Looking into another line of work..

I’ve always been a bit meticulous, and I used to wonder if I was too fussy. But I still hear my old boss’s words: “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

Tree work taught me that rushing doesn’t pay off. Up there, mistakes aren’t forgiving—you need patience, precision, and care. Every move matters. That mindset kept me safe, saved time in the long run, and helped me do things right the first time.

Now, as I move into design, I want to carry that same meticulous approach with me. My goal is to carefully craft solutions that help people connect seamlessly with technology and the information they need.

At the end of the day, my greatest reward is seeing people smile while using something I’ve created. That joy is what makes all the work worthwhile.

My journey into tech began when I started creating drone videos for friends. That experience reminded me how much I enjoy working with computers, which led me to experiment with simple animations in Blender. From there, I dove deeper into software and user interface design—and what I’ve discovered since has been nothing short of inspiring.

If you had told me a year ago that I’d be building the kinds of projects I’m working on now, I wouldn’t have believed it. The pace of learning has been exciting, and what motivates me most is the opportunity to collaborate with others—to keep learning, keep creating, and build the best products we can together.

My Process

Ideation

I begin by carefully considering what people truly need and what kind of product will best support their goals. This stage is my chance to think creatively, brainstorm freely, and explore how a product can meet its purpose in the most effective way.

I reflect on how similar tasks have been solved before, while also imagining fresh approaches that might offer entirely new possibilities. This is one of my favorite parts of the process, because it opens the door to ideas that could shape a better, more innovative way of doing things.

Research

During research, I take a close look at the competition to see what’s already working well and where gaps may exist. This helps me compare the needs I’ve identified for the product with the solutions currently available.

I look for patterns—what feels familiar and intuitive for users—and also notice where products fall short. This step not only highlights opportunities for improvement but also inspires ways to create something more effective, enjoyable, and valuable than what’s out there today.

Hand Wireframing

This stage always feels a little like being a kid again—it’s quick, simple, and the fastest way to explore layout ideas. Hand wireframing makes it easy to spot potential design or sitemap issues early, before investing time in digital tools.

It’s all about getting your imagination on paper, experimenting with different possibilities, and seeing how a product might look and function. These sketches then serve as a foundation for moving into Figma, where the concepts take shape as digital wireframes.

Digital Wireframing

At this stage, the focus is still on simplicity—translating ideas into a clear digital structure. My first digital wireframes are often just gray blocks to define image placement, simple lines or lorem ipsum for text, and basic button placeholders.

The goal here isn’t polish, but clarity: establishing the core layout and flow of the project. By the end of this step, buttons may be clickable, but the priority is making sure the foundation is solid before moving into more detailed design work.

High-Fidelity Prototyping

At this stage, the design begins to feel like a real product. High-fidelity prototypes are clickable, interactive, and give clients a clear sense of how the final product will look and function.

This is also the ideal time to test with real users. Even if the prototype doesn’t yet have full functionality, it allows people to explore the experience, uncover areas for improvement, and identify anything that feels missing or confusing. Catching these issues early ensures a smoother path when moving into development.

Low-Code Development

After completing the Google UX/UI Design Certificate, I became curious about what it takes today to build functional applications using modern AI systems. What I discovered was eye-opening—these tools now make it possible to create and iterate faster and more easily than ever before.

My earlier experience with prompt engineering came full circle here. In many ways, low-code development feels like “prompting to program,” which I had always suspected was coming. Now, it seems clear that this will become the next stage of our design process: empowering designers to turn ideas into working products more efficiently, while keeping the focus on user experience.

Clients

I have a long list of very satisfied clients that I served as a professional tree climber but they will not be listed. What I want to do is create a new list of clients for a new type of service.

Work experience

[2013] - [2024]

Aloft

Owner

Professional tree climber and aerial video service provider

[2008] - [2013]

Four Seasons Tree Service

Certified arborist and professional tree climber.

[2006] - [2008]

Annatone Tree Service

Ground worker to apprentice tree climber.

Education

Coursera Career Development Digital Learning Program

Google UX Design Platform December 2024

Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, MN

Arboriculture Course June 2009

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