UI/UX Design for Early-stage Startups

A sprint is 2 weeks of focused design work (80 hours total). We start with a kickoff call to define scope and priorities, then I work through research, wireframes, and high-fidelity designs for your most critical needs. What you can accomplish depends on your specific project. It might be designing core user flows, an MVP feature set, or key product screens. You can book a free consultation to discuss your specific goals and what's realistic to achieve in a sprint.

Principal Product Designer is the highest individual contributor level in most tech companies, above Senior and Staff levels. Principal designers lead product strategy, establish design direction, and mentor teams, typically requiring 10+ years of experience. I bring this strategic, senior-level expertise to your startup without the $200k+ salary these roles command at larger companies.

Yes. Many clients start with a sprint to get things going as they define their long-term roadmap, and then transition to a retainer for ongoing work to get a better price. You can also scale your monthly hours up or down, or convert retainer work into a defined project. Another alternative to retainers is buying 6 or 12 consecutive sprints and getting retainer pricing. The engagement model should serve your needs, not constrain them, so if you still have some concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Yes. I design responsive web apps that work on desktop, tablet and mobile, as well as native mobile apps for iOS and Android.

The $200k+ refers to the cost of hiring full-time product design talent at senior level or above. According to Glassdoor's 2025 data, median total compensation (base salary + bonuses + stock) is:

• Senior Product Designer: $198k
• Staff Product Designer: $211k
• Principal Product Designer: $257k

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This is just what employees receive. When you add employer taxes and benefits (health insurance, 401k matching), the actual cost to hire at these levels exceeds $250k-$300k+ a year. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the total cost including taxes and benefits is usually 1.25 to 1.4 times the salary, and if you add recruiting fees and onboarding costs to that, even a $120k salary can reach $200k in total expenses for the first year.

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The reality is, you often don’t need to hire full-time at early stages. Working with me, you can launch and grow your product at a fraction of that cost, without settling for a junior-level hire.

You will be working with me directly. I work with a limited number of clients and I do all the work myself. Unlike some larger agencies, I won’t just delegate the work to a junior employee while continuing to charge you the full rate, you will actually get what you are paying for. This ensures that the quality will be consistent and that your project will always be top priority. The only scenario in which I will bring on additional people is if you request it and we explicitly agree on doing so.

Both one-time projects and ongoing monthly services are available and they are both priced based on an hourly rate. My standard rate for ongoing work is $125/hour, with a discounted rate of $100/hour for retainers that have a commitment of 6 months or longer. Monthly services are available with or without commitment, but the “starting at” prices displayed on this page are for 6 month commitments.

Unlike hiring a full-time employee where you're locked into salary and benefits regardless of workload, monthly retainers give you maximum flexibility to maintain the service only when you need it. For 3 and 6-month commitments, you get better rates in exchange for some commitment, but you can still exit early with a 25% cancellation fee on remaining value, which is significantly cheaper than being stuck with a full-time salary when priorities shift.