Matt Karakilic — I help people move forward.

Who I help

You don't need
another course.
You need someone
in your corner.

Most people aren't stuck because they lack information. They're stuck because they don't have honest feedback, real accountability, or someone who's actually been where they're trying to go.

I work with designers, career changers, and professionals at all stages — anyone who's ready to stop spinning their wheels and start moving forward with intention.

You're graduating into a brutal market

Great skills, zero strategy. Nobody taught you how to position yourself, network effectively, or actually land the role you worked three years toward.

You're switching careers and can't see the path

You bring real-world experience and incredible perspective — but the gap between where you are and where you want to be isn't obvious from where you're standing.

You're mid-career and stuck at a ceiling

The skills that got you here won't always get you there. Something shifted and you're not sure what — or how to break through it.

You just need someone honest to talk to

Not a coach who tells you what you want to hear. Someone who'll look at your situation clearly and help you see what you're actually missing.

What I do

How I help you move forward

Community

A space for people who are serious about moving forward. Job posts, peer support, live sessions, and a coach who actually shows up.

Join free

Community+

Everything you need to actually move forward — live Q&A coaching, 24/7 Matt AI, curated resources built from real community requests, and a jobs board that's actually worth checking.

Full access

1:1 with Matt

Real conversations, real feedback, real accountability. We work through what's actually holding you back — together, without the fluff.

The main thing

Who I am

I'm Matt.
I've been where
you're trying to go.

I've spent 17+ years in design — leading teams at Fortune 500s, building products people actually use, and navigating every version of the career ladder you can imagine.

I didn't set out to become a coach. But over time I noticed that the people around me — designers, career changers, students, senior leaders — kept asking the same kinds of questions. And I had real answers, because I'd lived through the real problems.

Designed Forward exists because I believe everyone deserves access to honest, experienced guidance — not just the people lucky enough to know the right person.

"The comeback starts here. Wherever here is for you."

🎓

Digital Design Instructor, Emily Carr University of Art + Design

A globally recognized institution with a reputation for creative excellence and a thriving community of students, faculty, and alumni

🌍

Global R&D UX Director, Hitachi Energy

Led a 15-person distributed team across 4 continents

🏆

Student Entrepreneur of the Year — SFU

Been there, done that with Two Guinness World Records, because why not

📋

UXPA Conference Chair

Volunteering to build the design community, not just talk about it

📚

Coaching philosophy

Influenced by Gabor Maté, Eckhart Tolle, and the belief that most people just need someone honest in their corner

What people say

Don't take my
word for it.

★★★★★

"Matt embodies the qualities of a true leader — a rare combination of strength and humility. A guiding light in our professional journey."

Manoj Rajamani

Global UX Leader, Hitachi Energy

★★★★★

"One of the most well-rounded UX practitioners I've ever worked with. His curiosity, intelligence, and design skills are second to none."

John Burnett

Sr. UX Researcher, UKG

★★★★★

"Matt's 'no BS' approach is refreshing. He's the real deal — the kind of professional I genuinely enjoy learning from."

Nuna Baptista

Design Systems Manager, Hitachi Vantara

What's inside

Here's What You Get in Community+

Group Coaching

Live Q&A & Hot Seat Sessions (2x Monthly)

Two live sessions every month. One where we dig into real challenges together as a group. One where I work directly with members — reviewing your work, your positioning, your next move — and giving you direct, honest feedback on the spot.

Live Q&A — bring your real questions, no fluff
Hot Seat Coaching — I work directly with you, on your actual situation
Direct feedback from Matt, not a bot

Matt AI

24/7 Access to Matt AI

Stuck at midnight figuring out your next career move? Matt AI is trained on everything I've built and learned through hundreds of 1:1 sessions — available whenever you need it, responding the way I would.

Interview prep and positioning
Career pivot strategy
Portfolio and resume feedback
Unstuck at any hour

Community Resources

Resources Built From the Community, For the Community

I don't create content in a vacuum. Resources are shaped by the real questions and challenges members bring — templates, frameworks, and breakdowns that actually reflect what you're working through right now, not what I think you should be.

Resources created from community requests
Career frameworks and practical templates
Real-world examples, not textbook theory

Jobs Board

Curated Opportunities Worth Your Time

I actively find and post opportunities that match where this community is headed. Not every listing that hits my feed — the ones worth actually applying for. Real leads, not noise.

Curated by Matt, not scraped from job boards
Matched to where community members are headed
Relevant roles, not inbox clutter
Tips and tricks on how to actually apply — and where possible, who the hiring manager or recruiter is. In this market, knowing who to send your resume to is the golden ticket that gets you seen

Bonus

Exclusive Community

A Community Where the Coach Actually Shows Up

This isn't a Facebook group that dies in 30 days. I'm here — not just as an AI, but as the actual person. You get the value from the source, surrounded by people who are in it with you, not just watching from the sidelines.

Matt is active, not a ghost
Collaboration over competition
People who are actually moving forward

Work with me

Start wherever you are.

Free

Community

forever free

Designed Forward community access
Job posts & career resources
Free events & content from Matt
Matt AI access
2x monthly live Q&A with Matt
1:1 coaching

Join Free

Best Value

Community+

Full Access

Members Only

monthly · 3-month · 6-month · annual

Designed Forward community access
Job posts & career resources
Free events & content from Matt
Unlimited Matt AI access 24/7
2x monthly live Q&A with Matt*
1:1 coaching

*Minimum 2 live group sessions per month guaranteed.

Community+

Choose Your Plan

Monthly

$149

Join Now →

3 Months

$385

Join Now →

Good questions
deserve honest
answers.

Is the free community actually free? What's the catch? +

Completely free. No credit card, no trial period, no catch. I genuinely believe in giving value first. The paid tiers exist for people who want more — but nobody is going to pressure you into them.

What can Matt AI actually help me with? +

Interview prep, resume and portfolio positioning, job search strategy, salary negotiation, career pivots — trained on 1,000+ hours of real 1:1 coaching sessions. It responds the way I would, available 24/7. Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just not sure what your next move is? Ask away.

Is this only for UX designers? +

Not at all. While my background is in design, I work with career changers, students, senior professionals, and anyone who needs honest guidance. You don't have to be a designer. You just have to be someone who doesn't want to figure it all out alone.

How is this different from a course or a book? +

Courses give you frameworks. Books give you ideas. This gives you a real person who will look at your actual situation, tell you what they see, and help you figure out your specific next move. That's the difference.

How often is Matt actually active in the community? +

Regularly. I post, respond, and host weekly live Q&A sessions for paid members. This isn't a course platform where you buy something and never hear from the creator again. I'll be there.

I help people
get unstuck.

You don't need
another course.
You need someone
in your corner.

I'm Matt.
I've been where
you're trying to go.

Good questions
deserve honest
answers.

You don't have to
figure this out alone.

I help people get unstuck.

You don't need another course. You need someonein your corner.

I'm Matt. I've been where you're trying to go.

Good questionsdeserve honestanswers.

You don't have to figure this out alone.

I help people
get unstuck.

You don't need
another course.
You need someone
in your corner.

I'm Matt.
I've been where
you're trying to go.

Good questions
deserve honest
answers.

You don't have to
figure this out alone.