Founding Designer

Build From Zero With Proven Founders

We’re an early-stage, self-funded startup operating in stealth mode- founded by two entrepreneurs with multiple successful exits across diverse industries. We’re building a high-impact SaaS platform to disrupt a massive, fragmented market.

We’ve been working on this project for over a year, and we’re getting closer to launch. We’re ready to hire our first full-time team member, and are looking for a rockstar that can step up and play in the big leagues.

This isn’t just another job. It’s a rare opportunity to help shape the product, culture, and trajectory of a company from day one. You’ll work directly with both founders who are extremely active in the business - one a visionary with nonstop ideas and an incredible network, the other a seasoned operator who’s scaled businesses before and knows how to do it again.

We move fast, think deeply, and care deeply about execution. If you’re energized by early-stage chaos, have unending energy and crave a seat at the table, keep reading.

How We Work

We believe in autonomy with accountability. You’ll have the freedom to lead and build—but also the responsibility to deliver and raise the bar. And yes, come on board now and you’ll earn your spot as an owner with equity.

While we support flexibility, we’re big believers in in-person energy. We’ve built our home base in coworking spaces like Industrious and mHUB, because we know the best ideas (and decisions) often come from being in the room together.

We’re keeping the team small and exceptional. No fluff. No politics. Just sharp people doing meaningful work. If that sounds like your kind of place, welcome to the ground floor.

Role Overview

We’re looking for a sharp, creative, and technically fluent designer to join us as the first full-time team member. This role is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of design, technology, and business—and wants to help build a company from the ground up.

You’ll be our go-to for everything visual and experiential, working closely with the founding team to shape the look, feel, and function of our product and brand. From designing user interfaces and customer journeys to helping implement low-code tools and experimenting with AI/automation, you’ll be a core player in turning ideas into reality.

This is a hands-on, high-growth role—think of it as a design-forward startup MBA with mentorship from two seasoned Chicago-based founders and exposure to every major function of the business.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the design and UX of our product across web and mobile, working with our engineering partner to bring ideas to life

Own brand design across all touchpoints—website, marketing, pitch decks, events, social media, PR campaigns, internal tools, and more

Help implement tools and systems that make the business run—think Notion, Airtable, Webflow, Zapier, and beyond

Contribute to product strategy and customer experience design

Roll up your sleeves on special projects across growth, operations, and vendor

Be a key thought partner to the founders, helping translate abstract ideas into tangible experiences

Qualifications

Have 3–5 years of experience in product design, UX/UI, or a startup/tech-forward creative role

Are fluent in design tools (Figma, Adobe, etc.) and comfortable with low-code/no-code platforms

Have enough technical skill to collaborate with developers—or even build simple tools and automations yourself

Love solving messy problems and turning vision into structure

Care deeply about craft and customer experience, but know how to move fast and stay scrappy

Are intellectually curious and excited to work across design, business, and product

Have experience working with or implementing CRMs, internal tools, or AI agents

Have built something from zero—whether a product, a brand, or your own side hustle

Are excited about the idea of growing into a future Head of Design, Product Lead, or even Startup Founder

Compensation

Base salary: up to $80,000 depending on experience

Equity: Competitive early-stage equity with meaningful upside and the opportunity to gain more equity via salary trade

Daily exposure to founders and direct involvement in strategic decision-making

Mentorship across product, tech, and operations from experienced entrepreneurs

In-person role with flexibility, based at mHUB in Chicago, with access to a vibrant, innovation-focused coworking community