WEVE.
WEVE.
Because nothing says “professional” like chasing invoices, vague briefs, and gigs from strangers, so I helped design WEVE, a platform that actually fixes the freelance experience instead of romanticizing the chaos.
My Role
Service Designer & Strategist
Date
1 Jan 2025
Timeline
Winter 2025
3 Months
Core Responsibilities
Financial Analysis, Market Identification, User & Competitor Research, Business Strategy, and creating the conceptual design and seed funding pitch.
Challenge
Challenge
The freelance world has no shortage of talent but somehow, still no platform that understands how trust actually works.
Most platforms are bloated with listings, riddled with vague briefs, and pay freelancers on a timeline best described as “eventually.”
Clients are left guessing who they’ve hired. Freelancers are left wondering if they’ll ever see that invoice money. It’s all very “move fast and break people.”
So no, this wasn’t a redesign.
WEVE was built from zero to fix what everyone else accepted as normal.
Action
Action
Ran surveys (110 freelancers) + interviews (12 clients) to map real pain
Used STEPIC, Business Model Canvas, SWOT, and 2×2 prioritization to define product direction
Built freelancer archetypes, mapped journeys, and aligned features to emotional & functional needs
Facilitated co-creation, then prototyped core flows
Validated everything through usability tests and a buy-a-feature exercise
Wrapped it all in a pitch deck, ecosystem map, and service blueprint
STEPIC Analysis
Concept Exploration
Freelance ecosystem
Financial Freedom for Freelancers
The Future is Remote Work
Impact Potential +
Feasibility -
Feasibility +
Competitive Landscape
Platform Intelligence
+
-
+
Trust
-
SWOT Analysis
Strength
Opportunity
Weakness
Threat
AI-powered platforms simplify gig work by automating hiring and intelligently matching businesses with the right talent—streamlining processes and boosting efficiency.
With rising demand for project-based and remote work, there’s a growing need for platforms that can seamlessly connect skilled professionals with businesses undergoing digital transformation.
Attracting and onboarding freelancers in a saturated market requires standout UX, strong incentives, and features that build trust and long-term engagement.
A crowded competitive landscape and evolving labor laws pose ongoing risks, requiring agility in compliance and clear differentiation from established platforms.
Blue Ocean Strategy
Business Model Canvas
Hiring professionals/Companies
Community Building
Verified skilled professionals
Payment Security & Trust
Cohesiveness
Toolkits for freelancers at subsidised pricing
Professional Networking
Community Building
Service Customization
Community building and engagement
Creative Service Providers
Service Receivers
AI Assisted services for providers and receivers
Customer support & dispute resolution
Configurable Talent/Project Search
Website & Mobile App
Social Media Marketing
Referral and Partnership Programs
Secure Payment Processing
AI Driven Match making
Work Process highlights
Verified users for a skilled community
Freelancers & Recruiters
Technology + Internet platform
Customer Support
Payment and Escrow
Social Media
Professional Network
Platform building and maintenance
Marketing & Customer Acquisition
Legal Fees
Technology Development
Security & Compliance
Staff & Operational Costs
Event Costs
Freemium Model
Featured listings
Commission on transactions
Partnerships and API Integrations
Subscription Plans
Paid Community Events
Freelancers
Technology Partners for building the platform, hosting, Payments, Communication Services, AI & ML, Security
Payment Partners
Legal & Compliance Experts
Educational Institutions
Toolkit Partnerships
Eg. Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk
GIG Economy | Business Model Canvas
Key Partners
Key Activities
Value Propositions
Customer Relationships
Customer Segments
Channels
Key Resources
Cost Structure
Revenue Streams
Value Pillars
I am Engaged
I am Connected
I am Equipped
Equipped + Connected
Connected + Engaged
Sweet Spot
Equipped + Engaged
Value Proposition Canvas
Gains
Pains
Confusing insurance terms & unclear medical billing
Easy-to-use system to book/check care
Jobs
Gains
Products & Services
Pain Releivers
Understand insurance coverage and financial responsibilities
Navigate U.S. healthcare confidently
Feel confident making medical decisions
Know what to do when symptoms start
Clear understanding of coverage, costs, and benefits
On-demand answers in plain language
Redesigned insurer app
AI-powered & visual decision support tools
One-stop access for bookings, coverage, and symptom navigation
Plain-language guides, chatbot, and translation layers
Culturally aligned peer guidance
Empowered, stress-free decision-making
Chatbot, translation, and peer aid
Chatbot, translation, and peer aid
Multilingual form companions
Orientation improvements to clarify processes early
Coverage snapshot & insurance explainer
Hotline service
Peer navigator network
Orientation aid by ISSO
Cost & coverage estimation tools
Wait time estimation & scheduling assistant
Guided symptom-to-action map
Feedback/escalation tool
Confidence in care decisions via trusted guidance
Personalized, culturally aware communication
No clear direction for what steps to take
Language barriers causing anxiety
Conflicting or incomplete info from ISSO/friends/online sources
Long wait times & uncertainty in scheduling
Communicate clearly despite language/system barriers
Wireframes
1M Seed Funding
User Testing
Result
Result
The result? A platform that finally treats freelancers like professionals, not profile pics and clients like people with actual hiring goals.
We didn’t add features for fun. We built what users actually wanted:
Verified profiles (because “trust me” isn’t a strategy)
Milestone payments that don’t involve invoice-chasing
Portfolios that showcase real work, not just LinkedIn titles
And AI-powered matching — so you spend less time scrolling and more time doing work that fits
The outcome: a validated concept, a feature set people would pay for, and feedback like “Why hasn’t anyone built this already?”
Pitch Deck
Pitch Deck
A sharp, investor-ready story that highlights market gaps, user pain, and the trust-first opportunity. Backed by strong UX thinking and a scalable business model, the deck helped WEVE secure $1M in seed funding from industry leaders.
Process Book
Process Book
Yes, we documented everything because “trust me, it made sense in Figma” doesn’t cut it.
From chaotic research notes to pixel-perfect UI, this book walks through how WEVE went from freelance frustration to fundable platform.
Spoiler: post-its were harmed in the making.
Challenge
The freelance world has no shortage of talent but somehow, still no platform that understands how trust actually works.
Most platforms are bloated with listings, riddled with vague briefs, and pay freelancers on a timeline best described as “eventually.”
Clients are left guessing who they’ve hired. Freelancers are left wondering if they’ll ever see that invoice money. It’s all very “move fast and break people.”
So no, this wasn’t a redesign.
WEVE was built from zero to fix what everyone else accepted as normal.
Action
Ran surveys (110 freelancers) + interviews (12 clients) to map real pain
Used STEPIC, SWOT, and 2×2 prioritization, Blue Ocean Strategy, ZAG's 17 Steps, Value Proposition Canvas & Business Model Canvas, to define product direction
Built freelancer archetypes, mapped journeys, and aligned features to emotional & functional needs
Facilitated co-creation, then prototyped core flows
Validated everything through usability tests and a buy-a-feature exercise
Wrapped it all in a pitch deck, ecosystem map, and service blueprint
STEPIC Analysis
Concept Exploration
Freelance ecosystem
Financial Freedom for Freelancers
The Future is Remote Work
Impact Potential +
Feasibility -
Feasibility +
Competitive Landscape
Platform Intelligence
+
-
+
Trust
-
SWOT Analysis
Strength
Opportunity
Weakness
Threat
AI-powered platforms simplify gig work by automating hiring and intelligently matching businesses with the right talent—streamlining processes and boosting efficiency.
With rising demand for project-based and remote work, there’s a growing need for platforms that can seamlessly connect skilled professionals with businesses undergoing digital transformation.
Attracting and onboarding freelancers in a saturated market requires standout UX, strong incentives, and features that build trust and long-term engagement.
A crowded competitive landscape and evolving labor laws pose ongoing risks, requiring agility in compliance and clear differentiation from established platforms.
Blue Ocean Strategy
Business Model Canvas
Hiring professionals/Companies
Community Building
Verified skilled professionals
Payment Security & Trust
Cohesiveness
Toolkits for freelancers at subsidised pricing
Professional Networking
Community Building
Service Customization
Community building and engagement
Creative Service Providers
Service Receivers
AI Assisted services for providers and receivers
Customer support & dispute resolution
Configurable Talent/Project Search
Website & Mobile App
Social Media Marketing
Referral and Partnership Programs
Secure Payment Processing
AI Driven Match making
Work Process highlights
Verified users for a skilled community
Freelancers & Recruiters
Technology + Internet platform
Customer Support
Payment and Escrow
Social Media
Professional Network
Platform building and maintenance
Marketing & Customer Acquisition
Legal Fees
Technology Development
Security & Compliance
Staff & Operational Costs
Event Costs
Freemium Model
Featured listings
Commission on transactions
Partnerships and API Integrations
Subscription Plans
Paid Community Events
Freelancers
Technology Partners for building the platform, hosting, Payments, Communication Services, AI & ML, Security
Payment Partners
Legal & Compliance Experts
Educational Institutions
Toolkit Partnerships
Eg. Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk
GIG Economy | Business Model Canvas
Key Partners
Key Activities
Value Propositions
Customer Relationships
Customer Segments
Channels
Key Resources
Cost Structure
Revenue Streams
Value Pillars
I am Engaged
I am Connected
I am Equipped
Equipped + Connected
Connected + Engaged
Sweet Spot
Equipped + Engaged
Value Proposition Canvas
Gains
Pains
Confusing insurance terms & unclear medical billing
Easy-to-use system to book/check care
Jobs
Gains
Products & Services
Pain Releivers
Understand insurance coverage and financial responsibilities
Navigate U.S. healthcare confidently
Feel confident making medical decisions
Know what to do when symptoms start
Clear understanding of coverage, costs, and benefits
On-demand answers in plain language
Redesigned insurer app
AI-powered & visual decision support tools
One-stop access for bookings, coverage, and symptom navigation
Plain-language guides, chatbot, and translation layers
Culturally aligned peer guidance
Empowered, stress-free decision-making
Chatbot, translation, and peer aid
Chatbot, translation, and peer aid
Multilingual form companions
Orientation improvements to clarify processes early
Coverage snapshot & insurance explainer
Hotline service
Peer navigator network
Orientation aid by ISSO
Cost & coverage estimation tools
Wait time estimation & scheduling assistant
Guided symptom-to-action map
Feedback/escalation tool
Confidence in care decisions via trusted guidance
Personalized, culturally aware communication
No clear direction for what steps to take
Language barriers causing anxiety
Conflicting or incomplete info from ISSO/friends/online sources
Long wait times & uncertainty in scheduling
Communicate clearly despite language/system barriers
Wireframes
1M Seed Funding
User Testing
Result
The result? A platform that finally treats freelancers like professionals, not profile pics and clients like people with actual hiring goals.
We didn’t add features for fun. We built what users actually wanted:
Verified profiles (because “trust me” isn’t a strategy)
Milestone payments that don’t involve invoice-chasing
Portfolios that showcase real work, not just LinkedIn titles
And AI-powered matching — so you spend less time scrolling and more time doing work that fits
The outcome: a validated concept, a feature set people would pay for, and feedback like “Why hasn’t anyone built this already?”
Impact
WEVE didn’t just resonate it proved there’s real, fundable demand for a trust-first freelance platform.
Freelancers said they’d leave their current platforms if WEVE launched. Clients showed clear willingness to pay for verified talent, milestone payments, and AI-matched briefs.
The strategy was so strong, it secured $1M in seed funding from industry experts — validating not just the user need, but the business case.
Bottom line? WEVE fixes what the gig economy keeps ignoring and it’s built to scale.
Pitch Deck
A sharp, investor-ready story that highlights market gaps, user pain, and the trust-first opportunity. Backed by strong UX thinking and a scalable business model, the deck helped WEVE secure $1M in seed funding from industry leaders.
Process Book
Yes, we documented everything because “trust me, it made sense in Figma” doesn’t cut it.
From chaotic research notes to pixel-perfect UI, this book walks through how WEVE went from freelance frustration to fundable platform.
Spoiler: post-its were harmed in the making.
Challenge
Challenge
The freelance world has no shortage of talent but somehow, still no platform that understands how trust actually works.
Most platforms are bloated with listings, riddled with vague briefs, and pay freelancers on a timeline best described as “eventually.”
Clients are left guessing who they’ve hired. Freelancers are left wondering if they’ll ever see that invoice money. It’s all very “move fast and break people.”
So no, this wasn’t a redesign.
WEVE was built from zero to fix what everyone else accepted as normal.
Action
Action
Ran surveys (110 freelancers) + interviews (12 clients) to map real pain
Used STEPIC, Business Model Canvas, SWOT, and 2×2 prioritization to define product direction
Built freelancer archetypes, mapped journeys, and aligned features to emotional & functional needs
Facilitated co-creation, then prototyped core flows
Validated everything through usability tests and a buy-a-feature exercise
Wrapped it all in a pitch deck, ecosystem map, and service blueprint
STEPIC Analysis
Concept Exploration
Freelance ecosystem
Financial Freedom for Freelancers
The Future is Remote Work
Impact Potential +
Feasibility -
Feasibility +
Competitive Landscape
Platform Intelligence
+
-
+
Trust
-
SWOT Analysis
Strength
Opportunity
Weakness
Threat
AI-powered platforms simplify gig work by automating hiring and intelligently matching businesses with the right talent—streamlining processes and boosting efficiency.
With rising demand for project-based and remote work, there’s a growing need for platforms that can seamlessly connect skilled professionals with businesses undergoing digital transformation.
Attracting and onboarding freelancers in a saturated market requires standout UX, strong incentives, and features that build trust and long-term engagement.
A crowded competitive landscape and evolving labor laws pose ongoing risks, requiring agility in compliance and clear differentiation from established platforms.
Blue Ocean Strategy
Blue Ocean Strategy
Hiring professionals/Companies
Community Building
Verified skilled professionals
Payment Security & Trust
Cohesiveness
Toolkits for freelancers at subsidised pricing
Professional Networking
Community Building
Service Customization
Community building and engagement
Creative Service Providers
Service Receivers
AI Assisted services for providers and receivers
Customer support & dispute resolution
Configurable Talent/Project Search
Website & Mobile App
Social Media Marketing
Referral and Partnership Programs
Secure Payment Processing
AI Driven Match making
Work Process highlights
Verified users for a skilled community
Freelancers & Recruiters
Technology + Internet platform
Customer Support
Payment and Escrow
Social Media
Professional Network
Platform building and maintenance
Marketing & Customer Acquisition
Legal Fees
Technology Development
Security & Compliance
Staff & Operational Costs
Event Costs
Freemium Model
Featured listings
Commission on transactions
Partnerships and API Integrations
Subscription Plans
Paid Community Events
Freelancers
Technology Partners for building the platform, hosting, Payments, Communication Services, AI & ML, Security
Payment Partners
Legal & Compliance Experts
Educational Institutions
Toolkit Partnerships
Eg. Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk
GIG Economy | Business Model Canvas
Key Partners
Key Activities
Value Propositions
Customer Relationships
Customer Segments
Channels
Key Resources
Cost Structure
Revenue Streams
Value Pillars
I am Engaged
I am Connected
I am Equipped
Equipped + Connected
Connected + Engaged
Sweet Spot
Equipped + Engaged
Value Proposition Canvas
Gains
Pains
Confusing insurance terms & unclear medical billing
Easy-to-use system to book/check care
Jobs
Gains
Products & Services
Pain Releivers
Understand insurance coverage and financial responsibilities
Navigate U.S. healthcare confidently
Feel confident making medical decisions
Know what to do when symptoms start
Clear understanding of coverage, costs, and benefits
On-demand answers in plain language
Redesigned insurer app
AI-powered & visual decision support tools
One-stop access for bookings, coverage, and symptom navigation
Plain-language guides, chatbot, and translation layers
Culturally aligned peer guidance
Empowered, stress-free decision-making
Chatbot, translation, and peer aid
Chatbot, translation, and peer aid
Multilingual form companions
Orientation improvements to clarify processes early
Coverage snapshot & insurance explainer
Hotline service
Peer navigator network
Orientation aid by ISSO
Cost & coverage estimation tools
Wait time estimation & scheduling assistant
Guided symptom-to-action map
Feedback/escalation tool
Confidence in care decisions via trusted guidance
Personalized, culturally aware communication
No clear direction for what steps to take
Language barriers causing anxiety
Conflicting or incomplete info from ISSO/friends/online sources
Long wait times & uncertainty in scheduling
Communicate clearly despite language/system barriers
Wireframes
1M Seed Funding
User Testing
Result
Result
The result? A platform that finally treats freelancers like professionals, not profile pics and clients like people with actual hiring goals.
We didn’t add features for fun. We built what users actually wanted:
Verified profiles (because “trust me” isn’t a strategy)
Milestone payments that don’t involve invoice-chasing
Portfolios that showcase real work, not just LinkedIn titles
And AI-powered matching — so you spend less time scrolling and more time doing work that fits
The outcome: a validated concept, a feature set people would pay for, and feedback like “Why hasn’t anyone built this already?”
Pitch Deck
Pitch Deck
The result? A platform that finally treats freelancers like professionals, not profile pics and clients like people with actual hiring goals.
We didn’t add features for fun. We built what users actually wanted:
Verified profiles (because “trust me” isn’t a strategy)
Milestone payments that don’t involve invoice-chasing
Portfolios that showcase real work, not just LinkedIn titles
And AI-powered matching — so you spend less time scrolling and more time doing work that fits
The outcome: a validated concept, a feature set people would pay for, and feedback like “Why hasn’t anyone built this already?”
Process Book
Process Book
Yes, we documented everything because “trust me, it made sense in Figma” doesn’t cut it.
From chaotic research notes to pixel-perfect UI, this book walks through how WEVE went from freelance frustration to fundable platform.
Spoiler: post-its were harmed in the making.