This is not a bio
This is what drive me
i’m sam, a mexican-american designer.
I help early-stage SaaS and B2Bs turn products into narratives that convert. I’ve led positioning, UX, brand identity and systems from the ground up, improving acquisition and product adoption. I build storytelling, strategy and performance, partnering with founders, product, and sales to align messaging with measurable growth.
i’ve launched products, built brands, published books, created games, and led projects from scratch to real life. i thrive at the intersection of storytelling and strategy.
Beyond client work
Outside of work, I build things:
📚 Author
I’ve published two books:
Sam The Fifth, The Underground (fiction)
samonster, Don’t Be Boring, Build Bold Websites (non-fiction on best practices)
🎲 creator
I designed, manufactured, and launched an independent animal-themed board game line. Managing design, suppliers, logistics, and distribution from scratch.
🌏 Design Sgainst Crime, Chiba University (Japan)
Collaborated on Design against crime program; a community safety system integrating wearable devices and alert infrastructure, connecting individuals, facilities, and emergency services.
These projects keep me sharp across storytelling, product thinking, and execution.
Human stuff
I’m into art in almost any form. I love traveling, learning languages, good coffee, and long conversations about philosophy.
You’ll often find me:
👨🏼🦰😸 Hanging out with my husband and our cat Roro
✍️ Writing
🎲 Prototyping board game mechanics
🎸 Playing ukulele badly but enthusiastically
🎴 Drawing visual bingo cards that make fun of things that happen in michigan.
Fun facts
🌍 I’ve lived in France, Mexico, and New Zealand, which probably explains why I think about systems globally and coffee very seriously.
🎓 I’ve done academic programs in Japan, france and Mexico. They all had something to teach me!
🗣 I speak four languages.
⌨️ I strongly dislike the French keyboard. It’s a design problem I have not forgiven.
🎲 I once designed, manufactured, and shipped my own board games. Yes, that includes supplier negotiations (who speak chinese!) and logistics headaches.
😸 My cat Roro believes he’s the real creative director. He may be right.