When I first joined Needle, the app was live but struggling to retain users. Less than 12% of people were still active after 30 days, and most dropped off within the first week. The concept was strong, but the experience was clunky, confusing, and weighed down by unnecessary features. Users wanted to connect over their music, but the product made it difficult to do so in a way that felt intuitive.

I partnered with cofounders Mik and Wyatt to completely reimagine the product from the ground up. Over two years, we redesigned Needle completely, focusing the experience around what users loved most: sharing their music discoveries. I led the ux and ui design, brand identity, illustration system, marketing pages, and design system creation. Working closely with engineering, I adapted designs to meet technical needs while keeping the vision intact.

After launch, the results spoke for themselves. Day 30 retention rose from under 12% to 39%, organic downloads grew to more than 82,000, and Needle reached number nine in the App Store’s social networking category. The redesigned experience transformed Needle from a cluttered idea into a polished, emotionally resonant platform that made sharing music feel effortless and fun.