SEAN
FINNELL

Product
Designer

Fluent in interaction, content, systems, and AI design. 
Focused on growth and innovation.  Based in NYC.

Open to full-time or contract opportunities

Hey, I'm
Sean.

Back when GeoCities ruled the web, I tried my hand at web design at nine years old and first discovered the thrill of turning my ideas into experiences others could interact with.  I’ve been chasing that feeling, and refining my design craft, ever since.
A decade in consumer startups has sharpened my storytelling and product sense.  
I learned that great design isn't just visual: it's the right words in the right moments, interactions that feel effortless, and systems that drive meaningful outcomes.
I design at every altitude, from micro-interactions to service blueprints.  Intuitive and adaptable, I thrive in both the ambiguity of 0-to-1 and the experimentation of 1-to-100.   

Areas of
Expertise

User Research
Product Strategy
Interaction Design
Content Design
Growth Design
Visual / UI Design
Design Systems & Brand Identity
Information Architecture
Conversation Design & AI
Service Design

How I
Work

Throw out assumptions and define success.
I approach every problem from first principles.  I start by understanding what users actually need, what constraints we have, and which metrics really matter.  True alignment only happens when design, product, engineering and growth teams all define success the same way.
Map the journey and the ops that enable it.
I design both the user-facing journey and the backstage systems that deliver it. That means mapping frictionless interactions end-to-end while architecting the processes, tooling, and handoffs that keep the experience coherent across channels and sustainable at scale.
Design with conviction, test with humility.
I translate user insights and business constraints into opinionated design decisions, then validate them fast.  Every interaction, flow, and piece of copy is a testable hypothesis.  I ship quickly, measure what matters, and iterate based on real-world data.
Sweat the details.
In the consumer world, polish is the price of entry and trust is built in micro-moments—the right word in an error state, a smooth loading transition, accessible interactions. I obsess over the small moments that make an experience feel effortless and human.

Experience + Education

Co-Founder

99 Questions

New York, NY  |  2023–present

Director, Product & Design

Y7 STUDIO

New York, NY  |  2021–2023

Product Designer

SPINCO

Toronto, ON  |  2020–2021

Founder & CEO

MINDSET brain gym

Toronto, ON  |  2018–2020

Manager, Marketing & Design

New City Gas

Montreal, QC  |  2015–2017

Marketing Intern

L'Oréal (Designer Fragrances)

Montreal, QC  |  2014

Design Intern

Just for Laughs

Montreal, QC  |  2013

Web Designer

Freelance

Montreal, QC  |  2010–2015

Bachelor of Commerce, McGill University

Double Concentration in Marketing & Strategy, Minor in Psychology

Montreal, QC  |  2011–2015