The ultimate design roast: the power of a single page

Hey there. Happy Saturday! Today, I want to share the biggest mistakes I’ve made while roasting designs—and how to avoid them.

In 2024, my studio conducted dozens of design roasts—tearing apart landing pages, logos, product pages, and more.

What I love about design roasting is how visual it is. A single image can resonate with people far more effectively than paragraphs of text. It’s the ultimate “show, don’t tell” moment.

But here’s the catch: visual/UI design is deeply subjective. What one person loves, another might hate. That’s what makes roasting both an art and a science.

Along the way, I’ve made plenty of mistakes that taught me invaluable lessons. Today, I want to share four key missteps I’ve made when roasting designs and how you can avoid them.

Mistake #1: Taking too long

When I first started, I would pour more than a week into each roast. I’d conduct in-depth competitor reviews, analyze market trends, refine UX flows, and perfect UI details. The work was solid—but the return wasn’t worth the investment.

Here’s why:

• Founders who don’t value design or aren’t ready to hire won’t appreciate this level of effort.

• The most comprehensive roast in the world won’t matter to someone without the budget to act on it.

Lesson: Save the deep dives for clients who are already interested in collaborating. For prospects, aim for quick, impactful insights that demonstrate your expertise without over investing.

Mistake #2: Roasting logos without context

Logo design roasts turned out to be a poor choice. Why?

• Logos are easy to copy when done well, and subjective when not finalized.

• Without consulting the founder about their preferences, any critique risks missing the mark entirely.

Lesson: Skip logos unless you’ve had a detailed conversation with the client. Otherwise, it’s hard to deliver something meaningful or actionable.

Mistake #3: Sending recorded videos

At first, I thought recorded videos were a great way to communicate my thoughts. But after sending countless video critiques, I noticed a pattern: founders rarely engaged with them. Why?

• Without trust already established, videos feel impersonal.

• Feedback sent via video often gets passed to the team without sparking further conversation.

Lesson: The ideal process for a roast is:

Live video call > Roast > Follow-up video call > Sign.

Talking face-to-face builds rapport, fosters trust, and creates a feedback loop that keeps the conversation alive.

Mistake #4: Delivering too much for free

Early on, I did free pilot projects where I gave it everything I had—hi-fi designs, detailed flows, polished prototypes. While founders were impressed, many of them ghosted me when it came time to sign a contract. Why?

• I revealed all my “magic” upfront, leaving them nothing to look forward to.

• Some simply passed my work to their team or hired a full-time designer to implement my vision.

Lesson: Free work should tease, not reveal. Offer just enough to spark interest while respecting your time and expertise. Save the full magic for paying clients.

Why design roasts still matter

Despite the mistakes, I firmly believe in the power of design roasting.

It’s an incredibly effective way to showcase your skills and attract new clients, especially when you’re trying to open up a new market.

Done right, a thoughtful critique demonstrates your value in a way no generic portfolio ever could.

Design roasting is about balance. It’s a chance to show your expertise, but only if you manage your time, set boundaries, and prioritize building trust.

If you’ve ever tried roasting designs or offering free samples, reply to this email and let me know your experience. Let’s trade notes on what works (and what doesn’t).

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