About Me
Learn fast. Think slow. Ship often.
Biography
Learn fast
My name is Michael. I'm a product designer based in New York City, and I enjoy solving complex problems at early stage SaaS companies.
I got here by obsessively scanning the pages of Snap On Tools repair manuals filled with interesting diagrams and schematics. My father kept his on a low shelf I could reach, and read them the way other kids read comics. Exploded diagrams of carburetors and the order you loosen head bolts so the block doesn't warp.
I was 7, growing up in Cuba, finding joy from a pile of books that explained how complicated things come apart and go back together.
Think slow
The UI obsession came later, at my first job out of college at Lockheed Martin, on a project I still can't talk about except to say it involved teaching infantry how to do their job through something that looked a lot like a video game.
My first paid design gig happened around the same time: a Flash website I'd agreed to build for a client before realizing I didn't know a single line of ActionScript. I did what every broke college kid did in 2004. Drove to Barnes & Noble, bought the Flash Bible with the CD-ROM in the back, and reverse-engineered the thing over a weekend. Shipped on time.
Fifteen years later, the loop hasn't changed much: take on something hard, sit with it until the shape is right, ship it before the nerves catch up.
Ship often
Biography
Learn fast
My name is Michael. I'm a product designer based in New York City, and I enjoy solving complex problems at early stage SaaS companies.
I got here by obsessively scanning the pages of Snap On Tools repair manuals filled with interesting diagrams and schematics. My father kept his on a low shelf I could reach, and read them the way other kids read comics. Exploded diagrams of carburetors and the order you loosen head bolts so the block doesn't warp.
I was 7, growing up in Cuba, finding joy from a pile of books that explained how complicated things come apart and go back together.
Think slow
The UI obsession came later, at my first job out of college at Lockheed Martin, on a project I still can't talk about except to say it involved teaching infantry how to do their job through something that looked a lot like a video game.
My first paid design gig happened around the same time: a Flash website I'd agreed to build for a client before realizing I didn't know a single line of ActionScript. I did what every broke college kid did in 2004. Drove to Barnes & Noble, bought the Flash Bible with the CD-ROM in the back, and reverse-engineered the thing over a weekend. Shipped on time.
Fifteen years later, the loop hasn't changed much: take on something hard, sit with it until the shape is right, ship it before the nerves catch up.
Ship often
Highlights
The good bits
11
🇨🇺
My age when I moved to Miami, FL, from Cuba.
4
Positions held as a UCF varsity football player.
108
Number of total miles clocked on my favorite road bike. The best part: it was for a charity I'm very passionate about.
15M
New Yorkers have interacted with one or more products I helped design to bring connectivity to underserved communities.
Enterprise security, civic infrastructure, compliance tech, and identity platforms. The careful thinking is what made the work stick.
60+ design sprints across mobile apps, SaaS platforms, and early-stage products that had no design playbook yet. Each one meant absorbing a new business model, a new user base, and a new set of constraints in days. The careful thinking is what kept the work from collapsing under its own ambition.
LinkNYC at Intersection reached 15 million users across New York City. At Density, I led five product designers building real-time occupancy tools during peak COVID demand. At Mosey, I was the sole product designer from MVP through its acquisition by Gusto.
All three required sitting with complexity before shipping, not rushing toward the first viable solution.
The past 10 years
- Helped over 12 early-stage startups solve complex design problems they don't teach about in design books.
- Took over 20 stabs at validating my hypothesis that helping launch a SaaS MVP product is comparable to going 42 mph on a bicycle.
- Showed up late to about 9 bike rides with the fastest guys I know because of a stubborn design system variable.
- Joined Mosey as the sole product designer when it was a compliance-tech MVP.
- Built the design function from nothing: system, workflows, onboarding, the whole regulatory surface.
- Shipped the first release in six sprints working directly with engineering and the founders. Took the product from concept to an $18MM Series A in three quarters and an eventual acquisition by Gusto.
- Earlier, product design lead at Density and a quick-to-ship IC.
- Most of the work happened through peak COVID demand for real-time occupancy compliance tools. The timing was not on purpose.
- Shipping velocity rose 58%. Owned B2B analytics and internal tooling across three product teams.
- Platform work fed the raise that closed a $125MM Series D. Density's sensors were running in offices used by teams at Uber, ServiceNow, and Capital One.
- Before all that, three years at Intersection as experience design lead across LinkNYC, MTA, and LA Metro.
- LinkNYC was a joint venture between the city, Intersection, and Sidewalk Labs (part of Google). The pitch was thousands of kiosks replacing payphones, smart-city infrastructure across all five boroughs.
- Fifteen million people used the work. Analytics redesigns for MTA and LA Metro pushed operational efficiency up 21%. Community research and workshops moved Wi-Fi adoption up 38%.
- Built Place Exchange from 0-1. BroadSign acquired it.
Highlights
The good bits
11
🇨🇺
My age when I moved to Miami, FL, from Cuba.
4
Positions held as a UCF varsity football player.
108
Number of total miles clocked on my favorite road bike. The best part: it was for a charity I'm very passionate about.
15M
New Yorkers have interacted with one or more products I helped design to bring connectivity to underserved communities.
Enterprise security, civic infrastructure, compliance tech, and identity platforms. The careful thinking is what made the work stick.
60+ design sprints across mobile apps, SaaS platforms, and early-stage products that had no design playbook yet. Each one meant absorbing a new business model, a new user base, and a new set of constraints in days. The careful thinking is what kept the work from collapsing under its own ambition.
LinkNYC at Intersection reached 15 million users across New York City. At Density, I led five product designers building real-time occupancy tools during peak COVID demand. At Mosey, I was the sole product designer from MVP through its acquisition by Gusto.
All three required sitting with complexity before shipping, not rushing toward the first viable solution.
The past 10 years
The past 10 years
- Helped over 12 early-stage startups solve complex design problems they don't teach about in design books.
- Took over 20 stabs at validating my hypothesis that helping launch a SaaS MVP product is comparable to going 42 mph on a bicycle.
- Showed up late to about 9 bike rides with the fastest guys I know because of a stubborn design system variable.
- Joined Mosey as the sole product designer when it was a compliance-tech MVP.
- Built the design function from nothing: system, workflows, onboarding, the whole regulatory surface.
- Shipped the first release in six sprints working directly with engineering and the founders. Took the product from concept to an $18MM Series A in three quarters and an eventual acquisition by Gusto.
- Earlier, product design lead at Density and a quick-to-ship IC.
- Most of the work happened through peak COVID demand for real-time occupancy compliance tools. The timing was not on purpose.
- Shipping velocity rose 58%. Owned B2B analytics and internal tooling across three product teams.
- Platform work fed the raise that closed a $125MM Series D. Density's sensors were running in offices used by teams at Uber, ServiceNow, and Capital One.
- Before all that, three years at Intersection as experience design lead across LinkNYC, MTA, and LA Metro.
- LinkNYC was a joint venture between the city, Intersection, and Sidewalk Labs (part of Google). The pitch was thousands of kiosks replacing payphones, smart-city infrastructure across all five boroughs.
- Fifteen million people used the work. Analytics redesigns for MTA and LA Metro pushed operational efficiency up 21%. Community research and workshops moved Wi-Fi adoption up 38%.
- Built Place Exchange from 0-1. BroadSign acquired it.
- Helped over 12 early-stage startups solve complex design problems they don't teach about in design books.
- Took over 20 stabs at validating my hypothesis that helping launch a SaaS MVP product is comparable to going 42 mph on a bicycle.
- Showed up late to about 9 bike rides with the fastest guys I know because of a stubborn design system variable.
- Joined Mosey as the sole product designer when it was a compliance-tech MVP.
- Built the design function from nothing: system, workflows, onboarding, the whole regulatory surface.
- Shipped the first release in six sprints working directly with engineering and the founders. Took the product from concept to an $18MM Series A in three quarters and an eventual acquisition by Gusto.
- Earlier, product design lead at Density and a quick-to-ship IC.
- Most of the work happened through peak COVID demand for real-time occupancy compliance tools. The timing was not on purpose.
- Shipping velocity rose 58%. Owned B2B analytics and internal tooling across three product teams.
- Platform work fed the raise that closed a $125MM Series D. Density's sensors were running in offices used by teams at Uber, ServiceNow, and Capital One.
- Before all that, three years at Intersection as experience design lead across LinkNYC, MTA, and LA Metro.
- LinkNYC was a joint venture between the city, Intersection, and Sidewalk Labs (part of Google). The pitch was thousands of kiosks replacing payphones, smart-city infrastructure across all five boroughs.
- Fifteen million people used the work. Analytics redesigns for MTA and LA Metro pushed operational efficiency up 21%. Community research and workshops moved Wi-Fi adoption up 38%.
- Built Place Exchange from 0-1. BroadSign acquired it.
Highlights
The good bits
11
🇨🇺
My age when I moved to Miami, FL, from Cuba.
4
Positions held as a UCF varsity football player.
108
Number of total miles clocked on my favorite road bike. The best part: it was for a charity I'm very passionate about.
15M
New Yorkers have interacted with one or more products I helped design to bring connectivity to underserved communities.
Enterprise security, civic infrastructure, compliance tech, and identity platforms. The careful thinking is what made the work stick.
60+ design sprints across mobile apps, SaaS platforms, and early-stage products that had no design playbook yet. Each one meant absorbing a new business model, a new user base, and a new set of constraints in days. The careful thinking is what kept the work from collapsing under its own ambition.
LinkNYC at Intersection reached 15 million users across New York City. At Density, I led five product designers building real-time occupancy tools during peak COVID demand. At Mosey, I was the sole product designer from MVP through its acquisition by Gusto.
All three required sitting with complexity before shipping, not rushing toward the first viable solution.
The past 10 years
- Helped over 12 early-stage startups solve complex design problems they don't teach about in design books.
- Took over 20 stabs at validating my hypothesis that helping launch a SaaS MVP product is comparable to going 42 mph on a bicycle.
- Showed up late to about 9 bike rides with the fastest guys I know because of a stubborn design system variable.
- Joined Mosey as the sole product designer when it was a compliance-tech MVP.
- Built the design function from nothing: system, workflows, onboarding, the whole regulatory surface.
- Shipped the first release in six sprints working directly with engineering and the founders. Took the product from concept to an $18MM Series A in three quarters and an eventual acquisition by Gusto.
- Earlier, product design lead at Density and a quick-to-ship IC.
- Most of the work happened through peak COVID demand for real-time occupancy compliance tools. The timing was not on purpose.
- Shipping velocity rose 58%. Owned B2B analytics and internal tooling across three product teams.
- Platform work fed the raise that closed a $125MM Series D. Density's sensors were running in offices used by teams at Uber, ServiceNow, and Capital One.
- Before all that, three years at Intersection as experience design lead across LinkNYC, MTA, and LA Metro.
- LinkNYC was a joint venture between the city, Intersection, and Sidewalk Labs (part of Google). The pitch was thousands of kiosks replacing payphones, smart-city infrastructure across all five boroughs.
- Fifteen million people used the work. Analytics redesigns for MTA and LA Metro pushed operational efficiency up 21%. Community research and workshops moved Wi-Fi adoption up 38%.
- Built Place Exchange from 0-1. BroadSign acquired it.
- Helped over 12 early-stage startups solve complex design problems they don't teach about in design books.
- Took over 20 stabs at validating my hypothesis that helping launch a SaaS MVP product is comparable to going 42 mph on a bicycle.
- Showed up late to about 9 bike rides with the fastest guys I know because of a stubborn design system variable.
- Joined Mosey as the sole product designer when it was a compliance-tech MVP.
- Built the design function from nothing: system, workflows, onboarding, the whole regulatory surface.
- Shipped the first release in six sprints working directly with engineering and the founders. Took the product from concept to an $18MM Series A in three quarters and an eventual acquisition by Gusto.
- Earlier, product design lead at Density and a quick-to-ship IC.
- Most of the work happened through peak COVID demand for real-time occupancy compliance tools. The timing was not on purpose.
- Shipping velocity rose 58%. Owned B2B analytics and internal tooling across three product teams.
- Platform work fed the raise that closed a $125MM Series D. Density's sensors were running in offices used by teams at Uber, ServiceNow, and Capital One.
- Before all that, three years at Intersection as experience design lead across LinkNYC, MTA, and LA Metro.
- LinkNYC was a joint venture between the city, Intersection, and Sidewalk Labs (part of Google). The pitch was thousands of kiosks replacing payphones, smart-city infrastructure across all five boroughs.
- Fifteen million people used the work. Analytics redesigns for MTA and LA Metro pushed operational efficiency up 21%. Community research and workshops moved Wi-Fi adoption up 38%.
- Built Place Exchange from 0-1. BroadSign acquired it.
Highlights
The good bits
11
🇨🇺
My age when I moved to Miami, FL, from Cuba.
4
Positions held as a UCF varsity football player.
108
Number of total miles clocked on my favorite road bike. The best part: it was for a charity I'm very passionate about.
15M
New Yorkers have interacted with one or more products I helped design to bring connectivity to underserved communities.
Enterprise security, civic infrastructure, compliance tech, and identity platforms. The careful thinking is what made the work stick.
60+ design sprints across mobile apps, SaaS platforms, and early-stage products that had no design playbook yet. Each one meant absorbing a new business model, a new user base, and a new set of constraints in days. The careful thinking is what kept the work from collapsing under its own ambition.
LinkNYC at Intersection reached 15 million users across New York City. At Density, I led five product designers building real-time occupancy tools during peak COVID demand. At Mosey, I was the sole product designer from MVP through its acquisition by Gusto.
All three required sitting with complexity before shipping, not rushing toward the first viable solution.
The past 10 years
- Helped over 12 early-stage startups solve complex design problems they don't teach about in design books.
- Took over 20 stabs at validating my hypothesis that helping launch a SaaS MVP product is comparable to going 42 mph on a bicycle.
- Showed up late to about 9 bike rides with the fastest guys I know because of a stubborn design system variable.
- Joined Mosey as the sole product designer when it was a compliance-tech MVP.
- Built the design function from nothing: system, workflows, onboarding, the whole regulatory surface.
- Shipped the first release in six sprints working directly with engineering and the founders. Took the product from concept to an $18MM Series A in three quarters and an eventual acquisition by Gusto.
- Earlier, product design lead at Density and a quick-to-ship IC.
- Most of the work happened through peak COVID demand for real-time occupancy compliance tools. The timing was not on purpose.
- Shipping velocity rose 58%. Owned B2B analytics and internal tooling across three product teams.
- Platform work fed the raise that closed a $125MM Series D. Density's sensors were running in offices used by teams at Uber, ServiceNow, and Capital One.
- Before all that, three years at Intersection as experience design lead across LinkNYC, MTA, and LA Metro.
- LinkNYC was a joint venture between the city, Intersection, and Sidewalk Labs (part of Google). The pitch was thousands of kiosks replacing payphones, smart-city infrastructure across all five boroughs.
- Fifteen million people used the work. Analytics redesigns for MTA and LA Metro pushed operational efficiency up 21%. Community research and workshops moved Wi-Fi adoption up 38%.
- Built Place Exchange from 0-1. BroadSign acquired it.
Tooling
My current stack
Tools change. I adapt quickly. The current stack reflects where the industry is right now, not where it was two years ago. What matters more than any specific tool is knowing when it's the right fit for the problem, and being willing to pick up a new one when it isn't.
