Generative Pulse
First-to-market AI category. 199 leads, 139 upgrades, G2 Leader status in 6 months.
0-to-1 ProductAI StrategyMarket Definition
View case studyDesign Leader · Player-Coach
I build products people want, and I still ship the work myself to get there.
I’m Kirk Gustafson. I prototype in code, lead design end-to-end, and build the teams that ship it with me. I’ve done that four times now, including right now at Cardwell, where I’m building the design function from scratch. At Muck Rack my work contributed to 2.55x ARR growth over four years and $15.75M in revenue impact in 2025, all while I built out a full content, design, and research team.
0.00×ARR growth over tenure
$0.00MRevenue impact in 2025
0eNPS vs. 40 company avg
0UX orgs built & scaled
Selected Work
Building the Foundation
Defined how an organization thinks. Three journeys, four principles, five competencies, component library operating model.
Product StrategyTeam LeadershipDesign Systems
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Reimagining UX Through AI
57 structured experiments. Research +60% faster, Design +80% faster, compound savings across every sprint.
Organizational ChangeAI AdoptionTeam Operations
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AI-Native Product Delivery
Four AI products, two principles: transparency and agency. 38.8% media list creation, 57.5% search adoption.
AI Product DesignDesign LeadershipConsistency at Scale
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Rolls-Royce Nuclear Hub
6 weeks. 3 user narratives. A validated prototype and a new workshop technique that spread across the organization.
Enterprise SaaS0-to-1Product Strategy
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Kirk knows how to set the tone for what great design leadership looks like — his transparency, customer devotion, and resilience are values he genuinely embodies every day. He doesn't just set direction; he rolls up his sleeves and builds alongside the team.Gloria Leung · Senior Product Designer, Muck Rack
Kirk is the rare kind of Director who realizes that UX is better when people have the breathing room to actually think. He gives his team the autonomy to flourish while remaining a relentless advocate for the user, no matter how complex a project gets.Jacob Terranova · Senior UX Writer, Muck Rack
About
I ship the work, and I build the team around it.
I prototype in code and lead design end to end. Strategy and execution are never two separate conversations for me, across agency, startup, and growth-stage SaaS.
At Muck Rack, that meant shipping Generative Pulse in six weeks and driving $15.75M in revenue impact in 2025. I’ve built design functions from scratch four times now, including right now at Cardwell.
Read moreUX LeadershipProduct StrategyAI-Native Product DesignAgentic UXDesign SystemsResearch OperationsDesign OpsGTM ExecutionTeam Building & CoachingCross-functional Leadership