
Forrest Corbett
5.0
(6)
Elevate Your Design Career | Ex-Director at Kickstarter & Payscale
Hiring Manager at Kickstarter
Successful clients at
Not currently taking new clients
Forrest’s Design Qualifications
Experience level: Director
10+ people coached for Design
Forrest has helped clients get into these companies:
Hello! With over two decades of experience in design and product leadership, I've had the privilege of guiding teams at companies like Kickstarter, Xpanse, and Payscale. As a former Director of Product Design and User Experience, I've led successful product launches and improved customer satisfaction through innovative design strategies. My journey also includes founding and leading design-focused companies, where I honed my skills in creating tailored solutions for diverse clients. Having coached several design teams and many individuals, I am passionate about helping aspiring designers and product leaders achieve their career goals. Let's connect and craft a path to your success in the design world! Are you asking yourself: - How do I level up my design skills? - How do I gain more respect and visibility as a designer? - What do employers really want from me? - How can I earn that promotion? - How do I make a bigger impact with my work? If so, you're not alone—I’ve been there too. After years of navigating these very challenges, working across a variety of products and environments, I’ve gained a deep understanding of what it takes to thrive as a designer. Here’s the thing: the answer to these questions isn't one-size-fits-all. The right approach depends on your unique context. For example, if you’re working in a sales-driven company, you might face roadblocks when trying to advocate for high-impact design work. But that doesn’t mean change isn’t possible—it means you need a strategic approach. I specialize in helping designers like you assess where you’re at, understand the environment you're in, and identify the next steps to grow your influence, develop your skills, and achieve the success you’re aiming for. Whether you're looking to sharpen your craft or make a bigger impact within your company, I can help you navigate the path forward. Ready to take the next step? Let’s talk about how we can unlock your potential and turn your goals into reality.
Forrest can help with:
AI Automation
AI Fundamentals
AI Graphics Creation
AI Product Design
Branding
Cover Letters
Design Thinking
Freelancing
Interview Prep
LinkedIn Review
Networking Strategy
Promotion Strategy
Prototyping
Resume Review
Salary Negotiation
Skill Building
User Experience Design
User Interface Design
User Research & Insights Automation
Visual Design
Wireframing
Work Experience

Director of Product Design
Kickstarter
August 2022 - November 2024
Hiring Manager
Cross-functional Team Leadership, Product Design and +10 skills

Director of Product Design
Xpanse
September 2020 - May 2022
Hiring Manager
Head of design & user research for all products - B2B + B2C. Mortgage tech startup. Starting with the customer, we are building products from scratch. Built high performing team. Two successful product launches resulting in a dramatic improvements for customers; both in time saved and conversions. Created highly detailed and scalable design system. Product Design, Strategy and +11 skills

Director of User Experience
Payscale
July 2014 - April 2020
Hiring Manager
Gratefully built and led an amazing team of designers & engineers who craft brilliant solutions to complex customer problems, and help PayScale succeed in its mission. Increased the product, design and engineering teams' understanding of our customers, their needs, their wants, and how we can best serve them. Together we crafted an incredible vision for our customers and B2B+B2C SaaS products. Improved customer satisfaction and KPIs of our most popular solutions. Spearheaded and facilitated user research, bringing the voice of customer to the front, and validating our efforts. Reduced front-end development overhead. Dramatically boosted key sales metrics. Reduced common support issues. Ensured adoption of new features. Product Design, Information Architecture and +13 skills

Software Development Engineer
Trulia
May 2012 - June 2014
Working in both design & development, I created guiding post designs for primary product - our CRM. Created foundational UX roadmap. Aided in creating new SDLC, simplifying the ideation process and delivering more customer value more quickly. Designer & front-end developer for Market Leader’s mobile CRM, RealEstate.com, and HouseValues.com. Assisted user research studies and spearheaded additional user research. A/B tested designs to help improve conversion and provide useful features. Started a re-brandable, functional pattern library/design language to overhaul our UI frameworks. Web Development, Web Design and +4 skills

Web Developer
Amazon
October 2011 - March 2012
Aided in bringing the first Kindle Fire to market. Designed, prototyped and developed interactive content. Guided foundational framework changes to improve user experience and increase developer efficiency

Founder & CEO
All SMB Sites
January 2006 - July 2012
Hiring Manager
One of the first premium WordPress hosts, AllSMBSites offered dedicated, reliable and specialized hosting for small businesses running WordPress. Several industry specific verticals were offered, including tailored configurations for specific markets. We forged a path that many companies have since followed. In the process, we grew to over 4000 subscribers, with a feature set far more robust and targeted than any competitor. One of the first premium WordPress hosts, AllSMBSites offered dedicated, reliable and specialized hosting for small businesses running WordPress. Several industry specific verticals were offered, including tailored configurations for specific markets. We forged a path that many companies have since followed. In the process, we grew to over 4000 subscribers, with a feature set far more robust and targeted than any competitor.

Founder / CEO
Giraffe Deign, Ltd
February 2002 - April 2012
Hiring Manager
Assembled and lead a team of amazing designers, developers and writers. For a decade, we delivered a huge range of solutions. From a global marketing campaign for a major graphics card manufacture, to guiding a small startup away from the brink of failure, we delivered solutions based specifically on what the client needed. (Sometimes that meant referring them to someone who could better serve them.) With teams based in Seattle and Berlin, our clients ranged from winter resorts like Stevens Pass, Schweitzer, Mission Ridge; to major tech firms such as Intel and fashion companies like Unionbay. Assembled and lead a team of amazing designers, developers and writers. For a decade, we delivered a huge range of solutions. From a global marketing campaign for a major graphics card manufacture, to guiding a small startup away from the brink of failure, we delivered solutions based specifically on what the client needed. (Sometimes that meant referring them to someone who could better serve them.) With teams based in Seattle and Berlin, our clients ranged from winter resorts like Stevens Pass, Schweitzer, Mission Ridge; to major tech firms such as Intel and fashion companies like Unionbay.
6 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Forrest has helped clients get into these companies: