Anthems
DEC 2021 - MAY 2024
BRAND
DESIGN
Overview
In December 2021, I transitioned from a Process Engineer role in medical device manufacturing to the world of tech and design through sheer determination—and a well-timed cold email. With zero traditional qualifications, I landed an opportunity with Anthems, a social music app, where I transformed my recreational design skills into professional expertise and eventually earned the role of Head of Design.
Accomplishments
Taught myself everything I know about design while leading the design strategy for a high-growth startup that reached 2M+ users globally (>90% organic).
Improved D14 retention to surpass benchmarks set by TikTok and Instagram.
Boosted Anthems to Top 30 in the App Store music charts.
Designed viral shareables that brought in 1M users in 1 week, significantly fueling organic growth.
Responsibilities
As the founding designer & eventual Head of Design at Anthems, I was responsible for the end-to-end design process, from ideation and branding to UI/UX design and product strategy. I led the creation of four unique products and brands, driving significant growth and engagement.
Process
When I joined Anthems, the product was in its early stages, and the design was clunky and lacked a cohesive visual identity. I knew I couldn't overhaul everything at once, so I took a strategic, iterative approach. My first step was immersing myself in design tools—Figma, Framer, Jitter, Lottie—teaching myself from scratch. This hands-on education quickly became my playground for experimentation and discovery.
One of my initial tasks was to improve the overall user experience. I started by analyzing the existing app, identifying pain points, and gathering user feedback to inform my design decisions. I collaborated closely with the engineering team, translating my design concepts into actionable tasks in Asana, which were complemented with detailed UX flows in Figma. This collaborative approach ensured that my vision was not only understood but also executed with precision.
As I gained more confidence, I began to inject my personal style into the product. I progressively incorporated new design elements, colors, and themes that would resonate with our user base, which was predominantly Gen Z. The polaroid-style artist pages, for example, became a signature design element that not only improved SEO but also enhanced the app’s visual appeal.
In addition to UI/UX design, I played a crucial role in brand creation and product ideation. I was given creative freedom to redefine the look and feel of Anthems across the app, web, and social platforms. This freedom allowed me to experiment with bold, innovative concepts that set Anthems apart in a crowded market.
One of my most impactful contributions was the development of shareables, which became our largest source of organic growth. These 1080 x 1920px frames were not just about design; they were about understanding user psychology and creating something that people wanted to share. The success of these shareables, particularly for our Fanalytics product, was a testament to the power of design in driving user engagement and virality.
Throughout my time at Anthems, I remained agile and user-focused. I iterated quickly based on user feedback, A/B testing, and data analysis, which allowed us to pivot and adapt to the evolving needs of our audience. My design strategies were not just about making things look good; they were about making things work better for our users, which ultimately led to measurable improvements in retention, engagement, and overall user satisfaction.
Additional Visuals
Anthems
DEC 2021 - MAY 2024
BRAND
DESIGN
Overview
In December 2021, I transitioned from a Process Engineer role in medical device manufacturing to the world of tech and design through sheer determination—and a well-timed cold email. With zero traditional qualifications, I landed an opportunity with Anthems, a social music app, where I transformed my recreational design skills into professional expertise and eventually earned the role of Head of Design.
Accomplishments
Taught myself everything I know about design while leading the design strategy for a high-growth startup that reached 2M+ users globally (>90% organic).
Improved D14 retention to surpass benchmarks set by TikTok and Instagram.
Boosted Anthems to Top 30 in the App Store music charts.
Designed viral shareables that brought in 1M users in 1 week, significantly fueling organic growth.
Responsibilities
As the founding designer & eventual Head of Design at Anthems, I was responsible for the end-to-end design process, from ideation and branding to UI/UX design and product strategy. I led the creation of four unique products and brands, driving significant growth and engagement.
Process
When I joined Anthems, the product was in its early stages, and the design was clunky and lacked a cohesive visual identity. I knew I couldn't overhaul everything at once, so I took a strategic, iterative approach. My first step was immersing myself in design tools—Figma, Framer, Jitter, Lottie—teaching myself from scratch. This hands-on education quickly became my playground for experimentation and discovery.
One of my initial tasks was to improve the overall user experience. I started by analyzing the existing app, identifying pain points, and gathering user feedback to inform my design decisions. I collaborated closely with the engineering team, translating my design concepts into actionable tasks in Asana, which were complemented with detailed UX flows in Figma. This collaborative approach ensured that my vision was not only understood but also executed with precision.
As I gained more confidence, I began to inject my personal style into the product. I progressively incorporated new design elements, colors, and themes that would resonate with our user base, which was predominantly Gen Z. The polaroid-style artist pages, for example, became a signature design element that not only improved SEO but also enhanced the app’s visual appeal.
In addition to UI/UX design, I played a crucial role in brand creation and product ideation. I was given creative freedom to redefine the look and feel of Anthems across the app, web, and social platforms. This freedom allowed me to experiment with bold, innovative concepts that set Anthems apart in a crowded market.
One of my most impactful contributions was the development of shareables, which became our largest source of organic growth. These 1080 x 1920px frames were not just about design; they were about understanding user psychology and creating something that people wanted to share. The success of these shareables, particularly for our Fanalytics product, was a testament to the power of design in driving user engagement and virality.
Throughout my time at Anthems, I remained agile and user-focused. I iterated quickly based on user feedback, A/B testing, and data analysis, which allowed us to pivot and adapt to the evolving needs of our audience. My design strategies were not just about making things look good; they were about making things work better for our users, which ultimately led to measurable improvements in retention, engagement, and overall user satisfaction.
Additional Visuals
Anthems
DEC 2021 - MAY 2024
BRAND
DESIGN
Overview
In December 2021, I transitioned from a Process Engineer role in medical device manufacturing to the world of tech and design through sheer determination—and a well-timed cold email. With zero traditional qualifications, I landed an opportunity with Anthems, a social music app, where I transformed my recreational design skills into professional expertise and eventually earned the role of Head of Design.
Accomplishments
Taught myself everything I know about design while leading the design strategy for a high-growth startup that reached 2M+ users globally (>90% organic).
Improved D14 retention to surpass benchmarks set by TikTok and Instagram.
Boosted Anthems to Top 30 in the App Store music charts.
Designed viral shareables that brought in 1M users in 1 week, significantly fueling organic growth.
Responsibilities
As the founding designer & eventual Head of Design at Anthems, I was responsible for the end-to-end design process, from ideation and branding to UI/UX design and product strategy. I led the creation of four unique products and brands, driving significant growth and engagement.
Process
When I joined Anthems, the product was in its early stages, and the design was clunky and lacked a cohesive visual identity. I knew I couldn't overhaul everything at once, so I took a strategic, iterative approach. My first step was immersing myself in design tools—Figma, Framer, Jitter, Lottie—teaching myself from scratch. This hands-on education quickly became my playground for experimentation and discovery.
One of my initial tasks was to improve the overall user experience. I started by analyzing the existing app, identifying pain points, and gathering user feedback to inform my design decisions. I collaborated closely with the engineering team, translating my design concepts into actionable tasks in Asana, which were complemented with detailed UX flows in Figma. This collaborative approach ensured that my vision was not only understood but also executed with precision.
As I gained more confidence, I began to inject my personal style into the product. I progressively incorporated new design elements, colors, and themes that would resonate with our user base, which was predominantly Gen Z. The polaroid-style artist pages, for example, became a signature design element that not only improved SEO but also enhanced the app’s visual appeal.
In addition to UI/UX design, I played a crucial role in brand creation and product ideation. I was given creative freedom to redefine the look and feel of Anthems across the app, web, and social platforms. This freedom allowed me to experiment with bold, innovative concepts that set Anthems apart in a crowded market.
One of my most impactful contributions was the development of shareables, which became our largest source of organic growth. These 1080 x 1920px frames were not just about design; they were about understanding user psychology and creating something that people wanted to share. The success of these shareables, particularly for our Fanalytics product, was a testament to the power of design in driving user engagement and virality.
Throughout my time at Anthems, I remained agile and user-focused. I iterated quickly based on user feedback, A/B testing, and data analysis, which allowed us to pivot and adapt to the evolving needs of our audience. My design strategies were not just about making things look good; they were about making things work better for our users, which ultimately led to measurable improvements in retention, engagement, and overall user satisfaction.
Additional Visuals