Two-time founder & award-winning designer. I talk about founders' mental health and the mindset to live a joyful life. I love fixing old motorcycles 🛵

I’m a two-time founder and award-winning design director with a proven track record of leading teams to successfully bring over 50 innovative physical and digital products to market.

With 20+ years of experience across startups, consultancies, and corporate settings, I’ve developed a holistic approach that combines creative design thinking, operational and manufacturing expertise, and emotional intelligence to drive innovation and team success.

Today, I serve as Director of Products at Grizzly Industrial, where I lead three brands: Grizzly, Shop Fox, and South Bend, overseeing product strategy, design, merchandising, pricing, logistics, and development.

In parallel, I continue to coach a select group of founders and leaders, placing emotional intelligence at the core of my work to empower better decision-making, stronger collaboration, and sustainable growth. 

I also write regularly:

Advise Myself → essays on emotional intelligence and personal growth

The Design Practice → essays on product management, design, and leadership


Originally from Argentina 🇦🇷 and now based in Bellingham, WA, I enjoy life as a dad, exploring the outdoors, and restoring old motorcycles 🛵 🏍️.

Career Highlights include:

 ➜ Founded and led two startups, including one exit in 2022.
 ➜ Directed the design and launch of 50+ products across industries.
 ➜ Earned 35 patents for innovative product designs.
 ➜ Exhibited twice at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), with one design in its permanent collection.
 ➜ Created products that won more than 75 major design awards.
 ➜ Founded and built a design consultancy serving global brands such as Crate & Barrel, CB2, Club Quarters Hotels, and Herman Miller.
 ➜ Established overseas manufacturing operations for multiple clients.

Manuel Saez

OTIPOTI

Premium and luxury contract furniture  and projects for America and UAE. set up and management with key clients

Special Project Manager

Phorm ltd

Phorm is a multi disciplinary company specialised in the furniture and interiors Industry.
Offering business assistance, direct or consultative in the following areas of expertise:
Product development- cradle to grave- for Retail and private bespoke clients- furniture and homewares
Project Management
Business development and strategy
Global sourcing and Supply chain management
QA and due diligence 
Training and teaching of commercial product development

Phorm will also be building an Ecomm brand of curated goods and progressing into the creation of boutique hotels (that's the vision)

Website coming soon

Director

DeepGreen Design

A ‘start up’ created from a legacy business during a pandemic, with no travel, in 2nd languages, while digitising the whole business and walking 4 departments through systemic and personal change journeys with a key focus on the Product Development department. 

This role started as remote during the pandemic managing 2 country teams in China and Vietnam. Then  We relocated to Vietnam to be on the ground with monthly travel to China.

Head of Product Development

LINLEY

	Responsibility for strategy, creation, management and maintenance of luxury retail range-furniture and homewares.
	Developed and led a 2-year retail strategy that gained board approval for future store rollout.
	Successfully implemented full development protocols and testing oversight.
	Delivered an 85% reduction on QC holding and a 60% increase in brand product development.
	Full budget Responsibility for product development with regular reporting to the Creative Director on performance against objectives. 
	Ownership of the supply chain management within UK, Europe and Asia.
	Rebuilt the NPD team, delivered training, assessed performance and recognised individuals’ needs for further coaching and training.
	Successfully led a full Asia resourcing suitability study for both homewares and furniture.

Product Development Manager

BARNARD INTERIORS LTD

	Founded and ran an award-winning kitchen, bathrooms refurbishment business in London that delivered £400K in revenue as well as a 50% year on year growth.
	Accountability for design, supply and installation including business management, marketing, finance and sales.
	Identified commercial opportunities and led negotiations of new contracts.
	Monitored and analysed sector needs, trends and opportunities to seize entry to potential new business.

 Director/Owner

barnard

fully bespoke furniture service for the high end residential market from individual pieces to a range to furnish your home.

Our aim is to create emotional experiences and inspiration for our clients through their interaction with the furniture and interiors created. The furniture becomes the central point, the basis of how we transform a room, a home, a destination into a unique, memorable experience that has been created to be admired.

Due to the discerning demands of our clients, we must provide a range that not only matches their requirements but effortlessly captures their desires. Meticulous in material selection, trusted in functionality, respected for design, these are only parts of what we do to create something special, all critical aspects which for us, there can be no compromise.

Visit us at http://www.barnard.com.co

Owner

John Barnard

	Led the company restructure company restructure and re-launch that included a review and rationalization of retail, manufacturing, supply base, IT, accounts, branding and marketing.
	Successfully re-positioned the company for the luxury sector both private and contract.
	Relaunched and rebranded the E-trading website, increased trade exposure and online presence 10-fold as well as increasing sales by 20%.

Business Manager

Li & Fung Trading Service(Shanghai) Co.,Ltd

	Based in Shenzhen, South China for world’s largest sourcing company.
	Created centralised product and supplier database that allowed for optimization and strategic use of the supply base.
	Delivered training on product development, project management and technical procedures.
	Successfully implemented customer requirements including timber sourcing policies throughout supply base.

Senior Product Development Consultant

Habitat

	Led a team of furniture division technicians, monitored performance with responsibility for technical management and development of all furniture ranges valued at £40 Million. 
	Ensured the delivery of product ranges with schedule and specification constraints. 
	Reviewed quality and reduced the number of related issues and claims.

Technical Product Manager- Furniture

	Developed furniture ranges that generated £20 Million including ownership of design briefing to signing off production.
	Led the successful launch of the ‘Habitat Kids’ range.
	Increased quality standards within Habitat and across supply chain.

Product Developer

Mamas & Papas

Here I developed and project managed furniture ranges grossing £8m. This included sourcing and managing the European and Far East supply network. 

As Product Developer, I was responsible for on-site liaison with manufacturers which included price negotiation and critical path management of furniture projects. I sourced new materials and identified technologies to enhance processes and improve pricing strategies. Internally, I was responsible for a team of developers as well as coordinating departments to ensure projects were delivered as specified by the retail outlets.

Product Developer - Furniture

Contract & retail furniture and homewares, premium and luxury for USA and Europe markets living in Vietnam.
2nd generation, luxury designer & cabinet maker, UK trained. 

How we help you scale your furniture business:

 B2C or B2B through a lense of product development with the focus on the customer Journey, within the furniture and homewares industry backed with deep understanding of the business mechanics and the processes required to align and deliver with a human emphasis.

1) Strategy, problem solving and process:
•	Get clarity and solve business problems through careful listening and understanding your business 
         and its focus.
•	Business growth driven by strategic targets, customer insights and alignment of internal resources.
•	Market analysis and insights including trends and actionable range, business plans.
•	Understanding of your customers’ needs and desires to get your product or service message across effectively.

2) Product Development and Team management: 
•	I  help you and your teams to systemise the solutions.
•	Product lifecycle management, cradle to grave within the furniture, homewares & lifestyle industry.
•	Product development coaching for multi-channel retailers with a focus on ecommerce.
•	Build and run an effective team who deliver.
•	Execute Quality Assurance and production management systems for bespoke, commercial, premium 
         and luxury products with a global supply base.

3) Project and range management:
•	Project management for retail, contract & private residential. 
•	Global, local supply chain analysis, management and optimisation
•	Design & development of furniture, homewares, and joinery
•	Range management, B2C, B2B, retail, commercial range architecture, for Ecommerce and bricks and 
         mortar.

taplio

The Battle

Manuel Saez

Ben Barnard

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