Let's be real—most startups launch with a product that works but looks like, well... a startup. There's nothing wrong with that initial launch-and-learn phase, but there comes a point when your design starts holding back your growth.
That's exactly where Reacher found themselves. Their AI-powered TikTok Shop affiliate platform was generating serious results for clients (we're talking $20M+ in GMV), but their interface wasn't reflecting that level of success.
The Challenge: Success Without the Look to Match
When Reacher first reached out to avianu., they had already established themselves as an official TikTok Shop Partner with a killer product that connected brands with creators. The problem? Their platform looked like it was built by engineers for engineers (no shade to engineers—we love you).
Jerry, Reacher's founder, put it better than I could:
"We went from looking like a startup to having a professional, polished app that people take seriously. It's been a game-changer for our brand."
The disconnect between their premium service and their interface was causing real business issues:
- Potential enterprise clients were hesitating during demos
- User onboarding was taking longer than necessary
- Their team was spending too much time explaining functionality
- The design wasn't reflecting their status as an official TikTok partner
The Solution: Product Design That Means Business
Through our avianu. Unlimited Plan, I joined Reacher as their product designer, focusing on three key areas:
1. Elevating the Visual Design Language
We started by creating a cohesive design system that:
- Established a professional color palette that aligned with their brand but elevated it
- Implemented consistent typographic hierarchy and spacing
- Created reusable components that could scale with their feature growth
- Added subtle animations and microinteractions that felt premium without being flashy
2. Streamlining User Flows
The real magic happened when we reimagined core user journeys:
- Simplified the creator outreach process from 7 steps to 3
- Created a dashboard that surfaced the metrics that actually matter
- Designed a CRM interface that felt intuitive and reduced training time
- Built content flywheel templates that made campaign creation dead simple
3. Knowledge Transfer (Because What Good is Design if Nobody Gets It?)
As Jerry mentioned:
"He's always taking time to help the whole team understand design principles through meetings and explanations."
I didn't just drop designs and bounce. We ran:
- Bi-weekly design workshops with the development team
- Created a living design system documentation
- Established design principles specific to Reacher's users
- Set up collaborative critique sessions to keep improving
The Results: Design That Drives Business Metrics
After six months of our partnership, Reacher saw:
- 50% increase in MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)
- Significant reduction in churn rate
- Improved conversion from free trial to paid plans
- Faster onboarding times for new customers
- Positive user feedback specifically mentioning the interface
The Secret Sauce: Design That Goes Beyond Aesthetics
Look, I'm not just into making things pretty. What I brought to Reacher was product design in its truest form—the intersection of business goals, user needs, and technical feasibility.
As Jerry put it:
"He's not just a UX designer - he's a true product designer who really understands our vision."
We didn't just redesign screens; we redesigned experiences. We didn't just pick nice colors; we created a visual language that communicated Reacher's value at every touchpoint.
Why Our Partnership Worked
The avianu. Unlimited Plan gave Reacher all the benefits of having a senior product designer without the hefty price tag of a full-time hire. They got:
- Consistent access to my expertise when they needed it
- Design thinking embedded into their product development process
- A collaborator who understood their business goals
- Someone who could translate between business, design, and development
Is Your Product Design Holding You Back?
If you're like Reacher was—a solid product without the design to match—you might be leaving money on the table. Your users are judging your product within seconds of seeing it, and those judgments translate directly to revenue.
The question isn't whether you can afford good product design; it's whether you can afford to keep missing out on the growth it enables.
Let's Talk
If your startup is ready to level up from looking like a garage project to a serious player in your industry, let's chat. avianu. gives you all the benefits of a seasoned product & UX design team without the cost of hiring one.
Shoot me a DM or hit up avianu.com to see if we're a good fit. We can't work with everyone (and we're honest about that), but if we're aligned, we'll help you transform your product just like we did for Reacher.
When I'm not transforming products, I’m typically found surfing reefs around La Jolla,
Nick
