Show HN: A handpicked directory to help founders find great design studios(finddesignagency.com)
finddesignagency.com
Show HN: A handpicked directory to help founders find great design studios
https://finddesignagency.com/
2 comments
> every time, finding the right design partner felt like a black box
I just scrolled through your offering and the line "And they're all made out of ticky-tacky. And they all look just the same." From Little Boxes By Malvina Reynolds sprung to mind.
Every single one of these "sites" looks like it rolled off the same assembly line of tailwind / boot strap series of billboards with no information aesthetic.
But this isn't your problem.
Then I started to click through, hoping for "more". I have to say that giving the big splashy area to scroll through samples is a great feature (for your site).
But in something like the UX category I would expect designs displayed in this area to show me some UX work. It's all business cards and branding... And they all look just the same.
> So I built Find Design Agency — a curated collection of design studios for founders who care about clarity, originality, and building with taste.
I think you have highlighted an a larger industry problem. That it really doesn't matter who you pick. There isn't a lot of innovation or creativity here. Pick the low bidder, accept the work product for what it is and move on.
Design has become the cookie cutter and the shape of the cookie (a founders product) isn't going to change the taste.
I just scrolled through your offering and the line "And they're all made out of ticky-tacky. And they all look just the same." From Little Boxes By Malvina Reynolds sprung to mind.
Every single one of these "sites" looks like it rolled off the same assembly line of tailwind / boot strap series of billboards with no information aesthetic.
But this isn't your problem.
Then I started to click through, hoping for "more". I have to say that giving the big splashy area to scroll through samples is a great feature (for your site).
But in something like the UX category I would expect designs displayed in this area to show me some UX work. It's all business cards and branding... And they all look just the same.
> So I built Find Design Agency — a curated collection of design studios for founders who care about clarity, originality, and building with taste.
I think you have highlighted an a larger industry problem. That it really doesn't matter who you pick. There isn't a lot of innovation or creativity here. Pick the low bidder, accept the work product for what it is and move on.
Design has become the cookie cutter and the shape of the cookie (a founders product) isn't going to change the taste.
Really appreciate you taking the time to write this out — and honestly, I agree with a lot of what you said. It’s tricky, especially when many studios default to showcasing just the branding layer, even when their work goes much deeper.
That said, this is exactly the kind of feedback we built Find Design Agency to respond to.
That said, this is exactly the kind of feedback we built Find Design Agency to respond to.
I have been looking for a designer for Nestful[0] for a while now, and although I could find very talented designers, they all look to be doing the same kind of thing.
You mentioned originality but to me it all looks like whatever the current trend is on repeat. I know that this may be a result of client demands but in the end it makes it very hard to judge if the designer can communicate and introduce design flare unique to Nestful, or if they are just very talented on executing preexisting ideas.
[0]: https://nestful.app
You mentioned originality but to me it all looks like whatever the current trend is on repeat. I know that this may be a result of client demands but in the end it makes it very hard to judge if the designer can communicate and introduce design flare unique to Nestful, or if they are just very talented on executing preexisting ideas.
[0]: https://nestful.app
I totally get it — having taste usually comes from people who’ve shipped a lot, across different kinds of work. Design-led founders often bring that naturally because they’re in a position to experiment freely and shape the product from the top.
But at the same time, designers also need to individually ship and build that muscle themselves.
Personally, I really admire what the founder of mymind.com does — it’s pure craft, refined through years of experimentation.
That said, I believe the best design studios are the ones that sit close to the founder and ship alongside them — not just for them.
Let me know if you ever need help — always happy to jam: https://x.com/iamarnob6543
But at the same time, designers also need to individually ship and build that muscle themselves.
Personally, I really admire what the founder of mymind.com does — it’s pure craft, refined through years of experimentation.
That said, I believe the best design studios are the ones that sit close to the founder and ship alongside them — not just for them.
Let me know if you ever need help — always happy to jam: https://x.com/iamarnob6543
So I built Find Design Agency — a curated collection of design studios for founders who care about clarity, originality, and building with taste.
Would love your feedback on what’s missing, what could be improved, and whether this solves a pain you’ve felt.
Live here: https://finddesignagency.com