Mountain word :)
Building and Evolving Design Teams for a Silicon Valley Agency
Client
Impekable
Bay Area-based product design and development agency serving SaaS and enterprise clients
My Role
Talent Partner & Recruiting Strategist
3-year engagement spanning recruiting, organizational growth, and internal coaching
The Challenge
Impekable was a fast-growing agency on the cusp of landing larger clients.
They needed to scale their UX and design teams while juggling shifting client demands, urgent timelines, and evolving internal structures.
SCALE
EVOLVE
With no formal recruiting processes in place, they required a high-autonomy partner who could not only fill key roles but also help build infrastructure and nurture long-term talent relationships.
GROW
My Approach
Led end-to-end recruiting: From sourcing to offer stage, I drove hiring for top-tier design and UX talent including highly selective candidates who balanced budget constraints with elite design skills (mobile, UX, and visual design).
Built their recruiting foundation: Established repeatable processes and built a robust candidate database to support current hiring and future scale.
Placed key leadership: Helped hire their Chief People Officer, laying the groundwork for stronger internal systems and team development.
Supported long-term employee growth: As hiring needs evolved, I shifted into a coaching and internal advisory role, supporting team members I had originally recruited. This included coaching for career development and supporting off-boarding with care and structured support when needed.
Maintained deep candidate trust: Because I had built relationships from the very beginning, employees consistently came to me for support, knowing I understood both their goals and the agency's direction.
The Outcome
Successfully staffed highly selective design and UX roles during critical client growth phases
Placed the agency’s Chief People Officer, creating a trusted HR leadership layer
Built the company’s initial recruiting structure and database, enabling future scalability
Maintained long-term internal coaching relationships with placed candidates
Received consistent praise for professionalism, warmth, and deep alignment with team needs
The Takeaway
This engagement went beyond recruiting to be a full-circle journey of growth, trust, and team building.
I helped Impekable scale in a fast-paced, high-bar environment while also supporting their evolution from the inside out. I’m incredibly proud of the design teams we built and the relationships that continue today.