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About

Let's Chat

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About

Let's Chat

FIRST DESIGNER IN

Fractional Design Leadership

When you aren’t quite ready for a full-timer.

Tara [is] always one of our first calls when a portfolio company founder is thinking about scaling their product design capabilities.

- Ryan Sells, General Partner @ Pear Fund

Tara [is] always one of our first calls when a portfolio company founder is thinking about scaling their product design capabilities.

- Ryan Sells, General Partner @ Pear Fund

Tara [is] always one of our first calls when a portfolio company founder is thinking about scaling their product design capabilities.

- Ryan Sells, General Partner @ Pear Fund

Is Fractional The Right Fit For You?

If this sounds like you:

Product is getting shipped, but the UI feels raw and disconnected.

You may have a junior designer, a UI contractor, or engineers and PMs filling the gaps. But they're working screen-by-screen, so product decisions are fragmented, slow, or harder than they should be. And users can tell.

And this sounds like what you want:

I want a leader to come in and make it work: faster design, happier users.

You want someone to bring order to complex workflows, establish system-wide design foundations, and help users reach their goals—all while increasing product momentum, and without forcing premature org changes.

Then fractional is the right fit for you.

You get a senior problem solver to fix things asap, without having to hire a full-timer just yet.

Who You'd Be Working With

That would be me, Tara.

I’m a senior design leader with over 12 years of experience designing and shipping B2B products, including 7 years in leadership roles. My work focuses on complex, data-heavy applications in industries like fintech, insurance, and security.

I’ve led solo designers and small teams across startups and large enterprises, specializing in building decision support, data visualization, design systems, and workflow designs with and without AI integration. I have founded three companies, sold one, been the first design hire at multiple startups, and worked inside large multinational organizations.

More about me: additional details, example case studies, and some friendly photos here.

Dive Deeper

I Wrote the Book on How To Be the First Designer In

Originally written to teach other designers how to be successful as the first design hire at a startup, but turns out it's helpful to founders too. You'll learn a lot about how I operate from it.

I Wrote the Book on How To Be the First Designer In

Originally written to teach other designers how to be successful as the first design hire at a startup, but turns out it's helpful to founders too. You'll learn a lot about how I operate from it.

I Wrote the Book on How To Be the First Designer In

Originally written to teach other designers how to be successful as the first design hire at a startup, but turns out it's helpful to founders too. You'll learn a lot about how I operate from it.

The Exact Shape of an Engagement

Let's make sure we all know what we're getting: (1) exactly what I do and don't work on; (2) how I interact with your team; and (3) what deliverables I leave behind once you outgrow me.

The Exact Shape of an Engagement

Let's make sure we all know what we're getting: (1) exactly what I do and don't work on; (2) how I interact with your team; and (3) what deliverables I leave behind once you outgrow me.

The Exact Shape of an Engagement

Let's make sure we all know what we're getting: (1) exactly what I do and don't work on; (2) how I interact with your team; and (3) what deliverables I leave behind once you outgrow me.

Practical Design Isn't Flashy… But It Works

Want a concrete example of what I mean by “practical”? Research. It’s often blamed for being too slow, yet when done in the right amount, it keeps teams moving forward.

Practical Design Isn't Flashy… But It Works

Want a concrete example of what I mean by “practical”? Research. It’s often blamed for being too slow, yet when done in the right amount, it keeps teams moving forward.

Practical Design Isn't Flashy… But It Works

Want a concrete example of what I mean by “practical”? Research. It’s often blamed for being too slow, yet when done in the right amount, it keeps teams moving forward.

How To Get Started, In Three Steps

Getting started is intentionally simple. The first conversation is a chance to meet, talk through what’s on your mind, and figure out whether fractional design leadership is the right fit for you right now. You can ask practical questions, and share whatever design or UX concerns are top of mind — no prep required.

Schedule a call

Book a time that works for you. You’ll speak directly with me.

Talk it through

This is a conversation about what you need, not a pitch.

Decide next steps

If we're a fit, we’ll cover logistics. If not, you’ll have clarity either way.

Book a Call Now