Hey there. Happy Saturday! Today, I want to share some thoughts on why I started my design business to help startup founders.

Design is not the strength for most founders

First, let's define the early stage as bootstrapped (pre revenue), the family and friends round, pre-seed, and seed stage—basically, before achieving product-market fit (PMF) and Series A funding.

As a founder in the early stage—whether you're bootstrapped, raising your family and friends round, or going through pre-seed and seed—you're juggling countless priorities.

You're fundraising, proving traction, and racing toward product-market fit.

Design might feel like a critical gap in your team, but before you rush to hire a full-time designer, let me share why that might not be your best move right now.

1.You might hire the wrong type of designer

I have heard more than a handful stories where founders had to let their first full time designer go because “it’s not a good fit”.

Here's something many founders don't realize: not all designers are created equal.

You might think your full-time designer can handle everything design-related, but that's simply not true.

I've seen founders hire a product designer only to discover they can't create the marketing website they need. Others hire a website designer who can't touch their product interface. And graphic designers? They're great for social media and branding, but ask them to design your app and you'll be disappointed.

The sweet spot? Visual designers who've transitioned into product design (Yes, I did :). They're your best bet for a first design hire because they understand both aesthetics and user experience.

But here's the catch—these designers are in high demand, often working at Google, Apple, or other tech giants. Why would they leave that stability for your early-stage startup?

2.Founders are busy: You don't have time to manage a designer properly

Let's be honest—you can't compete with big tech companies for top design talent.

So you'll likely end up hiring a junior or mid-level designer who needs guidance. Suddenly, you're not just a founder; you're a design manager too.

If you're a technical founder, imagine trying to manage someone whose creative process is completely different from your logical approach. I've been there—it's a recipe for frustration on both sides.

You're already stretched thin, and now you're spending hours each day managing design decisions instead of focusing on what only you can do.

And here's another reality: unless your designer can wear multiple hats (customer support, marketing, operations), there will be lulls where they're underutilized.

Can you afford to pay someone full-time when they're only productive 60% of the time?

3.You're still figuring things out—and that's normal

One of the biggest complaints I hear from designers at startups is the constant pivoting: "Yesterday we decided on approach A, today it's B. Why does everything change?"

But you know what? Things change because you're learning. Your understanding of the market evolves daily. Customer feedback shifts your priorities. That's not a bug—it's a feature of early-stage startups.

The problem is, if your designer isn't experienced enough to help you evaluate these pivots or filter out less viable ideas, they become a passenger on your journey rather than a co-pilot.

You need someone who can push back, offer strategic perspective, and help you make better decisions—not just execute whatever you throw at them.

This is why you hire fractional executives, lawyers, and accountants. Sometimes part-time expertise beats full-time inexperience.

4.You need predictable costs and maximum runway

Agencies might seem like an alternative, but I've heard the same complaint repeatedly: they're expensive and unpredictable. You might budget $5K for a project only to see $20K disappear in two weeks.

A full-time designer costs roughly $10K-20K per month (salary + benefits + equity), plus the opportunity cost of management time. That's a significant burn rate when you're trying to stretch every dollar to reach your next milestone.

You want to know exactly what you're spending each month and plan your runway accordingly. Surprises in your burn rate can kill your startup before you even get to Series A.

Consider this alternative: fractional in-house design

What if you could have an entire design team working on your project instead of just one junior designer? A team that costs less than a full-time hire, delivers higher quality work faster, and can handle everything from your product interface to your marketing website to your social post to your pitch deck?

Imagine having designers available on Slack every day for quick questions, but without the overhead of daily standups and management. You get the expertise of senior designers who've worked with multiple startups and understand the unique challenges you're facing.

This is the future I'm building—fractional in-house design teams specifically for early-stage startups. Teams that understand your constraints, speak your language, and can adapt to your fast and ever-changing needs without the commitment and cost of full-time hires.

Additional perspectives to consider

The equity conversation: Every full-time hire expects equity. Are you ready to give up 0.5-1% of your company to someone who might not even be the right fit? With fractional arrangements, you preserve equity for when you can afford senior talent.

Focus on core competencies: Your time and energy are your most valuable resources. Instead of becoming a design manager, what if you focused entirely on product development, sales, or fundraising? The opportunity cost of management might be higher than the money you save.

Speed to market: Experienced fractional designers often work faster than junior employees because they've solved similar problems before. Speed matters when you're racing to prove product-market fit.

Network effects: Fractional designers often bring their network—other freelancers, agencies, and expertise you can tap into as needed. A full-time junior designer brings their network of other junior designers.

The post-PMF transition: Once you achieve product-market fit and raise your Series A, you'll want to hire senior design talent anyway. Why not wait until you can afford the right person rather than settling for what you can get now?

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Some founders will benefit from full-time designers, especially if design is core to their value proposition. But for most early-stage startups, fractional design might be the smarter path forward.

Your startup has enough uncertainties. Your design strategy doesn't have to be one of them.

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