A fractional design lead for startups that build with AI

Your team ships fast with tools like Claude Design and Claude Code. For a few hours a week, I look after the quality and direction of your product so your team can keep shipping fast.

01

Who this is for

  1. 1.1

    “We don’t have a designer.”

    Your engineers build the UI with AI, and nobody owns the experience. I can be that owner.

  2. 1.2

    “Our designer needs a senior partner.”

    I give them direction and back them up, so they grow instead of burning out.

  3. 1.3

    “We’re between design leaders.”

    I keep the work moving and the bar high until you hire. I can also help hire your next design leader.

  4. 1.4

    “The product is starting to feel messy.”

    I find what to cut and what to fix first.

  5. 1.5

    “Our founder has strong opinions.”

    Believe me, I’ve been there. I help turn those instincts into decisions the team can ship.

  6. 1.6

    “We still design by hand.”

    That’s great. I’m happy to roll up my sleeves and design alongside your designer, or be your hands-on design partner if you don’t have one.

02

Ways to work together

  • Design audit

    2 weeks

    $4,500USD

    A prioritized list of what to fix first, and a walkthrough with your team. Most clients start here.

  • Advisor

    monthly

    $3,500USD per month

    A weekly review session, plus feedback and decisions in between.

  • Lead

    monthly

    Customscoped to the initiative

    Everything in Advisor, plus I own design direction for one major initiative each quarter.

I’m hands-on. I’ll design with your team or build in code, whichever fits how you work. I work with no more than three teams at a time.

03

About me

Portrait of Nick Looijmans

I was a designer and later a design leader at Shopify for 8 years (2013–2021). I often worked on projects that needed scope cut and decisions made so they could ship. Since then I’ve worked independently with startups and larger tech companies. These days I design and build, and I use Claude Code to turn decisions into working prototypes.

Tell me what feels stuck. If I can help, we’ll start with a two-week audit.