Design / Marketing Lead

Design / Marketing Lead

Design / Marketing Lead

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In the journey of entrepreneurship, sometimes wearing multiple hats becomes a necessity. This was the case for a small company founded by two friends and myself, where I found myself donning the hats of a developer, marketer, business strategist, and designer to help bring our vision to life.

We were just some dudes that loved Smash Bros, and we wanted to build something to make it better. So we teamed up and made it happen. We went on hikes, traveled to tournaments together, and grinded long hours in coffee shops to meet our (self-imposed) deadlines. I also had to work remotely for a long period of time during my travels.


Preliminary Product Thinking

When I first was brought onto the project, I took a number of preliminary steps to make sure that the founders and I were all aligned. First, I conducted an in-depth Product Understanding Check with the team. We were able to hone in on what problems we were actually solving, and confirm that our solutions were the right ones for our audience of players and tournament organizers.

Then, I built out some preliminary wireframes for our core product - an automatic tournament seeder. With the feedback on the wireframes, I was able to better understand how they envisioned the product to look like and function. It also served as a starting point for me to communicate how I thought it should work. I used data backed from user interviews and field research to either support my points or refine the wrong ones.



Procedure

As a designer, I played a crucial role in building the foundation of our product. Using Framer, I solo designed and developed our Prelaunch page which boasted a whopping 60% conversion rate (over 350 signups over 600 unique page visits). People were rabid to become beta testers and get early access to our tool. I worked closely with one of the developers to build out the rest of the front end, ensuring that our offering was not only functional but also intuitive and user-friendly.



Simultaneously, I took on the responsibility of marketing our brand and product. Through strategic campaigns and digital initiatives, I worked to create awareness, attract customers, and build a loyal user base. From crafting compelling content to leveraging social media platforms, I tapped into my marketing skills to spread the word and generate buzz around our company.



Understanding the intricacies of the business landscape was a necessity for us. In a market that is as finnicky and impression-driven as gamers, it's important to get things done right the first time around - you won't get them back otherwise. To that end, I conducted market research, analyzed industry trends, and identified potential competitors and opportunities. With this knowledge, I contributed to shaping our business strategy, making informed decisions that would set us apart and drive growth.

I created a discussion guide so that the team could assist me with some of the T.O interviews. We talked to T.Os and players all around the world, gathering tons of opinions and insights from even as far as the U.A.E.! (Check out the interviews here!)

Fleshing out the visual identity of our company and product was yet another aspect I took charge of. I ensured that our brand communicated our values and resonated with our target audience. From designing logos and creating a cohesive brand identity to crafting visually captivating interfaces, I used my design skills to leave a lasting impression on our users. You can check out our design system and master Figma file here.


Where we are now

While juggling these diverse responsibilities was challenging, it was also incredibly rewarding. Wearing multiple hats allowed me to gain a holistic understanding of our company and its various facets. It enabled me to make informed decisions, adapt quickly to changing circumstances, and contribute to the success and growth of our venture.

In the realm of entrepreneurship, versatility and adaptability are essential. Wearing the hats of a developer, marketer, business strategist, and designer allowed me to contribute my expertise to different areas of our small company.

More importantly, I learned that kind communication and teamwork are what gets a team across the finish line in the race from zero to one. We definitely had our fair share of arguments about features, deadlines, and just plain stress. Without us each taking considerable efforts to compromise and accommodate one another, we wouldn't have been able to get to where we are now. Today we're on the verge of launching our Open Beta :)


Visit Project

In the journey of entrepreneurship, sometimes wearing multiple hats becomes a necessity. This was the case for a small company founded by two friends and myself, where I found myself donning the hats of a developer, marketer, business strategist, and designer to help bring our vision to life.

We were just some dudes that loved Smash Bros, and we wanted to build something to make it better. So we teamed up and made it happen. We went on hikes, traveled to tournaments together, and grinded long hours in coffee shops to meet our (self-imposed) deadlines. I also had to work remotely for a long period of time during my travels.


Preliminary Product Thinking

When I first was brought onto the project, I took a number of preliminary steps to make sure that the founders and I were all aligned. First, I conducted an in-depth Product Understanding Check with the team. We were able to hone in on what problems we were actually solving, and confirm that our solutions were the right ones for our audience of players and tournament organizers.

Then, I built out some preliminary wireframes for our core product - an automatic tournament seeder. With the feedback on the wireframes, I was able to better understand how they envisioned the product to look like and function. It also served as a starting point for me to communicate how I thought it should work. I used data backed from user interviews and field research to either support my points or refine the wrong ones.



Procedure

As a designer, I played a crucial role in building the foundation of our product. Using Framer, I solo designed and developed our Prelaunch page which boasted a whopping 60% conversion rate (over 350 signups over 600 unique page visits). People were rabid to become beta testers and get early access to our tool. I worked closely with one of the developers to build out the rest of the front end, ensuring that our offering was not only functional but also intuitive and user-friendly.



Simultaneously, I took on the responsibility of marketing our brand and product. Through strategic campaigns and digital initiatives, I worked to create awareness, attract customers, and build a loyal user base. From crafting compelling content to leveraging social media platforms, I tapped into my marketing skills to spread the word and generate buzz around our company.



Understanding the intricacies of the business landscape was a necessity for us. In a market that is as finnicky and impression-driven as gamers, it's important to get things done right the first time around - you won't get them back otherwise. To that end, I conducted market research, analyzed industry trends, and identified potential competitors and opportunities. With this knowledge, I contributed to shaping our business strategy, making informed decisions that would set us apart and drive growth.

I created a discussion guide so that the team could assist me with some of the T.O interviews. We talked to T.Os and players all around the world, gathering tons of opinions and insights from even as far as the U.A.E.! (Check out the interviews here!)

Fleshing out the visual identity of our company and product was yet another aspect I took charge of. I ensured that our brand communicated our values and resonated with our target audience. From designing logos and creating a cohesive brand identity to crafting visually captivating interfaces, I used my design skills to leave a lasting impression on our users. You can check out our design system and master Figma file here.


Where we are now

While juggling these diverse responsibilities was challenging, it was also incredibly rewarding. Wearing multiple hats allowed me to gain a holistic understanding of our company and its various facets. It enabled me to make informed decisions, adapt quickly to changing circumstances, and contribute to the success and growth of our venture.

In the realm of entrepreneurship, versatility and adaptability are essential. Wearing the hats of a developer, marketer, business strategist, and designer allowed me to contribute my expertise to different areas of our small company.

More importantly, I learned that kind communication and teamwork are what gets a team across the finish line in the race from zero to one. We definitely had our fair share of arguments about features, deadlines, and just plain stress. Without us each taking considerable efforts to compromise and accommodate one another, we wouldn't have been able to get to where we are now. Today we're on the verge of launching our Open Beta :)


Visit Project

In the journey of entrepreneurship, sometimes wearing multiple hats becomes a necessity. This was the case for a small company founded by two friends and myself, where I found myself donning the hats of a developer, marketer, business strategist, and designer to help bring our vision to life.

We were just some dudes that loved Smash Bros, and we wanted to build something to make it better. So we teamed up and made it happen. We went on hikes, traveled to tournaments together, and grinded long hours in coffee shops to meet our (self-imposed) deadlines. I also had to work remotely for a long period of time during my travels.


Preliminary Product Thinking

When I first was brought onto the project, I took a number of preliminary steps to make sure that the founders and I were all aligned. First, I conducted an in-depth Product Understanding Check with the team. We were able to hone in on what problems we were actually solving, and confirm that our solutions were the right ones for our audience of players and tournament organizers.

Then, I built out some preliminary wireframes for our core product - an automatic tournament seeder. With the feedback on the wireframes, I was able to better understand how they envisioned the product to look like and function. It also served as a starting point for me to communicate how I thought it should work. I used data backed from user interviews and field research to either support my points or refine the wrong ones.



Procedure

As a designer, I played a crucial role in building the foundation of our product. Using Framer, I solo designed and developed our Prelaunch page which boasted a whopping 60% conversion rate (over 350 signups over 600 unique page visits). People were rabid to become beta testers and get early access to our tool. I worked closely with one of the developers to build out the rest of the front end, ensuring that our offering was not only functional but also intuitive and user-friendly.



Simultaneously, I took on the responsibility of marketing our brand and product. Through strategic campaigns and digital initiatives, I worked to create awareness, attract customers, and build a loyal user base. From crafting compelling content to leveraging social media platforms, I tapped into my marketing skills to spread the word and generate buzz around our company.



Understanding the intricacies of the business landscape was a necessity for us. In a market that is as finnicky and impression-driven as gamers, it's important to get things done right the first time around - you won't get them back otherwise. To that end, I conducted market research, analyzed industry trends, and identified potential competitors and opportunities. With this knowledge, I contributed to shaping our business strategy, making informed decisions that would set us apart and drive growth.

I created a discussion guide so that the team could assist me with some of the T.O interviews. We talked to T.Os and players all around the world, gathering tons of opinions and insights from even as far as the U.A.E.! (Check out the interviews here!)

Fleshing out the visual identity of our company and product was yet another aspect I took charge of. I ensured that our brand communicated our values and resonated with our target audience. From designing logos and creating a cohesive brand identity to crafting visually captivating interfaces, I used my design skills to leave a lasting impression on our users. You can check out our design system and master Figma file here.


Where we are now

While juggling these diverse responsibilities was challenging, it was also incredibly rewarding. Wearing multiple hats allowed me to gain a holistic understanding of our company and its various facets. It enabled me to make informed decisions, adapt quickly to changing circumstances, and contribute to the success and growth of our venture.

In the realm of entrepreneurship, versatility and adaptability are essential. Wearing the hats of a developer, marketer, business strategist, and designer allowed me to contribute my expertise to different areas of our small company.

More importantly, I learned that kind communication and teamwork are what gets a team across the finish line in the race from zero to one. We definitely had our fair share of arguments about features, deadlines, and just plain stress. Without us each taking considerable efforts to compromise and accommodate one another, we wouldn't have been able to get to where we are now. Today we're on the verge of launching our Open Beta :)


Visit Project