Hey there, my name is Mitchell Clements 👋

I’m a Design Leader with a background as a developer, product manager, and designer. This is my story.

Let's Dive In

Finding My Creative Spark ✨

Growing up, my dream was to become a pizza chef, inspired by my Lego creations of a bustling “Pizza Palace.” Let’s just say my culinary skills are questionable. 😅

While many designers have artistic backgrounds, I found my creative spark in the world of technology. My early fascination with computers and analytical thinking naturally led me to pursue a degree in Computer Science.

Discovering User Experience Design 🤩

Halfway through my undergraduate studies, I discovered the field of user experience design and immediately became captivated.

Since my university didn't offer a formal program at the time, I took the initiative to create my own curriculum and became the president of the university's User Experience Design Association.

I built a team of 9 design leaders and boosted event attendance in the UX student community by 485%. Our efforts helped validate the student demand for creating an academically recognized Design Thinking minor at Brigham Young University (Fall 2018).

Publishing My First Mobile App 📲

Armed with a deep understanding of UX design and coding, I decided to put my skills to the test by creating my first mobile app. Shortly after publishing, I was shocked when I discovered my app had reached the #2 spot in its Google Play app store category.

This unexpected success taught me that a great app isn't just about coding; it's about understanding user needs and providing a seamless experience.

Transitioning From Developer to Designer 👨🏻‍💻

The success of my app earned me my first internship as a mobile developer at a tech startup. While coding features, I still went out of my way to conduct user research and design better workflows.

This solidified my passion for UX Design, and by the end of my internship, I was offered a full-time position as a developer. With a leap of faith, I countered the offer requesting a full-time role as a UX Designer. To my surprise, they agreed. 😮

An Unexpected Detour as a Product Manager 💼

Years after transitioning from development to design, I excelled in user research and designing solutions that were both user-friendly and technically feasible. However, I became increasingly perplexed by the disconnect between our product roadmap and actual user needs.

This led me to explore the intersection of product strategy with business goals by becoming a product manager. As a product manager, I dedicated myself to identifying and solving problems that not only met business objectives but also addressed genuine user needs.

Back to Design and Becoming a Leader 🎯

My journey as a product manager equipped me with valuable business acumen, while my developer background instilled in me a deep understanding of systems and constraints.

But more than anything, it's my passion for design that has taught me creativity, collaboration, empathy, communication, leadership, and ethical decision-making. I found myself transitioning back to design and eventually grew into design leadership where I’ve achieved the following the milestones:

Leading Design for 10 Million Users
At nCino I helped grow our design team to 30 designers while also directing the product design vision for the company's largest business unit.
View case study
9 Designers
Directly managed
22 Teams
Directed
72 NPS
From 10M Users
From Zero to a $1.2 Billion Valuation
At SimpleNexus I created a product vision, strategy, and design system to transform a basement startup into a billion dollar unicorn.
View case study
$2M → $46M
Annual Revenue
2 → 35%
Market share
98%
Retention
Providing Mentorship for 420 Mentees
As the Chair of the Product Hive Mentorship program, I organized a team of leaders to give back to the design community.
Case study coming soon
2,600+
Mentorship Sessions
420
Mentees
180
Mentors
Leading Design for 10 Million Users
At nCino I helped grow our design team to 30 designers while also directing the product design vision for the company's largest business unit.
View case study
9 Designers
Directly managed
22 Teams
Directed
72 NPS
From 10M Users
From Zero to a $1.2 Billion Valuation
At SimpleNexus I created a product vision, strategy, and design system to transform a basement startup into a billion dollar unicorn.
View case study
$2M → $46M
Annual Revenue
2 → 35%
Market share
98%
Retention
Providing Mentorship for 420 Mentees
As the Chair of the Product Hive Mentorship program, I organized a team of leaders to give back to the design community.
Case study coming soon
2,600+
Mentorship Sessions
420
Mentees
180
Mentors
Leading Design for 10 Million Users
At nCino I helped grow our design team to 30 designers while also directing the product design vision for the company's largest business unit.
View case study
9 Designers
Directly managed
22 Teams
Directed
72 NPS
From 10M Users
From Zero to a $1.2 Billion Valuation
At SimpleNexus I created a product vision, strategy, and design system to transform a basement startup into a billion dollar unicorn.
View case study
$2M → $46M
Annual Revenue
2 → 35%
Market share
98%
Retention
Providing Mentorship for 420 Mentees
As the Chair of the Product Hive Mentorship program, I organized a team of leaders to give back to the design community.
Case study coming soon
2,600+
Mentorship Sessions
420
Mentees
180
Mentors
Leading Design for 10 Million Users
At nCino I helped grow our design team to 30 designers while also directing the product design vision for the company's largest business unit.
View case study
9 Designers
Directly managed
22 Teams
Directed
72 NPS
From 10M Users
From Zero to a $1.2 Billion Valuation
At SimpleNexus I created a product vision, strategy, and design system to transform a basement startup into a billion dollar unicorn.
View case study
$2M → $46M
Annual Revenue
2 → 35%
Market share
98%
Retention
Providing Mentorship for 420 Mentees
As the Chair of the Product Hive Mentorship program, I organized a team of leaders to give back to the design community.
Case study coming soon
2,600+
Mentorship Sessions
420
Mentees
180
Mentors

Leading Design for 10 Million Users
At nCino I helped grow our design team to 30 designers while also directing the product design vision for the company's largest business unit.
View case study
9 Designers
Directly managed
22 Teams
Directed
72 NPS
From 10M Users
From Zero to a $1.2 Billion Valuation
At SimpleNexus I created a product vision, strategy, and design system to transform a basement startup into a billion dollar unicorn.
View case study
$2M → $46M
Annual Revenue
2 → 35%
Market share
98%
Customer retention
Providing Mentorship for 420 Mentees
As the Chair of the Product Hive Mentorship program, I organized a team of leaders to give back to the design community.
Case study coming soon
2,600+
Mentorship Sessions
420
Mentees
180
Mentors
Leading Design for 10 Million Users
At nCino I helped grow our design team to 30 designers while also directing the product design vision for the company's largest business unit.
View case study
9 Designers
Directly managed
22 Teams
Directed
72 NPS
From 10M Users
From Zero to a $1.2 Billion Valuation
At SimpleNexus I created a product vision, strategy, and design system to transform a basement startup into a billion dollar unicorn.
View case study
$2M → $46M
Annual Revenue
2 → 35%
Market share
98%
Customer retention
Providing Mentorship for 420 Mentees
As the Chair of the Product Hive Mentorship program, I organized a team of leaders to give back to the design community.
Case study coming soon
2,600+
Mentorship Sessions
420
Mentees
180
Mentors
Leading Design for 10 Million Users
At nCino I helped grow our design team to 30 designers while also directing the product design vision for the company's largest business unit.
View case study
9 Designers
Directly managed
22 Teams
Directed
72 NPS
From 10M Users
From Zero to a $1.2 Billion Valuation
At SimpleNexus I created a product vision, strategy, and design system to transform a basement startup into a billion dollar unicorn.
View case study
$2M → $46M
Annual Revenue
2 → 35%
Market share
98%
Customer retention
Providing Mentorship for 420 Mentees
As the Chair of the Product Hive Mentorship program, I organized a team of leaders to give back to the design community.
Case study coming soon
2,600+
Mentorship Sessions
420
Mentees
180
Mentors
Leading Design for 10 Million Users
At nCino I helped grow our design team to 30 designers while also directing the product design vision for the company's largest business unit.
View case study
9 Designers
Directly managed
22 Teams
Directed
72 NPS
From 10M Users
From Zero to a $1.2 Billion Valuation
At SimpleNexus I created a product vision, strategy, and design system to transform a basement startup into a billion dollar unicorn.
View case study
$2M → $46M
Annual Revenue
2 → 35%
Market share
98%
Customer retention
Providing Mentorship for 420 Mentees
As the Chair of the Product Hive Mentorship program, I organized a team of leaders to give back to the design community.
Case study coming soon
2,600+
Mentorship Sessions
420
Mentees
180
Mentors

Giving Back to the Design Community 🤲

As a Design Leader, giving back to the design community is one of my top priorities. I've had the privilege of speaking at over 30 industry events, coaching more than 120 designers, and regularly sharing insights with a community of 50,000+ designers on LinkedIn. My goal is to help elevate our craft, inspire emerging talent, and foster a collaborative, supportive design community.

My Design Leadership Principles 🤝

The "why" behind my leadership comes from a deep commitment to my values and principles. These are the ideals I stand by that keep me focused on creating meaningful impact.