FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Ljubomir Bardžić
Freelance Product Designer
hello@ljubomir.design
www.ljubomir.design
Early-stage startups face numerous challenges, from trying to find product-market fit to operating on limited funding while looking to build the right team. Throughout this process, founders have to "wear multiple hats" out of necessity. A new case study examines whether this consolidated approach can accelerate business results while reducing operational complexity.
The tech industry has already recognized the value of consolidated expertise with the rise of full-stack developers who handle both front-end and back-end development. This analysis examines whether a similar approach to design and user experience can yield comparable benefits for early-stage startups.
The case study examines a three-year engagement where a startup adopted a full-stack design approach. While the company employed other designers for specific needs, one designer handled the integrated scope of UI/UX design, web design, Webflow development, conversion rate optimization, and SEO, switching between them as needed. Business metrics achieved during the project were analyzed to assess the impact of this consolidated model.
The results showed significant business impact across multiple areas. The startup launched a total of 7 different tools and services, while keeping user satisfaction consistently high, with the Net Promoter Score staying above 70 throughout the engagement. They achieved a 460% increase in ranked keywords and a 1,554% increase in organic search traffic, generating more than $250,000 of traffic value in the process. Additionally, conversion rate optimization efforts produced a 66% improvement in an already solid baseline conversion rate. The company reached profitability during the three-year period.
"At our startup, we prioritized the user experience at all costs – ensuring a seamless journey from first brand touchpoint through to delighted, word-of-mouth advocacy. Having the entire team, including design, collectively own our north-star metric of LTV/CAC created a powerful, collaborative, cross-functional alignment. It allowed every function to inform and elevate the others. Our design lead's ability to bridge product, design, and marketing disciplines was instrumental in making that cohesion possible."
— Steven Greitzer, CEO of Provenance (startup featured in the case study)
There are two primary reasons this approach works. First, while startups need to address multiple different aspects of their business, a good portion of them don't require a full-time role yet, so consolidating them is feasible and makes financial sense. Second, and less obvious reason is the reduced coordination and management overhead. When one person is involved in multiple aspects of the business, they can identify and resolve issues without communication delays, significantly improving operational efficiency and time-to-market.
"This need to operate with a smaller team can actually be an advantage for startups," says Ljubomir Bardžić, a freelance product designer. "When one person has context across multiple aspects of the business, they can identify and address issues that would be overlooked in a more siloed approach, while also moving much faster."
When startups are brand new, they are looking to extend their runway and build as much as possible within that runway, so this streamlined approach works well. For companies at later stages of their development, bigger budgets, longer product cycles, and bigger workloads naturally turn the focus towards hiring multiple specialists.
Ljubomir Bardžić is a freelance product designer, Adobe Certified Expert, and Webflow expert with more than a decade of experience working with early-stage startups. His client work has been recognized by leading industry publications, with projects featured by The New York Times, Forbes, TechCrunch, Wall Street Journal, and other major outlets including Vogue, Fortune, and Business Insider.
###
Ljubomir Bardžić
Freelance Product Designer
www.linkedin.com/in/ljubomir-design/