Kolawole Kolawole
--:-- WAT

I design products that earn trust, reduce friction, and drive growth.

With 5 years of experience across logistics, fintech, AI, SAAS, enterprise, and data-intensive products, I take a research-first approach to solving complex problems. From first principles to a shipped and tested interface, I turn intricate workflows into products that are clear, usable, and built to perform.

Projects and clients I've worked with: PilotX, InovaPulse SAS, ZyvaPay, Stackfront, and more.

The record

5 yrs

Designing digital products across fintech, logistics, enterprise, SaaS, and data-intensive systems.

12+

Digital products and experiences designed across web, mobile, B2B, SaaS, and operational platforms.

−35%

Reduction in task completion time through simplified workflows, IA, and interaction design.

$800k+

Business value influenced through products designed for growth, operations, and customer adoption.

5+

Design systems created or evolved to improve consistency, scalability, and design-to-development efficiency.

2× faster

Critical workflows redesigned to help users find information, make decisions, and complete tasks faster.

90%+

Task success achieved across usability testing of key product journeys and complex workflows.

6+

Industries explored through product design, including fintech, logistics, enterprise, healthcare, SaaS, and data platforms.

Selected Case Studies

selar.co/checkout/v2 ● LIVE CONV TOKENS $radius-md $color-brand $spacing-4 $payout-v2 Gross Creator Volume $42,850.00 +86.4% YOY ARCHITECTURE 30 ACCESSIBLE MODULES · MULTI-CURRENCY

A design system for a logistics platform

CargoExtra · 2025–26 · Logistics Company

Design tokens, accessible dispatch components, and multi-carrier freight tracking systems built for scale.

Ledgr Personal Finance App Mockup

Personal Finance App

Ledgr · 2026

People have money. They just can't find it. Designing financial clarity for the multi-wallet generation.

VOYANCE · KYC INTELLIGENCE AUTO-CLEAR 80% 98.4% MATCH SCORE PASSED / AUTHENTIC // OCR PAYLOAD doc_type: "PASSPORT" liveness: true latency: "420ms" risk_tier: "LOW" HUMAN REVIEW: 20% EDGE TECHSTARS S22 FINTECH VERIFICATION PLATFORM

Document intelligence for automated KYC

Voyance · Techstars S22 · 2022–24

The model clears the easy 80% of identity documents; human reviewers verify the uncertain 20%.

FOUNDERS CONNECT · SYNDICATION 7 PLATFORMS Episode 42: The 0 to $10M Arc 308K+ TOP REEL VIEWS RETENTION 68% IG AUDIENCE 1.6K → 28K YOUTUBE REVIEWS 40+ EPISODES GROWTH VELOCITY +1,600% DISTRIBUTION ENGINE MULTIMEDIA RETENTION & REPURPOSING

Multi-channel media distribution at scale

Founders Connect · 2022–24 · Media Network

Architected a content syndication engine across 7 platforms, scaling audience reach from 1.6K to 28K.

PilotX Campaign Analytics Dashboard

AI Relationship Management at Scale

UsepilotX · 2025

help reduce involuntary churn by an estimated 20–40%, based on comparable retention automation platforms.

InovaPulse Agency Website Mockup

Conversion-focused agency website

InovaPulse SAS · 2025

improved brand value by 20–30% and reduced bounce rate by 40%. Keeping more startup founders engaged long enough to reach the consultation CTA.

Essays & Articles

Selected writing

Full Writing Index
01

The Dangote Refinery IPO: An Introductory Guide

A deep dive into the anticipated listing, why it matters to the Nigerian economy, and how retail users can prepare.

Piggyvest • 6 min read
02

If Inflation Rate Is Down, Why Is Everything Still So Expensive?

Explaining the complex macroeconomic mechanics following the CPI rebasing and its real-life purchasing power impact.

Piggyvest • 5 min read
03

Should You Sleep With Your Friends?

An editorial essay on the complicated, tender place attraction holds in long-standing platonic relationships.

20 Something • 8 min read

Hi, there!

I'm Kolawole Kayode, a product designer with 5 years of experience of helping startups turn complex ideas into intuitive digital experiences that users trust and businesses grow from. Over the last few years, I've partnered with teams across the US, UK, and Europe to design SaaS platforms, AI-powered products, mobility solutions, and high-converting websites. My work has contributed to reducing task completion time by 30%, decreasing onboarding friction by 25%, accelerating developer handoff by 40%, and achieving 95%+ design-to-production fidelity.

I earned a bachelor of engineering in civil engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure. Studying engineering taught me how to think in systems, solve problems with structure, and design with precision — principles that now shape the way I approach digital products today.

Currently, I'm designing enterprise logistics software at CargoExtra Logistics, where I help streamline complex operational workflows through thoughtful UX, scalable systems, and cross-functional collaboration.

Kolawole Kayode Portrait
Vintage Car Under Palm Trees
Coastal Scene with Boats
Outdoor Café Seating in Sunlit Alley
Urban Street Fashion Portrait
DESIGN SYSTEMS & TOKENS $spacing-token: 16px $color-primary: #141414 $radius-base: 0px (Sharp Grid) WCAG 2.2 AAA COMPLIANT
Kolawole Kayode Portrait
Vintage Car Under Palm Trees
Coastal Scene with Boats
Outdoor Café Seating in Sunlit Alley
Urban Street Fashion Portrait
DESIGN SYSTEMS & TOKENS $spacing-token: 16px $color-primary: #141414 $radius-base: 0px (Sharp Grid) WCAG 2.2 AAA COMPLIANT
MY FAVORITE QUOTE
"I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary."
Elon Musk CEO Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI

Designer by craft. Red by heart.

Designing meaningful digital experiences since day one.
Supporting Manchester United even longer.

Manchester United Crest
GGMU

Beyond the Pixels

When I’m not designing, you’ll probably find me staying conversant with happenings in the world on X (formerly Twitter), watching football or space exploration, and staying inspired by the future of technology and discovery.

Below are some of my favorite YouTube space exploration videos.

Full Archive

Portfolio & Selected Work

Work across content strategy, brand building, audience development, and creative production; writing samples, articles, press mentions, and interviews.

Case studies

selar.co/checkout/v2 ● LIVE CONV TOKENS $radius-md $color-brand $spacing-4 $payout-v2 Gross Creator Volume $42,850.00 +86.4% YOY ARCHITECTURE 30 ACCESSIBLE MODULES · MULTI-CURRENCY

A design system for a logistics platform

CargoExtra · 2025–26 · Logistics Company

Design tokens, accessible dispatch components, and multi-carrier freight tracking systems built for scale.

Ledgr Personal Finance App Mockup

Personal Finance App

Ledgr · 2026

People have money. They just can't find it. Designing financial clarity for the multi-wallet generation.

VOYANCE · KYC INTELLIGENCE AUTO-CLEAR 80% 98.4% MATCH SCORE PASSED / AUTHENTIC // OCR PAYLOAD doc_type: "PASSPORT" liveness: true latency: "420ms" risk_tier: "LOW" HUMAN REVIEW: 20% EDGE TECHSTARS S22 FINTECH VERIFICATION PLATFORM

Document intelligence for automated KYC

Voyance · Techstars S22 · 2022–24

The model clears the easy 80% of identity documents; human reviewers verify the uncertain 20%.

FOUNDERS CONNECT · SYNDICATION 7 PLATFORMS Episode 42: The 0 to $10M Arc 308K+ TOP REEL VIEWS RETENTION 68% IG AUDIENCE 1.6K → 28K YOUTUBE REVIEWS 40+ EPISODES GROWTH VELOCITY +1,600% DISTRIBUTION ENGINE MULTIMEDIA RETENTION & REPURPOSING

Multi-channel media distribution at scale

Founders Connect · 2022–24 · Media Network

Architected a content syndication engine across 7 platforms, scaling audience reach from 1.6K to 28K.

PilotX Campaign Analytics Dashboard

AI Relationship Management at Scale

UsepilotX · 2025

help reduce involuntary churn by an estimated 20–40%, based on comparable retention automation platforms.

InovaPulse Agency Website Mockup

Conversion-focused agency website

InovaPulse SAS · 2025

improved brand value by 20–30% and reduced bounce rate by 40%. Keeping more startup founders engaged long enough to reach the consultation CTA.

Content writing & essays

01

The Lifecycle of a Stock

Demystifying how shares transition from seed angel rounds to secondary markets.

Piggyvest ↗
02

What We Can Learn from Spotify Wrapped on Community Engagement

Deconstructing personalized annual recaps as high-velocity organic referral mechanisms.

Selar ↗
03

The Difference Between Content Creation and Content Marketing

Why posting consistently without commercial distribution architecture is just expensive noise.

Selar ↗
04

Be the Leading Lady of Your Own Life

On agency, self-authorship, and refusing to live as a supporting character in someone else's script.

20 Something ↗
Content & Projects

Island

The internet is part of the work. This is my little corner where I get to test instincts, write about growing up, and see what makes an idea travel.

Flagship Independent Publication

The 20 Something Newsletter

I started The 20 Something Newsletter because I wanted somewhere to write honestly about being young, ambitious, confused, in love, out of love, figuring out work, and generally trying to build a life.

Read on Substack

Documenting & experimenting

01 / REELS & SHORT-FORM

Hi my name is Treasure

Visual storytelling experiment exploring identity, Lagos living, and personal creative voice.

02 / TRAVEL MEMOIR

Benin Republic on a Budget

Micro-documentary detailing expenses, cultural nuances, and border road trips.

03 / ESSAY SERIES

Everyone Is Leaving

A vulnerable reflection on immigration, community dissolution, and grief in youth.

Start a conversation

Let's build something people care about.

I'm currently taking on select content strategy advisory, editorial direction projects, and speaking engagements.

Direct Reach

Whether you're launching a new venture, revamping your company's editorial publication, or looking for an impactful keynote talk, I'd love to connect.

Elsewhere on the internet

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