2013 - 2017 / Leadership / UX / Scale
Convertus
Design Team Lead
Building the design operation from scratch as the first employee, scaling alongside the company.
As the first employee at Convertus, a leading digital marketing firm for automotive dealerships, I managed a team of 4 designers and designed SEO-friendly websites for 50+ dealership clients across Canada and the United States. This was my first full-time marketing role out of university - a startup environment where I wore many hats, learned on the job, and helped build a company that ultimately achieved an 8-figure acquisition by AutoTrader in 2018.
Visit website
Leadership / UX / Scale
Before
A startup with no design function, and a first employee who had to build everything from scratch
- Joined as the first employee when Convertus had no design operation, no branding system, no processes, and no templates. Every website project was built from scratch with inconsistent quality and unpredictable timelines. There was no established workflow between design and development.
- Coming straight out of university, this was my first full-time marketing role. The startup moved fast and expected versatility - I was doing UI/UX design, social media artwork, PPC creative, newsletter design, and anything else that needed to get done. No playbook existed. I had to figure it out as I went.
After
A design operation that scaled from 1 to 50 employees and attracted an 8-figure acquisition
Building the Design Function from Zero
As the first employee, built the entire design operation from nothing. Managed a team of 4 designers delivering SEO-friendly WordPress websites for 50+ dealership clients across Canada and the United States. Created the branding guide, website templates, advertising collateral, and event materials for a professional, scalable presence.
Website Template System for Scale
As the client base grew past 50, designed standardized website templates that streamlined customization and reduced development time. This approach kept quality high across dozens of concurrent projects.
Company-Wide Brand and Collateral
Developed a comprehensive branding guide for consistent visual identity. Designed advertising collateral, business cards, standup banners, annual reports, and the CNVRT Workshop brand.
Learning Leadership the Hard Way
First time managing people, learned on the job. Through perseverance, developed skills in delegation, feedback, and fostering positive team culture. Learned that admitting when you do not have all the answers earns more respect than pretending you do.
Scaling from 1 to 50 Employees
The company expanded from a single employee to a team of 50. Adapted by building systems that let the team scale, including the template system and refined design processes.
Resourcefulness in a Startup Environment
With limited resources, had to be nimble and move quickly. Used Basecamp, Slack, Google Analytics, Hotjar, Adobe Suite, and Google Ads. Learned that being able to adapt, break things, and find solutions in a fast-paced environment was invaluable.
The outcome
A design operation that grew from nothing to a 4-person team supporting 50+ dealership clients, within a company that scaled from 1 to 50 employees and achieved an 8-figure acquisition. The templates, processes, and team I built outlasted my tenure and became the foundation for the next phase of growth.
Project gallery
Website Redesign
Redesigned the Convertus website from the ground up, establishing a dark theme with signature lime green accents that became core to the brand identity. Created a clean, modern presence that positioned an automotive digital marketing company as a design-forward leader.
Branding Guide
Developed a comprehensive brand guide that gave the entire team a single source of truth for logo usage, colour, typography, and visual applications. Every external deliverable became consistent overnight, from client presentations to marketing materials.
Advertising Collateral
Created promotional materials that served two purposes at once: attracting new clients and recruiting top talent. Client-facing pieces showcased services with real testimonials, while recruitment flyers highlighted company culture and benefits to bring in the right people.
Standup Banner
Designed retractable banner stands that communicated the three core service pillars at a glance: Premium Websites, Organic Search, and Paid Search. Used at trade shows and client meetings to establish instant credibility.
Business Cards
Designed professional business cards that reflected the brand's design-first identity. Every detail from the gear logo to the colour palette was intentional, giving the team a polished tool for in-person networking and client meetings.
Annual Report
Produced the 2014 annual report that told the company's story through data, humour, and culture. Turned operational metrics into memorable highlights: 2,500 cups of coffee, 800 Nerf bullets, 9,600 team pushups, and 12 team outings. Proved that business reporting doesn't have to be boring.