From Spark to SaaS: Designing Concé with Meghan Houle and Sunny Side Up Studio
When Meghan Houle approached me with an idea for Concé, it was more than just a product concept — it was a vision for reimagining how businesses connect with top talent through AI-powered, white-glove service. As a Sunny Side Up Studio co-founder, I stepped in as the founding designer, responsible for shaping this idea into a tangible, scalable SaaS experience..
Starting with Brand Strategy
Our journey began at the very foundation: brand strategy. Meghan’s vision was clear — Concé had to feel premium, intelligent, and approachable, reflecting both human expertise and AI precision. My role was to translate that into a visual and experiential language that could guide every touchpoint, from website and marketing materials to the product interface itself.
We worked on defining brand pillars, tone of voice, and core user personas. Early workshops focused on understanding the users’ pain points — busy executives who needed top-tier talent, efficiently matched and seamlessly managed — and how the product could deliver clarity, trust, and peace of mind in every interaction.
Shaping the Product Vision
Once the brand foundations were in place, the next challenge was transforming a conceptual vision into a product roadmap. As the founding designer, I collaborated closely with Meghan to:
Map the end-to-end user journey, from discovering Concé to onboarding talent.
Define key MVP features, balancing immediate business impact with long-term scalability.
Integrate AI agents (like Suki, Alfred, Millie, Dot, Clide, and Spec) as functional partners in the platform — ensuring they enhanced human workflows instead of overwhelming them.
Through sketches, wireframes, and interactive prototypes, we tested assumptions quickly, iterating on workflows that would eventually allow Concé users to match, hire, and manage talent effortlessly.
Designing the MVP Experience
As we moved into execution, the focus shifted to interface design, interaction patterns, and system architecture. We needed a product that felt intuitive yet sophisticated, capable of supporting complex AI-driven workflows without confusing the user.
Key design strategies included:
Clarity-first UI: Every action, notification, and AI recommendation was designed to be understandable at a glance.
Modular components: We created flexible patterns that could scale as new AI features rolled out.
Feedback loops: Users could easily intervene, adjust, or override AI-driven suggestions — reinforcing trust and transparency.
Brand integration: From typography to micro-interactions, every element reinforced Concé’s premium yet approachable identity.
By layering these design principles, we built an MVP ready for end-of-year release, capable of delivering the white-glove experience Concé promised.
Collaboration and Growth
Working closely with Meghan and the Seed28 product development team was a lesson in founding-level collaboration. Decisions were fast, iterations rapid, and every insight informed both product and business strategy. I acted not just as a designer but as a product partner, shaping vision, guiding user experience, and ensuring every feature aligned with brand promise and market needs.
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Being a founding designer means turning a spark into a product that feels effortless, intelligent, and human — guiding every decision from brand strategy to MVP delivery.
Reflections on the Journey
Being a founding designer means living in ambiguity and shaping clarity. With Concé, I experienced the full arc of product design: from spark to SaaS, from brand strategy to MVP delivery. Seeing the product emerge as a cohesive, AI-powered platform has reinforced what I love most about design — the ability to translate ideas into experiences that solve real problems, delight users, and scale with ambition.
Concé is set to launch by the end of this year, and I couldn’t be prouder of the journey we’ve taken — a collaboration built on vision, strategy, and design leadership.
