I lead with clarity, empathy,
and trust. 

Creating the structure and space for good people to do great work.

When I joined All Turtles, the design team was distributed across several ventures, with talented people doing good work in isolation, without shared rituals, clear ownership, or a way to learn from one another. No collective brain.

The first thing I did was build the structure that let the team function as one; working agreements, communication channels, design critiques, clear objectives and goals, documentation practices, and a culture of working in the open. Designers shared work early and often, which kept stakeholders aligned, reduced friction, and made collaboration feel natural rather than forced. Embedded team frameworks gave each venture a common foundation, so nothing was lost between projects.

Within months, the dynamic shifted. Work quality improved. Projects were more efficient. Stakeholders were more satisfied. People started growing into their roles with clarity about where they were headed. In three years, not one person left.

That's what I mean when I say I lead with clarity and trust. Not as principles on a wall, as the actual conditions I build so good people can do their best work. I've been doing it long enough that the team I built before this one, in Venezuela in 2005, is still in a group chat today.

My Principles

Clarity first.

When the path is clear, the team moves with confidence. I invest in making goals, ownership, and direction explicit, so energy goes into the work, not the ambiguity around it.

Systems serve people.

Process should help, not hinder. The rituals, frameworks, and structures I build exist to protect focus and enable creativity,  not to create overhead.

Work in the open.

The best collaboration happens when work is visible early. Sharing before things are polished keeps stakeholders aligned, invites better feedback, and builds trust across the organization.

Design is emotional. 

The best work connects before it convinces. I lead teams to create experiences that resonate, not just communicate.

Consistency builds trust. 

Internally and externally. Teams that operate with consistency build credibility. Brands that express themselves consistently build loyalty.

Good teams tell the truth.

Healthy tension, handled well, creates better outcomes. I build environments where honest feedback is normal, not threatening.

AI accelerates.
Humans decide. 

After three years leading design at an AI pioneer venture studio, I've seen firsthand what AI can and can't do. It accelerates possibilities. Critical thinking and taste turn them into decisions worth making.

How I work with:

Teams

I've led design groups of all sizes, from small, fast-moving venture teams to global organizations. No matter the scale, the goal is the same: ensure design contributes to the business in meaningful ways, and that the people doing the work feel ownership of it.

I help teams clarify their purpose, define standards, and establish simple rhythms that keep everyone aligned, working agreements, clear areas of ownership, weekly rituals, and design critique. These aren't bureaucratic structures. They're the conditions that let creative people do their best work without burning out or losing direction.

Design Leads

Leadership should multiply leadership. I work closely with design leads to help them develop their own style, striking the right balance between autonomy and accountability, and building trust across their teams.

Most of the work is conversational. Setting priorities, improving feedback loops, identifying growth opportunities, protecting focus and energy. The result is a group of leaders who are confident, grounded, and aligned around the same north star, not dependent on me to make every call.

Executives and Partners

Great design leadership connects disciplines. I work across design, product, and brand to ensure teams share a single direction, whether that means defining a vision, facilitating a strategy session, or building a decision-making framework.

The goal isn't to make design win. It's to help everyone see the same picture, make smarter decisions, and move forward together, so the user and the business both win.

What It Feels Like to work with me

Design feels less chaotic. Conversations feel more focused. Outcomes feel intentional.

Teams understand why their work matters. Leaders can trust that design is contributing in the right ways. And the work (the actual creative output) gets better because the people making it feel clear, supported, and challenged in equal measure.

That's what good design leadership looks like to me. It's not about making more noise. It's about bringing clarity, direction, and care to how the work gets done.

heraclio@designstgy.com