Design Partnership Playbook for Founders
Co-founder at King’s Cross Labs · ex-LinkedIn PM & Forbes 30 Under 30
After researching 10+ founders & investors and sifting through dozens of articles on design partnerships, I made a playbook ✨
Really wrote it as a personal need so I could reference it as I was structuring my own design partnership program but sharing it so more founders can benefit!
I put together a comprehensive guide on running design partnerships effectively including:
- how to find partners
- structuring the relationship
- pricing options
- how to end a partnership and more!
Comment "IDEA" and I'll send it to your DM.
Also, if you are a founder, businessowner or operator that sends 10-15+ proposals monthly, send me a DM! I'd love to hear about your workflows :)
— I'm Mika, an exited venture-backed startup founder, now building to $1M with just 2 people: me and my husband. Follow for real talk on founder life, AI & tech and living time-rich.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a design partnership for founders?
- An early, collaborative, paid relationship where a customer helps shape your product before it's fully built. A good playbook covers how to find partners, how to structure the relationship, how to price it, and how to end one, so you get regular feedback and build the right thing.
Related reading
- How to Run an Effective Design Partnership — the full playbook this teaser is drawn from
- Validating Startups: Get Paid Before Building — why payment is the strongest proof of demand