SaaS PlatformCreatorStack2025Lead Product Designer & Developer (Contract)
Content Monetization & Community Platform
Site builder, memberships, content delivery and community in one place the creator actually owns.
The brief
Content creators juggle multiple tools (Patreon, Mailchimp, Teachable, Discord) to monetize their audience. Payment processing and tax compliance is complex across platforms. Creators lack ownership of audience relationships and data. Discovery is controlled by algorithm changes on social platforms. Building a sustainable creator business requires significant technical and business expertise that most creators don't have.
The approach
Created an all-in-one platform with customizable creator websites, membership management, content delivery, and community spaces. Designed a template library with one-click customization and WYSIWYG content editor for non-technical creators. Built smart defaults based on creator type (educator vs entertainer vs coach). Implemented flexible subscription pricing with benefit management and automated access control. Added AI tools to help with content creation, SEO, and audience insights. Mobile-first design ensures fans can access content easily.
The analysis moment
“Creators should own the audience relationship, not rent it from four different platforms.”
Why
The research kept returning the same fragility: an algorithm change or a platform policy could erase a creator's income overnight, because the audience relationship never belonged to them.
Impact
Owned creator sites, direct member data and built-in email — the platform is infrastructure the creator keeps, which is why retention holds at 85% annually.
The interface
Screen by screen
The journey
Stage by stage
Discovery & Strategy
2 weeks
- Competitive analysis of Patreon, Substack, Kajabi
- User research with mid-tier creators across platforms
- Defined product positioning and differentiation
- Created product roadmap and feature prioritization
- Established success metrics and KPIs
Design & Prototyping
4 weeks
- Information architecture for creator workflows
- Template library design with customization options
- WYSIWYG content editor interface
- Mobile-first design for fan experience
- Onboarding wizard for 30-minute setup
- Usability testing with content creators
MVP Development
Ongoing
- Frontend development with React/Next.js
- Drag-and-drop site builder implementation
- Stripe Connect integration for payments
- Content delivery with DRM protection
- Community spaces and messaging
- Analytics dashboard and growth insights
Along the way
Hard parts, handled
Customization vs. Quality
Designed template system that lets creators personalize branding while maintaining professional quality through smart constraints and design guidelines.
Payment Psychology
Reduced friction in signup flow with transparent pricing and trust indicators while optimizing conversion through behavioral psychology.
Mobile Creation
Enabled full content creation and community management from mobile devices through optimized touch interfaces and simplified workflows.
Build-ready outcome
Delivered a creator platform that enables 60% of creators to earn $500+ in their first 3 months. The MVP successfully demonstrates custom creator sites with drag-and-drop customization, tiered membership management, content delivery with DRM protection, private community spaces, built-in email marketing, and comprehensive analytics. The platform achieves sub-48 hour time to first dollar and 85% annual member retention across all creators.
What was delivered
- ↳Product Strategy & Market Research
- ↳Information Architecture & User Flows
- ↳Complete Design System
- ↳High-Fidelity UI/UX Designs
- ↳Interactive Prototypes
- ↳MVP Development
- ↳Creator Site Builder
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