LocalBuzz
Case Study
LocalBuzz Mobile App
MY ROLE
Founding Product Designer
RESPONSIBILITIES
Branding & Marketing
Design Systems
Interaction Design
Animation
TIMELINE
18 Months
OVERVIEW
As the Founding Product Designer, I led the design of a video-first mobile platform from 0 → 1, building the product, brand, and experience from the ground up. The result was a fully launched iOS and Android app that enabled users to explore local content through a fast, scrollable, and location-based interface.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Championed product vision by reframing Localbuzz from 0 → 1 in collaboration with co-founders and stakeholders.
Built LocalBuzz's brand and design identity as a solo founding designer by leading design from concept to production, setting the direction, producing the work, and driving the team towards rollout.
Delivered the product design for the next generation of social media and created the foundation for a community-based platform built for communities, eventually leading to local news coverage on Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5) here.
Problem & Challenges
During the COVID-19 pandemic, local communities became more important but also harder to navigate. Existing platforms like Instagram and Facebook were
Working as the only designer at an early-stage startup while moving to a new city during the middle of a pandemic brought its own set of personal and professional challenges. I’d be remiss to not mention that here first and foremost.
I joined the team in May 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic quickly altered social media and changed the way people use technology. Everything was accelerating towards short-form video content. People began shifting trends towards raw and authentic content over curated aesthetic. The problem was that popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter became outdated and not shown in real-time. Users were struggling to find what's happening in their community.
This caused us to evolve the product and help provide support for local business during and after the pandemic.
Action Plan & Design Process
We operated as a small, early-stage team, which meant moving quickly, testing often, and adapting in real time. I led product design across the full lifecycle—from early strategy to launch and growth.
I started by defining a clear product direction around real-time, community-driven discovery and identifying where existing platforms were falling short. From there, I designed a video-first, geo-based experience that made local exploration feel fast and intuitive. To solve the cold-start problem, we prioritized building a content ecosystem early by partnering with creators, local businesses, and community organizations. As development progressed, we launched an alpha version to validate assumptions, gather feedback, and refine the experience.
We then moved into launch and growth, using community-driven distribution and influencer content to drive early traction and engagement. This approach allowed us to successfully ship the product and establish a foundation for future scale.
Guiding Principles
We quickly realized that were moving towards launching a product during COVID-19. It was a time when communities were extremely isolated, local businesses were struggling, and people craved meaningful connection with their neighborhoods. We want to created three core principles that shaped LocalBuzz's design strategy and product decisions.
Defining Product Vision
Working as the only designer at an early-stage startup while moving to a new city during the middle of a pandemic brought its own set of personal and professional challenges. I’d be remiss to not mention that here first and foremost.
I joined the team in May 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic quickly altered social media and changed the way people use technology. Everything was accelerating towards short-form video content. People began shifting trends towards authentic, raw content over curated aesthetic, and scripted social commerce.
Contraints
Cold Start Problem: No users → no content → no engagement
Solution: Built a creator + business network before launch to seed the platform.
This caused us to evolve the product and help provide support for local business during and after the pandemic.
Final Results
Working as the only designer at an early-stage startup while moving to a new city during the middle of a pandemic brought its own set of personal and professional challenges. I’d be remiss to not mention that here first and foremost.
I joined the team in May 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic quickly altered social media and changed the way people use technology. Everything was accelerating towards short-form video content. People began shifting trends towards authentic, raw content over curated aesthetic, and scripted social commerce
This caused us to evolve the product and help provide support for local business during and after the pandemic.
+
%
Increase in user engagement
+
Small businesses supported
$
K
+
Start-up funding raised