Stuck in your design career? Let’s fix it.

No generic advice, no pep talks. Just a clear plan to make you a UX leader.

Book an intro call

13+

years designing products people actually use.

65+

Designers coached, taught and mentored.

0%

Cancellation rate. I always show up.

Where are you right now

Starting fresh over

Find your positioning

→ Define your target role and positioning
→ Craft your career narrative
→ Optimize your LinkedIn
→ Review and refine your portfolio

Actively job hunting

Land the role

→ Recruiter call prep
→ Case study presentation coaching
→ Take-home exercise strategy
→ Salary negotiation
→ Post-interview debrief & iteration

Employed and plateaud

Level up where you are

→ Stakeholder buy-in
→ Navigating tough managers
→ Live jams on work you're shipping
→ Build your case for promotion
→ Give & receive feedback effectively

How it works

Book a free call

We figure out where you're stuck and whether we're the right fit.

1

We build your plan

A clear roadmap built around where you are right now. Not a template.

2

We get to work

No theory. We jump into action from moment one.

3

You leave with a next step

Every session ends with one clear action. Momentum is the whole point.

4

Your situation. Your goals. Your plan.
I bring clarity, you make it happen.

Your mentor

For over a decade I've designed products used by millions.

As a Staff Product Designer at Wealthsimple, I'm in the weeds every day. Shipping real work, solving complex problems, staying sharp. What I teach comes from what I'm actively doing.

I've taught design strategy for 3+ years and now consult with designers across all seniority levels. Craft, communication, and career strategy.

Leadership isn't a title. It's helping others move forward.

Want to see the work? Explore my portfolio

Featured & awarded

Let’s work together

Intro session

15 mins | Free

A no-commitment call where we figure out where you're stuck, what's blocking you, and whether we're the right fit.

Book intro call

Design boost session

1 hour | $200 CAD

A focused session to tackle a specific challenge. Portfolio tips, interview prep, stakeholder strategy, or live product work. You leave with clear next steps.

Book a session

1 free session!

Career elevation program

6 one-hour sessions | $999 CAD

Ongoing mentorship for designers ready to make a real move. We build a clear plan around where you are and work through it together, session by session.

Book program

Psst! Many designers use their Professional Development budget for mentorship. I put together a script to make the ask easier.

  • I had two amazing mentoring sessions with Ainara while preparing for product design interviews, and they were incredibly informative and packed with practical recommendations. I applied her advice directly to my take-home design challenge - which led to a job offer! One of the reasons I was curious to talk to Ainara in the first place is that she works at Wealthsimple - a company I’m a big fan of - so getting insight from a designer there was a huge plus, though her mentoring turned out to be valuable far beyond that. What I loved most is that she uses real examples and gets straight to the point. The way she explains things is super clear, and her personality is so welcoming and friendly - I really enjoyed her vibe throughout our sessions. I’d definitely recommend Ainara to anyone who wants to get better at the product design process and best practices - from tackling new features and doing competitive analysis to preparing for whiteboarding exercises in product design interviews.

    – M.J. | Senior Product Designer, Transportation technology

  • Ainara was my Design instructor at Vancouver Film School in a course dedicated to solving real problems with a real client, where she mentored me as Lead UX Designer. Her experienced feedback and creative problem-solving were invaluable, especially when our team faced some unexpected roadblocks. While a lesser instructor might have been impatient, Ainara, with grace and quick wit, guided us to a solution that worked for everyone and helped us get back on schedule to deliver collaboratively and on time. I highly recommend Ainara not only as a mentor and leader but also as a talented designer, and I hope to work with her in the future.

    – Kay N. | Senior Product Designer, Getty Images

  • Ainara is the definition of excellence, not only as a professional but also as a person. Working with her has been a true life lesson, teaching me to be proactive rather than reactive, to take details beyond expectations, to listen to a project’s needs, and to push my limits. Through experiencing the real meaning of teamwork, we have become colleagues on multiple projects, building a relationship focused on growth, exploration, and incredible results. A natural-born leader, that will never present herself with problems, but with solutions.

    – Maria G. | Graphic Designer & Conservation Consultant

  • Working with Ainara is as easy as it gets! Outstanding design skills aside, Ainara is a remarkable collaborator, and leader. Her experience working in fast paced environments has given her the unique super power to bring balance, and positivity while biasing towards action, creating actionable next steps, and holding her teammates accountable. Some of the best experiences in my design career have come from working with Ainara on design deliverables under tight deadlines. She is capable, trust worthy, and always driving towards bringing value to the end user.

    – Justin A. | Senior Staff Product Designer, Wealthsimple

  • Ainara is a strong designer, with amazing collaboration & communication skills, and (above all) a great human. Working closely together, we built NBA Top Shot, where her attention to detail and passion for UX resulted in one of the most iconic and smooth web3 experiences in existence. She helped craft it from the ground up, led teams through a variety of features, and worked hand-in-hand with engineering and product to drive deliverables through completion. Ainara is easily one of the most talented UX designers I’ve ever worked with.

    – Arthur C. | VP of Product, Dapper Labs

Let's work together ~

Let's work together ~