Product Design + Branding for Cannabis Startup
Overview
Designed the brand identity and mobile app experience for an early-stage cannabis startup, helping establish a memorable visual identity while creating an intuitive customer experience focused on purchasing, order tracking, and long-term engagement.
Services
Product Design
Branding
Year
2022-2024
Tools Used
Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Shopify, Wix
Link
Project Background
As an early-stage startup preparing to launch, CannaGo needed an app, and much more including a recognizable brand and a product experience customers could trust. Working closely with the founders, engineering team, and marketing team, I helped shape both the visual identity and mobile experience from the ground up, balancing ambitious ideas with the realities of startup resources and timelines.
My role extended beyond interface design. I contributed to product discovery, branding, user experience, and creative messaging while designing a mobile experience that encouraged customer confidence, simplified purchasing, and supported long-term customer retention through loyalty-focused features. The project required constant collaboration as ideas evolved, helping translate business goals into a cohesive product that was ultimately launched to the public.
Process
Working within a very small startup meant wearing many hats. I collaborated with stakeholders to research user needs, explore product concepts, and develop a visual identity that could stand out in a competitive cannabis market. As the brand evolved, I designed the mobile interface alongside it, ensuring every screen reinforced the company's identity while supporting a clear, intuitive user journey. Every day there was something that needed to be touched up, tweaked or researched among the brand's many digital touchpoints.
The app experience focused on reducing friction throughout the customer lifecycle, from product discovery and purchasing to order tracking and repeat engagement. I designed user flows, account experiences, loyalty concepts, and supporting brand assets while working closely with engineering and marketing to refine features as the product matured. Because priorities shifted frequently, the design process emphasized flexibility, rapid iteration, and balancing user experience with the practical constraints of an early-stage startup.
Outcomes & Take-Aways
This project strengthened my understanding of product design beyond individual screens, reinforcing the relationship between branding, business strategy, and user experience. Working in a startup environment taught me how to adapt quickly, collaborate across disciplines, and build design systems that support both immediate product goals and long-term growth. It also deepened my appreciation for creating cohesive experiences where visual identity and usability work together to build customer trust and encourage lasting engagement.