Embedded product design for growing B2B SaaS. Fractional commitment. Full impact.

Strategic product design partner for growing B2B SaaS (Seed-Series B). 20+ years. 50M+ users.

SaaS app screenshot

Trusted by

"It was a pleasure working with Emil, who became a very popular member of our team very quickly.

Emil joined our successful SaaS company that was lacking a clear design strategy and ethos. He spent a lot of time discussing with customers to find the best UX and design solutions.

Emil was instrumental in designing our mobile app from scratch along with numerous features used by thousands of customers daily."

A photo of Vinny Breslin
Vinny Breslin
Co-founder, Uplisting
Services

Tired of product design bottlenecks killing your product velocity?

I help SaaS startups (Seed-Series B) ship better products faster through fractional design partnership. 20+ years designing for 50M+ users – from 0 to product-market fit.

Product Design Consulting

I help you align design with business goals, providing strategic guidance on how to evolve your product experience as you grow. From roadmap planning to design team scaling, I offer an outside-in perspective grounded in product thinking.

Research

Through lean, targeted research, I help uncover user needs, friction points, and opportunities for improvement. This includes user interviews, usability audits, and synthesising insights that drive confident product decisions.

UX Strategy

I work with your team to define a scalable UX foundation that supports your growth – from onboarding flows to information architecture and interaction patterns. The goal is to design for clarity, usability, and long-term product success.

Hands-on Product Design Support

Beyond strategy, I dive into day-to-day design work – delivering wireframes, flows, and polished UI for features, improvements, and experiments. I embed directly into your team, acting as your go-to product designer without the full-time hire.

Subscription Plans

Design partnership made simple

Three flexible tiers to match your needs and budget. From strategic consultation to embedded product development—choose what works best for your stage.

Design Partner Starter
€1,200/mo
€1,140/mo with 2-month commitment
For early-stage SaaS teams or founders who can execute but need strategic UX direction, audits, and light design support.
Includes:
Up to 2 days/month (16 hours)
1× weekly strategy sync
Async support (Slack/email, 24h response) or real-time
UX audits and heuristic evaluations
Feedback on key flows or prototypes
UX templates and checklists (onboarding, signup)
Lightweight design support (key screens or flows)
Light research guidance (e.g., market research, analytics, founder-led interviews)
Design Partner Light
€2,400/mo
€2,200/mo with 3-month commitment
For growing SaaS product teams that need hands-on UX execution, research, and flow optimisation — without a full-time hire.
Includes:
Up to 4 days/month (32 hours)
1× weekly collaboration session (strategy, design, or research)
Proactive async support (Slack/email)
Strategic UX guidance + hands-on design
UX flow design and iteration
Light research support (e.g., market research, analytics, usability testing, interviews)
Onboarding + adoption UX optimisation
Design system setup + key components
Monthly UX progress summary
Design Partner Pro
€4,800/mo
€4,320/mo with 3-month commitment
For SaaS teams scaling their UX maturity — get embedded strategic design, systems, and execution without hiring a Head of UX.
Includes:
Up to 8 days/month (64 hours)
2× weekly sessions (strategy, research, team syncs)
High-touch async and real-time Slack/email support
Full hands-on UX execution and design leadership
Research planning + moderation (interviews, usability testing, insight reports)
Journey mapping + prioritisation frameworks
Advanced onboarding + retention UX
Design system expansion + documentation
Monthly executive UX report
Team coaching, UX roadmap facilitation
How It Works?

Simple, Transparent Process

Step 1: Discovery Call

We’ll discuss your product challenges, design needs, and growth goals to determine if there’s a strong fit for partnership and which tier best supports your objectives.

Step 2: Secure Partnership

Choose your tier and sign the partnership agreement.

To make starting easy while keeping things predictable, I only require 50% upfront for the first month. At the end of the first month, we settle the remaining 50% and prepay 50% for the next month. From then on, all months are billed 50% upfront at the start—ensuring smooth planning and a low‑risk way to experience how we work together.

Step 3: Start Creating Impact

Begin your first strategy session within 48 hours and start receiving immediate design guidance, strategic insights, and hands‑on support to move your product forward.

Common Questions About Design Partnerships

Get quick answers to the most frequently asked questions about working with a design partner. From pricing and process to timelines and collaboration, these answers help you understand exactly what to expect from our partnership.

Who do you typically work with?

I work with growing B2B SaaS startups (Seed–Series B) as well as bootstrapped but profitable teams with real traction.

My clients are founders and product teams who are ready to invest in UX—not just for visual polish, but as a driver for growth, retention, and scalability. If you need strategic design leadership without the overhead of a full‑time hire, we’re likely a suitable fit.

What kind of results can we expect?

Better onboarding and feature adoption, higher user retention, and a scalable UX foundation—plus clarity in product decisions and fewer costly missteps.

What if we only need you for a short time?

All plans are monthly rolling contracts. Many teams start with 1–2 months for immediate clarity and then extend for deeper design leadership and systems.

How can you justify the monthly cost compared to hiring a full‑time designer?

You’re not paying for a junior designer to push pixels—you’re buying 20+ years of experience in building products used by over 50M users. That experience saves you time, prevents costly product mistakes, and helps you scale without design becoming a bottleneck. I provide Head of UX-level strategy, research, and design execution right from the start, all at a significantly lower cost and risk.

How does payment work?

To make starting easy, I only require 50% upfront for the first month. At the end of month one, we settle the balance for that month and prepay 50% for the next. From month two onwards, each month is billed 50% upfront at the start.

Do you offer discounts for longer commitments?

Yes. Discounts are available for 2–3+ month commitments. Let’s discuss the best structure for your needs.

What if we need more hours than the package includes?

If you consistently need more time, we can adjust the tier or add flexible add‑on days.

Can we upgrade or downgrade between plans?

Yes. Upgrades can happen at any time. Downgrades require a 10‑day notice before the next billing cycle.

Can we cancel if it doesn’t work out?

Yes. All plans are monthly rolling contracts with a 10‑day cancellation notice.

How quickly can we start?

If there’s availability, onboarding can begin within 5 business days. I’ll always communicate timelines clearly in advance.

What if our team is in a different time zone?

I’m based in EEST (UTC+3) and work flexibly across European and US time zones. We’ll ensure effective overlap for collaboration.

About

Strategic Design Partner, Not Just Designer

I’m Emil Ivanov. I help SaaS teams improve onboarding, increase retention, and scale UX—without the overhead of a full-time hire.

With 20+ years of experience, I act as your embedded design partner—guiding strategy, leading research, and delivering hands-on design to help you build better products, faster.

I am based in Bulgaria and operate on a global scale.

Let’s turn your UX into a growth driver.

A photo of Emil Ivanov - Fractional Product Designer
Contacts

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