie conducted thorough user research by assisting in refining my research questions and providing a framework for summarizing feedback from user interviews. She also created visualized graphs for each persona.
Through this process, I gained a clearer understanding of the user journey and identified potential areas for improvement. With Julie's assistance, I felt confident in segmenting the customer base. I highly recommend working with her!"
"From the outset of my startup journey, Julie has been an indispensable consultant. She skillfully helped me identify the gaps in my ideas and guided me in crafting insightful user interviews. These interviews were crucial in deepening my understanding of the market and my target users.
Moreover, Julie's adept brainstorming sessions enabled me to pivot my ideas toward a direction that's much more aligned with market needs.
Our weekly check-ins, where she holds me accountable, have been a cornerstone of my progress. I highly recommend working with her to anyone looking to navigate the startup landscape with clarity and confidence.
Rsources to check out
Books to read
- "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman: A classic in design thinking, focusing on how design serves as the communication between object and user.
- "Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days" by Jake Knapp: Offers a practical guide to answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers.
- "Lean UX: Designing Great Products with Agile Teams" by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden: Focuses on the experience design process in an agile development environment.
- "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal: Explores how to create products that capture customer attention and create engagement.
- "Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen" by Donald Miller: A guide to understanding brand identity and communicating it effectively.
Online Resources
- Nielsen Norman Group: Offers a wealth of resources on UX research, insights, and trends.
- Dribbble: A community of designers sharing screenshots of their work, process, and projects.
- Awwwards: Recognizes the talent and effort of the best web designers, developers, and agencies in the world.
- Muzli: Muzli is a popular design inspiration and discovery tool, particularly useful for UI/UX designers and product developers.
- Read.cv: Read.cv is a show, don't tell professional network with beautiful profiles and meaningful connections.