Look familiar?

Promised a release date and missed it by miles?

You don't need more features. You need more clarity.

Great products start in the field, not in meetings.

We built it, but they didn't come.

We were supposed to release weeks ago… still no idea when we'll actually go live.

Every team says they want simplicity — but no one can agree on what to cut.

We keep shipping, but users aren't sticking around.

Leadership says go faster. Design says it's not ready. Nobody's aligned.

We have metrics — we just don't know what they're telling us.

I can't afford a full product team — I just need someone who gets it.

We keep changing direction — and still haven't found product-market fit.

We've got the team, but the roadmap's a mess.

We're scaling fast, but the UX is starting to break.

We said we were AI-powered. Now we have to figure out what that actually means.

The sales team wants everything. Engineering can't keep up.

We keep missing ship dates and nobody agrees on what 'done' looks like.

We're moving fast — but I'm worried we're building the wrong thing.

Design wants polish. Leadership wants velocity. Everyone's frustrated.

We keep rewriting features we thought were 'done.'

No one really owns the end-user experience.

It's all working in theory. Until users actually try it.

My VP keeps pushing me on our AI initiative. I don't even know what that means.

We're stuck in planning cycles. Meanwhile, competitors are shipping.

Everyone talks about user needs — but no one's actually talking to users.

We're under pressure to show AI results, but don't even know where to start.

Everyone's pushing for LLM integration — no one's defining what 'success' looks like.

We can't afford a full product team, but we can't afford to get it wrong either.

We keep pivoting, but nothing seems to stick.

We're shipping features, but the product still feels hollow.

Design, product, and engineering are not aligned.

Leadership keeps changing the goalposts.

We launched... and got silence from users.

We're reacting to feedback, not shaping strategy.

We're building fast — but are we building the right thing?

The backlog is full, but our roadmap feels directionless.

We're rewriting features that should've been solid.

We're shipping, but I'm not confident we're solving real problems.

Too much time is spent debating — not deciding.

I'm the default product decision-maker, and I shouldn't be.

Leadership wants 'AI,' but can't define what that means.

Too many stakeholders. Not enough clarity.

Our tech is strong — but no one understands the use case.

The product vision is strong, but they're struggling to execute.

They're building a lot. But shipping very little of value.

This team doesn't know what to cut — or why.

We just invested millions in AI infrastructure — and it's sitting there, unused.

Promised a release date and missed it by miles?

You don't need more features. You need more clarity.

Great products start in the field, not in meetings.

We built it, but they didn't come.

We were supposed to release weeks ago… still no idea when we'll actually go live.

Every team says they want simplicity — but no one can agree on what to cut.

We keep shipping, but users aren't sticking around.

Leadership says go faster. Design says it's not ready. Nobody's aligned.

We have metrics — we just don't know what they're telling us.

I can't afford a full product team — I just need someone who gets it.

We keep changing direction — and still haven't found product-market fit.

We've got the team, but the roadmap's a mess.

We're scaling fast, but the UX is starting to break.

We said we were AI-powered. Now we have to figure out what that actually means.

The sales team wants everything. Engineering can't keep up.

We keep missing ship dates and nobody agrees on what 'done' looks like.

We're moving fast — but I'm worried we're building the wrong thing.

Design wants polish. Leadership wants velocity. Everyone's frustrated.

We keep rewriting features we thought were 'done.'

No one really owns the end-user experience.

It's all working in theory. Until users actually try it.

My VP keeps pushing me on our AI initiative. I don't even know what that means.

We're stuck in planning cycles. Meanwhile, competitors are shipping.

Everyone talks about user needs — but no one's actually talking to users.

We're under pressure to show AI results, but don't even know where to start.

Everyone's pushing for LLM integration — no one's defining what 'success' looks like.

We can't afford a full product team, but we can't afford to get it wrong either.

We keep pivoting, but nothing seems to stick.

We're shipping features, but the product still feels hollow.

Design, product, and engineering are not aligned.

Leadership keeps changing the goalposts.

We launched... and got silence from users.

We're reacting to feedback, not shaping strategy.

We're building fast — but are we building the right thing?

The backlog is full, but our roadmap feels directionless.

We're rewriting features that should've been solid.

We're shipping, but I'm not confident we're solving real problems.

Too much time is spent debating — not deciding.

I'm the default product decision-maker, and I shouldn't be.

Leadership wants 'AI,' but can't define what that means.

Too many stakeholders. Not enough clarity.

Our tech is strong — but no one understands the use case.

The product vision is strong, but they're struggling to execute.

They're building a lot. But shipping very little of value.

This team doesn't know what to cut — or why.

We just invested millions in AI infrastructure — and it's sitting there, unused.

Get clarity, move forward.

Julian Whitaker

Trusted by Founders, Startups, and Investors, as well as marquee brands

AT&T
Applied Materials
Wells Fargo
Sprint
Verizon
Tyco
UCSF
Visa
GE
IBM
AT&T
Applied Materials
Wells Fargo
Sprint
Verizon
Tyco
UCSF
Visa
GE
IBM
About Me

Focus. Clarity. Execution.
Insight to Innovation

I help teams navigate complexity and move forward with clarity. I bring a full-stack, end-to-end view of product — balancing user needs, business goals, technical constraints, and organizational reality. I excel in ambiguity, cut through noise, and map a strategic path that gets real traction. My approach is grounded in design thinking, applied well beyond design — from early concept through delivery. I forge strong relationships, align cross-functional teams, and stay relentlessly focused on what users truly need.

25+

Years of Experience

113

Products Launched

67

Industries Served

$1.28B

Across 4 Exits

Precision and focus - hitting the target
My Recommendations

I've worked with some great people.

Here's what they said.

Jon Karlin

Jon Karlin

VP, Product and Strategy, Work & Co

Julian is invaluable to any team creating modern software. He has a very strategic view of product, design, and is able to grasp complex ecosystems quickly; driving strategy with a keen understanding of the business, the organization, and the players within.

Alex Sokolsky

Alex Sokolsky

Sr. Infrastructure Engineer, Clari

Julian's brilliant mind and a rare ability to listen were key in identifying our product direction. He enabled innovation in team hungry for change.

Stephen Johnson, MBA

Stephen Johnson, MBA

Chief Financial Officer, JTE Electrical Inc.

I have led many strategic initiatives across multiple companies and industries and every once in a while I come across a singularly skilled participant. Julian is that incredible talent; highly focused and concise. A true visionary that is always pushing the envelope of 'what could be'.

Ray Gallagher

Ray Gallagher

VP and GM, Olo Engage (NYSE: Olo)

Julian had the monumental task managing our entire cloud platform. He has a unique ability to connect with people, forging relationships across all teams and with strategic customers, truly seeking to understand before being understood. It was a pleasure working with and I absolutely endorse him.

Larry Lien

Larry Lien

Chief Product Officer, Grokstream LLC

Julian's user-centered product strategy has been a huge asset to our organization. He quickly understands customers need and balances developement, tactical, and strategic requirements. Working hand in hand with our PM and engineering teams, he created the best solutions for our product and users.

Naomi Morita

Naomi Morita

President, mKinetic

Julian is creative, energetic, and consistenly delivers. Signature focus on the end-user, target market, while still maintaining a holistic view. Not shy about facing any room. Collaborative, motivated, and rises to any challenge. Capable of inspired thinking!

Jon Karlin

Jon Karlin

VP, Product and Strategy, Work & Co

Julian is invaluable to any team creating modern software. He has a very strategic view of product, design, and is able to grasp complex ecosystems quickly; driving strategy with a keen understanding of the business, the organization, and the players within.

Alex Sokolsky

Alex Sokolsky

Sr. Infrastructure Engineer, Clari

Julian's brilliant mind and a rare ability to listen were key in identifying our product direction. He enabled innovation in team hungry for change.

Stephen Johnson, MBA

Stephen Johnson, MBA

Chief Financial Officer, JTE Electrical Inc.

I have led many strategic initiatives across multiple companies and industries and every once in a while I come across a singularly skilled participant. Julian is that incredible talent; highly focused and concise. A true visionary that is always pushing the envelope of 'what could be'.

Ray Gallagher

Ray Gallagher

VP and GM, Olo Engage (NYSE: Olo)

Julian had the monumental task managing our entire cloud platform. He has a unique ability to connect with people, forging relationships across all teams and with strategic customers, truly seeking to understand before being understood. It was a pleasure working with and I absolutely endorse him.

Larry Lien

Larry Lien

Chief Product Officer, Grokstream LLC

Julian's user-centered product strategy has been a huge asset to our organization. He quickly understands customers need and balances developement, tactical, and strategic requirements. Working hand in hand with our PM and engineering teams, he created the best solutions for our product and users.

Naomi Morita

Naomi Morita

President, mKinetic

Julian is creative, energetic, and consistenly delivers. Signature focus on the end-user, target market, while still maintaining a holistic view. Not shy about facing any room. Collaborative, motivated, and rises to any challenge. Capable of inspired thinking!

Jason Monberg

Jason Monberg

CEO, Presence

I've worked with 100s of product managers and very few fit the bill at all levels. Julian is a full-stack product manager - pushing products and teams to achieve much more than they might otherwise.

Rene Kolga

Rene Kolga

Product Management, Google

Julian is a truly unique talent. Intensity, passion, and excels not only with product strategy, design, and execution, but also completely reimagining the business with our C-suite. He thrives in fast-paced, collaborative environments, driving the all most complex concepts, from deep data-structures all the way though pixel-perfect UX.

Brian Gaffney

Brian Gaffney

Chief Technology Officer, Greenlight Guru

He thinks big and bold while ensuring every single detail gets its proper attention. We counted on him to ensure the we built best of class apps right from the start.

Craig Peters

Craig Peters

Founder & CEO, Awasu Design

There are few out there who can wrap their heads around massive amounts of information as well as Julian, expertly creating rich and powerful soltions for the most complex challenges. Diligent, smart, and always looking for better solutions; generating multiple options based on technology, users, business, roadmaps, etc.

Kim Clark

Kim Clark

Creative Director, Aible

I have worked with Julian for a number of years now, in many different work environments. He is super talented, and his innovative solutions won the applause of many clients.

Jason Monberg

Jason Monberg

CEO, Presence

I've worked with 100s of product managers and very few fit the bill at all levels. Julian is a full-stack product manager - pushing products and teams to achieve much more than they might otherwise.

Rene Kolga

Rene Kolga

Product Management, Google

Julian is a truly unique talent. Intensity, passion, and excels not only with product strategy, design, and execution, but also completely reimagining the business with our C-suite. He thrives in fast-paced, collaborative environments, driving the all most complex concepts, from deep data-structures all the way though pixel-perfect UX.

Brian Gaffney

Brian Gaffney

Chief Technology Officer, Greenlight Guru

He thinks big and bold while ensuring every single detail gets its proper attention. We counted on him to ensure the we built best of class apps right from the start.

Craig Peters

Craig Peters

Founder & CEO, Awasu Design

There are few out there who can wrap their heads around massive amounts of information as well as Julian, expertly creating rich and powerful soltions for the most complex challenges. Diligent, smart, and always looking for better solutions; generating multiple options based on technology, users, business, roadmaps, etc.

Kim Clark

Kim Clark

Creative Director, Aible

I have worked with Julian for a number of years now, in many different work environments. He is super talented, and his innovative solutions won the applause of many clients.

My Work

I've worked across many industries

Full range of partnerships: from helping founders refine product concepts and pitch decks, all the way to creating portfolio dashboard for the Fortune 50 C-Suite.

Companies

10eqs
ADT
Aethir
Alcatel
Apple
Applied Materials
Aria
AT&T
AutoDesk
Awasu Design
Bakken Creative Co
Bell Mobility
BW Branding
Calculi
Capsilon
CarbonIQ
Charles Schwab
Chevron
CTO Forum
Design for Context
Digerata
Elkiem
Ellie Mae
Epic
FileMaker
Founder's Chair
Founder's Friend
GE
Hot Schedules
IBM
Integnology
Kinetix
Lion & Associates
Location Labs
Loopt
MetLife
MyPoints
Optical Society of America
Peralta College
Proximex
Quorum
Red Book Connect
Replicon
Resolve Systems
RG/A
SearchQuant
ShotGun
SolarCity
Sony
Sprint
Startup Genius
Sun Power
Sylvan Learning
Tesla
Tyco
UBUBU
UCSF
UEVision
US Bank
Verizon
ViewGen
Visa
Vultr
WaveMarket
Wells Fargo
Zazmic
10eqs
ADT
Aethir
Alcatel
Apple
Applied Materials
Aria
AT&T
AutoDesk
Awasu Design
Bakken Creative Co
Bell Mobility
BW Branding
Calculi
Capsilon
CarbonIQ
Charles Schwab
Chevron
CTO Forum
Design for Context
Digerata
Elkiem
Ellie Mae
Epic
FileMaker
Founder's Chair
Founder's Friend
GE
Hot Schedules
IBM
Integnology
Kinetix
Lion & Associates
Location Labs
Loopt
MetLife
MyPoints
Optical Society of America
Peralta College
Proximex
Quorum
Red Book Connect
Replicon
Resolve Systems
RG/A
SearchQuant
ShotGun
SolarCity
Sony
Sprint
Startup Genius
Sun Power
Sylvan Learning
Tesla
Tyco
UBUBU
UCSF
UEVision
US Bank
Verizon
ViewGen
Visa
Vultr
WaveMarket
Wells Fargo
Zazmic

Industries

AI / Artificial Intelligence
Web3 / Decentralized Infrastructure (DePIN)
Fintech / Banking / Payments
Consumer Products / E-commerce
Energy / Renewable Energy
Telecommunications / Mobile Networks
Enterprise SaaS
Cloud Infrastructure / GPU Compute
Loyalty & Rewards Programs
Education / EdTech
Healthcare / MedTech
Design & UX Strategy
Cybersecurity / Physical Security
Media & Entertainment
Professional Services
Retail & Restaurant Technology
Mapping / GIS / Location-Based Services
Accessibility / Assistive Technology
HR Tech / Time Tracking / Scheduling
Data Analytics / Business Intelligence
Venture Capital / Startups
Government / Civic Tech
LegalTech
Automotive
3D Modeling & CAD / CAM
Content Management / Publishing
Productivity Tools
Workflow Automation
CRM / Sales Enablement
AI / Artificial Intelligence
Web3 / Decentralized Infrastructure (DePIN)
Fintech / Banking / Payments
Consumer Products / E-commerce
Energy / Renewable Energy
Telecommunications / Mobile Networks
Enterprise SaaS
Cloud Infrastructure / GPU Compute
Loyalty & Rewards Programs
Education / EdTech
Healthcare / MedTech
Design & UX Strategy
Cybersecurity / Physical Security
Media & Entertainment
Professional Services
Retail & Restaurant Technology
Mapping / GIS / Location-Based Services
Accessibility / Assistive Technology
HR Tech / Time Tracking / Scheduling
Data Analytics / Business Intelligence
Venture Capital / Startups
Government / Civic Tech
LegalTech
Automotive
3D Modeling & CAD / CAM
Content Management / Publishing
Productivity Tools
Workflow Automation
CRM / Sales Enablement

Products

MyPoints Loyalty Platform

Company: MyPoints

Industry: Consumer / Loyalty / Rewards

Platform: Web, Mobile

Description: A consumer loyalty and custom gift card platform

Family Safety Tracker / Friend Finder

Company: Location Labs (acquired by AVG)

Industry: Mobile / Safety / Telecom

Platform: Mobile (Verizon, AT&T)

Description: Location-based safety and social connectivity app

Screen Reader for the Blind

Company: Bookshare / Benetech

Industry: Accessibility / EdTech

Platform: Assistive Tech

Description: Screen reader platform for visually impaired users

Executive Performance Dashboard

Company: Wells Fargo, Applied Materials

Industry: Enterprise Performance Management

Platform: Web

Description: C-level performance tracking and executive decision support

Staff Scheduling / Time Card

Company: Replicon, HotSchedules

Industry: HR Tech / Scheduling

Platform: SaaS

Description: Staff scheduling and time tracking solutions

Payroll / Incentives Platform

Company: Wells Fargo, Tesla / SolarCity

Industry: Finance / Operations

Platform: Internal tools

Description: Payroll, bonus, and incentive systems for large employee bases

Innovation Management Platform

Company: Applied Materials

Industry: Manufacturing / R&D

Platform: Internal SaaS

Description: Platform to manage internal innovation pipelines and team alignment

Location-Based Mobile Mapping

Company: Bell Mobility, Vodafone

Industry: GIS / Telecom

Platform: Mobile

Description: Navigation, tracking, and fleet location-based services

GIS / CAD Systems

Company: AutoDesk

Industry: Mapping / Engineering / Architecture

Platform: Desktop / CAD

Description: Geographic Information System integrations and CAD enhancements

Restaurant Management System

Company: Red Book Connect / HotSchedules

Industry: Restaurant Tech / Staffing

Platform: SaaS

Description: Inventory, shift planning, and team coordination tools

Global Mobile Guidelines

Company: Wells Fargo

Industry: Corporate IT

Platform: Mobile Standards & Policy

Description: Global policy guidelines for secure mobile deployment across enterprise teams

Proximity Marketing Tool

Company: WaveMarket

Industry: Mobile Advertising

Platform: Location-Based Services

Description: Tools for delivering geo-targeted mobile ads

Guiderails (CI/CD Platform)

Company: Integnology

Industry: DevOps / Engineering Tools

Platform: Web / Internal SaaS

Description: CI/CD automation and deployment governance framework

UX Replatforming / Infrastructure Modernization

Company: Tesla / SolarCity

Industry: Energy / Tech

Platform: Customer Account Management

Description: Unified database and modernized customer experience infrastructure

Career Training Planner

Company: Sylvan Learning

Industry: EdTech

Platform: Web

Description: Digital learning and career pathway planning for education users

Build and Price Tool

Company: Tesla / SolarCity

Industry: Automotive / Solar

Platform: Web / Mobile

Description: Interactive pricing tool for solar installations and vehicles

Custom CMS & Workflow Tools

Company: Epic, FileMaker, Ellie Mae

Industry: Enterprise / Financial Services

Platform: Internal CMS

Description: Tools to enable document automation and back office workflows

Product Management System

Company: Capsilon

Industry: Mortgage Tech / SaaS

Platform: Web

Description: Mortgage automation platform that led to multiple acquisitions

Founder's Friend

Company: Founder's Friend

Industry: Early-Stage Startup Advisory

Platform: Services

Description: Strategic guidance for first-time startup founders

MyPoints Loyalty Platform

Company: MyPoints

Industry: Consumer / Loyalty / Rewards

Platform: Web, Mobile

Description: A consumer loyalty and custom gift card platform

Family Safety Tracker / Friend Finder

Company: Location Labs (acquired by AVG)

Industry: Mobile / Safety / Telecom

Platform: Mobile (Verizon, AT&T)

Description: Location-based safety and social connectivity app

Screen Reader for the Blind

Company: Bookshare / Benetech

Industry: Accessibility / EdTech

Platform: Assistive Tech

Description: Screen reader platform for visually impaired users

Executive Performance Dashboard

Company: Wells Fargo, Applied Materials

Industry: Enterprise Performance Management

Platform: Web

Description: C-level performance tracking and executive decision support

Staff Scheduling / Time Card

Company: Replicon, HotSchedules

Industry: HR Tech / Scheduling

Platform: SaaS

Description: Staff scheduling and time tracking solutions

Payroll / Incentives Platform

Company: Wells Fargo, Tesla / SolarCity

Industry: Finance / Operations

Platform: Internal tools

Description: Payroll, bonus, and incentive systems for large employee bases

Innovation Management Platform

Company: Applied Materials

Industry: Manufacturing / R&D

Platform: Internal SaaS

Description: Platform to manage internal innovation pipelines and team alignment

Location-Based Mobile Mapping

Company: Bell Mobility, Vodafone

Industry: GIS / Telecom

Platform: Mobile

Description: Navigation, tracking, and fleet location-based services

GIS / CAD Systems

Company: AutoDesk

Industry: Mapping / Engineering / Architecture

Platform: Desktop / CAD

Description: Geographic Information System integrations and CAD enhancements

Restaurant Management System

Company: Red Book Connect / HotSchedules

Industry: Restaurant Tech / Staffing

Platform: SaaS

Description: Inventory, shift planning, and team coordination tools

Global Mobile Guidelines

Company: Wells Fargo

Industry: Corporate IT

Platform: Mobile Standards & Policy

Description: Global policy guidelines for secure mobile deployment across enterprise teams

Proximity Marketing Tool

Company: WaveMarket

Industry: Mobile Advertising

Platform: Location-Based Services

Description: Tools for delivering geo-targeted mobile ads

Guiderails (CI/CD Platform)

Company: Integnology

Industry: DevOps / Engineering Tools

Platform: Web / Internal SaaS

Description: CI/CD automation and deployment governance framework

UX Replatforming / Infrastructure Modernization

Company: Tesla / SolarCity

Industry: Energy / Tech

Platform: Customer Account Management

Description: Unified database and modernized customer experience infrastructure

Career Training Planner

Company: Sylvan Learning

Industry: EdTech

Platform: Web

Description: Digital learning and career pathway planning for education users

Build and Price Tool

Company: Tesla / SolarCity

Industry: Automotive / Solar

Platform: Web / Mobile

Description: Interactive pricing tool for solar installations and vehicles

Custom CMS & Workflow Tools

Company: Epic, FileMaker, Ellie Mae

Industry: Enterprise / Financial Services

Platform: Internal CMS

Description: Tools to enable document automation and back office workflows

Product Management System

Company: Capsilon

Industry: Mortgage Tech / SaaS

Platform: Web

Description: Mortgage automation platform that led to multiple acquisitions

Founder's Friend

Company: Founder's Friend

Industry: Early-Stage Startup Advisory

Platform: Services

Description: Strategic guidance for first-time startup founders

My Products

Innovating across categories

Here are just a few of the products that I have worked on

GE – Smarter Hammer

GE

GE – Smarter Hammer

Predictive Analytics platform that won the 'President's Challenge' award

Tesla / SolarCity

Tesla

Tesla / SolarCity

CRM & Incentive Tools that boosted field productivity significantly

Location Labs – AT&T Family Finder

Location Labs

Location Labs – AT&T Family Finder

Prerelease mobile social network with innovative location services

Capsilon – Doc Velocity

Capsilon

Capsilon – Doc Velocity

Paperless mortgage platform that led to a $100M+ acquisition

Autodesk – Map 3D

Autodesk

Autodesk – Map 3D

GIS workflows that became a market-leading tool

Chevron Lubricants

Chevron

Chevron Lubricants

eCommerce UX for 5,000+ SKUs that improved conversion rates

Enterprise Wireframing System

Financial Services Client

Enterprise Wireframing System

Comprehensive UX documentation system for complex financial workflows

Mobile Financial Dashboard

FinTech Startup

Mobile Financial Dashboard

Personal finance tracking app with intuitive metrics visualization

Visa Payment Portal

Visa

Visa Payment Portal

Secure transaction management system with user-centered workflows

E-Commerce Mobile Experience

Retail Client

E-Commerce Mobile Experience

Mobile shopping platform with streamlined product discovery

Social Messaging Platform

Tech Startup

Social Messaging Platform

Dark-themed messaging app with innovative media sharing features

Responsive Corporate Portal

Energy Corporation

Responsive Corporate Portal

Multi-device web platform optimized for all screen sizes

HotLink POS System

Retail Technology

HotLink POS System

Point-of-sale solution with integrated analytics dashboard

Data Visualization Dashboard

Analytics Firm

Data Visualization Dashboard

Complex data visualization tool with interactive heat maps

Mobile Shopping Experience

Fashion Retailer

Mobile Shopping Experience

Intuitive product discovery app with personalized recommendations

My Services

How I help

Whether you're stuck, scaling, or just starting out — I help transform product uncertainty into strategy, traction, and working software.

Product Strategy
Clarify goals, priorities, and product direction.

Align teams around a roadmap that makes sense

Zero-to-One Execution
Define, design, and ship a real, usable MVP.

Turn early ideas into buildable, adopted products

Product-Market Fit
Find the friction. Fix the gap. Make it click.

Align your product with what users actually need

AI Product Strategy
Move from vague ideas to working AI features.

Define and deliver AI that adds real value

Traction & Delivery Support
Get a stuck product moving again.

Unblock execution and rebuild forward momentum

UX & Onboarding Fixes
Simplify complex flows and reduce drop-off.

Make the product feel clear, usable, and aligned

Outcome-Focused Product Work
Everything I do ties to results — not vanity metrics.

Focus on real progress, not surface features

Cross-Functional Clarity
Connect product, engineering, design, and leadership.

Reduce confusion and accelerate decision-making

My Contact

Let's work together

Whether you're building, fixing, or rethinking your product — I can help.

I bring deep experience, fast pattern recognition, and clarity others miss.

Location

San Francisco, CA.

Schedule a Meeting

calendly.com/julian-m-w

Send me a message