Hi, I’m Stephanie. Lead Designer at Hyon, previously Lead Design at Vendasta.

My full-time role.

At Hyon, being part of a startup means wearing many hats within our small, dynamic team. My primary focus revolves around product design, collaborating closely with customers and our development team to ensure we’re crafting precisely what’s needed. This involves shaping product strategy, leading workshops and discussions, and identifying key metrics for success. Beyond product design, I’ve delved into expanding my skill set, contributing to areas like marketing—handling website optimization, social media engagement, and even assisting in crafting investor decks. Additionally, I play a role in our fundraising efforts, supporting the process of securing investments.

Previously at Vendasta, I led the Design team for the Foundational Products business unit, embodying roles in both product and people leadership.

Product Leader

• Oversee the UX of 7 applications
• Ensure we exceed success targets
• Drive product strategy
• Established usability metric tracking
• Collaborate with leadership

People Leader

• Manage a Design team of up to 8
• Developing the Design skills assessments and training program
• Hired and train new Designers
• Set career goals for my team
• Coaching and pairs

Helping startups.

In my evenings and weekends, I help startups through Co.Labs, a local tech incubator.  I have also run numerous workshops with startups, through Co.Labs and Cultivator, where I give startups some hands on experience evaluating and improving their apps’ user experience. I’ve helped startups in a variety of industries: health care, legal, agriculture, marketplaces, productivity, data analytics, immigration, home automation, sports, and more.

Teaching about Product Design jobs.

It’s a passion of mine to help the next generation discover, what I think is the coolest job, Product Design. I’ve run various workshops for kids interested in STEM, run mock interviews for university students interested in Product Design via the University of Saskatchewan internship program, and I am always happy to grab a coffee with anyone who wants to chat Design.

My work.

Look back on my timeline to see my unconventional look at my career growth. Contact me to see my full portfolio presentation: stephanie@unruh.ca