Neil McBean

Systems thinker. Design director. I care whether things actually work. Pro human. I want to be good more than I want to be right.

Spain

About

When you're building something new, brand feels like something you can put off. The problem is a lack of identity can cost relationships, slow your raise, and leave you having to explain yourself. It creates more work. I've spent 20 years designing for organizations that couldn't afford to look like they were figuring it out — Nike, Genentech, MGM, General Fusion, J&J, Amgen, Adobe, Warner Bros, Samsung, and 20+ others across tech, biotech, media, and energy. The range matters. Complex products, technical ideas, regulated industries, high-stakes launches. I've seen how great brands handle big moments. The framework I use is called DISS — Distinct, Intentional, Scalable, Shared. Most founders do okay on the first two, not so great on the third, and skip the last one entirely. Shared is where brand stops being a slide and starts being infrastructure: something your team believes in, your investors recognize, and your customers feel. Using this framework we can build a good brand system. A good brand system brings clarity. You know who you're serving, what problem you're solving, and what good looks like. The cost of execution is dropping to zero, which means purpose, craft, and care are the last real differentiators. I help brands look and act with the kind of integrity and confidence that gets good attention. And I do it in a way that takes the load off of founders. Great brand systems make everything downstream easier. Fundraising. Sales. Hiring. Product design. Partnerships. Nothing says you care about the details like caring about the details. But when you are putting out fires everywhere, details get missed. I can help you keep track of them. I work with a small number of founders at a time. No contracts, no scoping documents, no missed deadlines. Senior design, always available, for a monthly fee. One less thing to carry. If you're preparing to raise and need to launch like you mean it — let's talk. Free chats!

Experience

  • Founder at LaunchBox
    Oct 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 9 mos

    👇 CORE SERVICES FOR AMBITIOUS FOUNDERS 👇 🚀 Investor-Ready Pitch Decks: Crafting the story and visuals that get you funded. ✨ Full Brand Identity & Strategy: Building brands that attract customers and top talent. 💻 SaaS & App UI/UX Design: Designing intuitive products that prove market viability. 🌐 High-Converting Websites & Landing Pages: Turning visitors into customers. 🎬 Video & Motion Graphics: Creating dynamic content that captures attention. 🏆 HELPING STARTUPS LAUNCH & SCALE, INCLUDING: 🏆 • NutStir (Home-appliance startup) • Whelm.me (Mental health & wellness startup) • Gyre (Outdoor utility tool startup) • KingBaby/QueenBaby (E-commerce startup) Keywords: Startup Design, Subscription Design Service, Pitch Deck Design, Brand Identity, UI/UX for SaaS, Go-to-Market Strategy, Fractional Design, CPG Branding, Tech Startup Branding, Investor Decks, Landing Page Design, Product Visualization.

  • CEO at Blue Dot Supply Co.
    Jan 2021 - Jul 2023 · 2 yrs 7 mos

  • CEO at Kracker Cloud Technologies
    Jun 2017 - May 2020 · 3 yrs

    We make apps that create better working connections within organizations and industries. Whether you are collaborating between departments, between companies, or across entire verticals our flexible architecture fits the needs of modern teams better than anything else out there. www.zigtheapp.com is in open beta now!

  • Director at Rival Schools
    Jan 2008 - Jun 2017 · 9 yrs 6 mos

    Rival Schools is a strategic creative shop working with global brands and innovative companies. We provide strategy, creative and production for flexible communication solutions that achieve business goals. Our service range includes brand strategy, identity development, design, content, and supporting strategic and analytic services.

  • Senior Art Director/Producer at THEmedia
    Oct 2006 - Oct 2007 · 1 yr 1 mo

    As an art director and producer I developed and managed creative and technical teams. I oversaw budgets, scope, schedules, and projects from conception to delivery. Also I had the opportunity to work closely with our clients, an interesting and diverse bunch.