STEPHEN POLITTE
Product Design Lead | UX Designer
St. Louis, MO, USAWith over twelve years of experience in design and leadership, I have learned what it means to embrace curiosity and thrive on always being a student, continually learning. I believe that people matter most. To listen and be present with a person (client and team member) is to enter into the design solution. I am a human-centered designer born in a visual designer’s body. Form without function is meaningless, and function without beauty is fleeting. I believe that the processes are beautiful and give freedom, not restraints.
My passions chase after creating meaningful experiences of community following the theme that "people need people." This led me to start and run HomesteadFolks.com for the past six years.
I believe in a very disciplined work/life balance, focusing on what matters most and knowing that it influences my work in a positive way. Design is a way of life, and I am fortunate enough to have it be part of my work.
My passions chase after creating meaningful experiences of community following the theme that "people need people." This led me to start and run HomesteadFolks.com for the past six years.
I believe in a very disciplined work/life balance, focusing on what matters most and knowing that it influences my work in a positive way. Design is a way of life, and I am fortunate enough to have it be part of my work.
Work Experience
Video Squirrel
Product Design Lead
From startup to a mature product, as the design lead, I oversee all aspects of user experience and design from overall brand to app design. My mission is to help drive user engagement by concepting, prototyping, iterating, and creating experiences and flows. The day-to-day consists of designing experiences in a platform agnostic environment built in React and React Native (Web, iOS, & Android.) Working in a passionate and creative cross-functional team, I have played a critical role in delivering on our product vision to pioneer in a new area where videos can transact.
September 2019
- Present
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Zipline Live
Product Design Lead | UX Designer
From startup to a mature product, as the design lead, I oversee all aspects of user experience and design from overall brand to app design. My mission is to help drive user engagement by concepting, prototyping, iterating, and creating experiences and flows. The day-to-day consists of designing experiences in a platform agnostic environment built in React and React Native (Web, iOS, & Android.) Working in a passionate and creative cross-functional team, I have played a critical role in delivering on our product vision to pioneer in a new area where videos can transact.
January 2018
- September 2019
Missouri, United States
Subtrction
Owner | Creative Director
Subtrction is the personal design shop of me, Stephen Politte. I partner with the most talented writers, designers, and communication specialists to craft elegant solutions to your roadblocks from strategy to execution for brands, agencies, and start-ups.
Subtrction was birthed from my design philosophy (cliché though it is) that less is actually more. It takes an incredible amount of discipline to figure out what does not belong and then another layer of rationale and reasoning to make sure that the identities and experiences we create are intuitive and inviting. I believe that you are able to engage and experience more when you have taken your brand through refining filters and subtracted what does not belong.
Subtrction was birthed from my design philosophy (cliché though it is) that less is actually more. It takes an incredible amount of discipline to figure out what does not belong and then another layer of rationale and reasoning to make sure that the identities and experiences we create are intuitive and inviting. I believe that you are able to engage and experience more when you have taken your brand through refining filters and subtracted what does not belong.
January 2006
- Present
United States
Homestead
Community Architect | Designer
I started the Homestead with a goal of social engagement to help build and create community through social gatherings, meals, and other events. They are all an invitation of engagement: engagement through the art of food, laughter, stories, and conversation. Embracing local arts and foods and using those to gather.
May 2013
- Present
Missouri, United States
FalkHarrison Studio
Creative Director | UX Director
Responsibilities include to lead change and bring the agency "up-top-date" by implementing: budget allocation reviews for project estimates and actuals, agency org structure and time tracking, project processes and strategic team interactions, raising the design quality/thinking and standards of all creative work, present and work with clients on project oversight and all deliverables, devloping agency-wide marketing plan and execution, and mentoring team members toward an agile environment.
2001
- 2005
Tennessee, United States
Historic Agency
Creative Director
Primarily remote, I led projects (client-facing) for design presentations and overall creative direction for Historic Agency; a full-service agency focusing on brand identity and communication strategy, mainly for clients from the non-profit sector.
2014
- 2017
Arizona, United States
New Honor Society
Sr. Design Lead
Led projects as Sr. Design Lead with a focus of mentoring younger creatives. A full-service, multi-disciplinary agency that works with an assortment of some of the world’s largest brands, NHS offers brand identity/development, marketing campaigns, and digital solutions.
April 2014
- December 2015
Missouri, United States
Echo Media
Design Director
As Design Director, I led projects of all sizes for Echo Media with remote teams serving mostly non-profit clients whose needs range from branding to marketing campaigns. Echo Media is a marketing and branding agency that exists to provide creative marketing solutions.
2013
- 2016
Detroit, Michigan, United States
The Less Collective
Founder | Designer
A community of creative doers. I started the Less Collective as a community and a resource for artists. Artists from all aspects of life. My goal is to help create community and create collaboration among artists no matter where they live. To be an active resource for them for whatever help is needed while building togetherness among artists.
June 2011
- January 2015
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Education
Johnson University
Bachelor of Science
2001
- 2005
Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
Languages
English (Native),
Skills
Adobe Creative Suite,
Adobe Illustrator,
Adobe Indesign,
Adobe Photoshop,
Graphic Design,
InvisionApp,
Logo Design,
Marketing,
MarvelApp,
Music,
Photography,
Principle For Mac,
Print Design,
Prototyping,
Sketch 3,
Soundtracks,
User Experience,
User Interaction,
UX Strategy,
Vocals,
Web Design,
Wireframing,