REFUNKTION IS THE
REFUNKTION IS
WORK AND STORY OF
THE STORY OF
BRENDAN FINLAYSON
A generalist
A generalist
design leader who
design leader who
builds great teams to
builds great teams to make awesome
design awesome stuff.
stuff.
As a leader, I have built and guided in-house teams to develop products, tools, and design capabilities from various starting points. I have branded and enhanced ecosystems, including Zume and the Zume Pizza brand’s food production products, communication tools, and ordering applications. Additionally, I have assembled teams for smaller organizations, like Tend, a fintech with a feature-rich banking app; Guile, a barbershop app; and a brand kit and sales tool for Balto Energy, a solar startup aiming to revolutionize solar sales for homeowners.
As a leader, I have built and guided in-house teams to develop products, tools, and design capabilities from various starting points. I have branded and enhanced ecosystems, including Zume and the Zume Pizza brand’s food production products, communication tools, and ordering applications. Additionally, I have assembled teams for smaller organizations, like Tend, a fintech with a feature-rich banking app; Guile, a barbershop app; and a brand kit and sales tool for Balto Energy, a solar startup aiming to revolutionize solar sales for homeowners.
As a leader, I have built and guided in-house teams to develop products, tools, and design capabilities from various starting points. I have branded and enhanced ecosystems, including Zume and the Zume Pizza brand’s food production products, communication tools, and ordering applications. Additionally, I have assembled teams for smaller organizations, like Tend, a fintech with a feature-rich banking app; Guile, a barbershop app; and a brand kit and sales tool for Balto Energy, a solar startup aiming to revolutionize solar sales for homeowners.
Before that, as a designer, I had many opportunities to work with product, UX, and brand design teams across different industries, including both in-house and agency roles. I contributed to building major brands by creating digital and physical retail experiences for Nike, Jawbone’s product packaging and webstore, GoPro’s retail and web experiences, The North Face’s shopping platforms, and Oakley’s interactive product guides.
Before that, as a designer, I had many opportunities to work with product, UX, and brand design teams across different industries, including both in-house and agency roles. I contributed to building major brands by creating digital and physical retail experiences for Nike, Jawbone’s product packaging and webstore, GoPro’s retail and web experiences, The North Face’s shopping platforms, and Oakley’s interactive product guides.
Before that, as a designer, I had many opportunities to work with product, UX, and brand design teams across different industries, including both in-house and agency roles. I contributed to building major brands by creating digital and physical retail experiences for Nike, Jawbone’s product packaging and webstore, GoPro’s retail and web experiences, The North Face’s shopping platforms, and Oakley’s interactive product guides.
Recommendations
from people who i've hired and made awesome stuff with
He is an extremely well-articulated and thought-out individual. Brendan supports his team, and product owners and engineering leads can also trust that his design leadership will be cognizant of their processes in product development and, ultimately, the best direction for the user experience within the end product.
He is an extremely well-articulated and thought-out individual. Brendan supports his team, and product owners and engineering leads can also trust that his design leadership will be cognizant of their processes in product development and, ultimately, the best direction for the user experience within the end product.
He is an extremely well-articulated and thought-out individual. Brendan supports his team, and product owners and engineering leads can also trust that his design leadership will be cognizant of their processes in product development and, ultimately, the best direction for the user experience within the end product.
Roy Brubaker
SENIOR DESIGN PROGRAM MANAGER
director of design
operations at joy
Brendan invested first in us and went to bat for our needs, and he always ends up with fiercely loyal teams and networks as a result.
Brendan invested first in us and went to bat for our needs, and he always ends up with fiercely loyal teams and networks as a result.
Brendan invested first in us and went to bat for our needs, and he always ends up with fiercely loyal teams and networks as a result.
Roxanne Tomco
Content design COACH at uxcc
Brendan has a serious talent for hiring a team that is impactful and high performing, while building a culture that is fun, inclusive, and highly positive.
Brendan has a serious talent for hiring a team that is impactful and high performing, while building a culture that is fun, inclusive, and highly positive.
Brendan has a serious talent for hiring a team that is impactful and high performing, while building a culture that is fun, inclusive, and highly positive.
Alex Fallas
interaction design LEAD at google
interaction design LEAD
at google
Time after time I saw Brendan advocate for our team and our user’s experiences, always backed by thoughtful strategy. He’s an excellent communicator and leader, who delivers great outcomes in the face of uncertainty.
Time after time I saw Brendan advocate for our team and our user’s experiences, always backed by thoughtful strategy. He’s an excellent communicator and leader, who delivers great outcomes in the face of uncertainty.
Time after time I saw Brendan advocate for our team and our user’s experiences, always backed by thoughtful strategy. He’s an excellent communicator and leader, who delivers great outcomes in the face of uncertainty.
Erika von Kelsch
senior product designer at quicken
senior product designer
at quicken
He has an eye for identifying and hiring skilled people who work well with others, who contribute positively to the team dynamic, who are self-motivated and don't need a lot of hand holding. He does this quickly and under pressure and handles it with grace and without losing focus on his standards or his vision. The result is a happy team that comes to work ready for the day, every day.
He has an eye for identifying and hiring skilled people who work well with others, who contribute positively to the team dynamic, who are self-motivated and don't need a lot of hand holding. He does this quickly and under pressure and handles it with grace and without losing focus on his standards or his vision. The result is a happy team that comes to work ready for the day, every day.
He has an eye for identifying and hiring skilled people who work well with others, who contribute positively to the team dynamic, who are self-motivated and don't need a lot of hand holding. He does this quickly and under pressure and handles it with grace and without losing focus on his standards or his vision. The result is a happy team that comes to work ready for the day, every day.
Matt Fisher
senior content design at SAP
Everyone on our team knew Brendan had our backs and would go to bat for us whenever it was needed. I always looked forward to our 1:1s, as I knew Brendan could always give me candid advice on whatever situation I was facing.
Everyone on our team knew Brendan had our backs and would go to bat for us whenever it was needed. I always looked forward to our 1:1s, as I knew Brendan could always give me candid advice on whatever situation I was facing.
Everyone on our team knew Brendan had our backs and would go to bat for us whenever it was needed. I always looked forward to our 1:1s, as I knew Brendan could always give me candid advice on whatever situation I was facing.
Kai Takahashi
Product designer at watershed
Product designer
at watershed
Brendan is a clutch combination of creative leader, strategic thinker, problem-solver and coach. I especially appreciated his ability to remain calm under pressure.
Brendan is a clutch combination of creative leader, strategic thinker, problem-solver and coach. I especially appreciated his ability to remain calm under pressure.
Brendan is a clutch combination of creative leader, strategic thinker, problem-solver and coach. I especially appreciated his ability to remain calm under pressure.
Carrie Ammermann
Director, Global Marketing Communications at prepass
His implicit trust in us inspired us to do great work. However, if we ever wanted any advice or input on projects, he would go out of his way to spend as much time as we needed with him. This approach was good for the individual employee, the team, and the company as a whole. I would highly recommend Brendan for any design leadership role, especially one that requires a strong grasp of multiple design disciplines.
His implicit trust in us inspired us to do great work. However, if we ever wanted any advice or input on projects, he would go out of his way to spend as much time as we needed with him. This approach was good for the individual employee, the team, and the company as a whole. I would highly recommend Brendan for any design leadership role, especially one that requires a strong grasp of multiple design disciplines.
His implicit trust in us inspired us to do great work. However, if we ever wanted any advice or input on projects, he would go out of his way to spend as much time as we needed with him. This approach was good for the individual employee, the team, and the company as a whole. I would highly recommend Brendan for any design leadership role, especially one that requires a strong grasp of multiple design disciplines.