Skip to main content

Home

Case Studies

Case Study

Founder, Product, & Experience Designer

Community-driven restaurant specials and insights

Selected as a

Top 100 Startup

The Idea

Joolep is a platform I designed and founded to help people discover local food and drink spots through real-time community-powered insights.What started out as “The Hour” which was just a Happy Hour finder, led me places I’d never expect.

The Problem

Consumers still struggle to discover up-to-date food and drink experiences, whether it’s happy hours, brunch, or weekly specials. Most listings are outdated, and owners don’t have time to constantly update info.

  • Food discovery is still frustrating and outdated
  • Specials, events, and promotions are rarely current
  • Establishments don’t have time or tech to maintain their latest updates, specials, and events online
  • Consumers are left guessing, refreshing, or searching multiple platforms

“Staying up-to-date in the food and drink scene shouldn’t be so difficult…”

-Food Writer

My Role

I founded and led the end-to-end design of Joolep:

  • Researched and validated the concept with real users
  • Designed the branding, UX, UI, and marketing strategy
  • Led developers to build and test multiple MVPs while iterating based on community feedback

The Solution

So...I created Joolep, a community-driven discovery platform that keeps food and drink updates current and reliable—helping both consumers and businesses stay connected in real time.

Users have the ability to:

  • Access community-powered, always-current information
  • Receive real-time insights from their favorite places to eat and drink
  • Get notified when new or updated specials are available in their area

 

For businesses:

  • Focus on what matters most: delivering great customer experiences, no more reviews
  • Business efforts are eased with community support
  • Promote specials, events, and behind-the-scenes updates

“There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals.”

– Idowu Koyenikan

Research & Discovery

To better understand the needs of both restaurant owners and diners, I conducted informal interviews with local business owners and surveyed food enthusiasts. I also audited platforms like Yelp, Instagram, and Google Maps to identify key gaps in reliability, timeliness, and usability.

  • Interviews with 50+ users (owners + eaters)
  • Competitor research (Yelp, Instagram, Google Maps)
  • Key insight: “We want reliable, local, and alive info”

Product Design

After several iterations and rounds of user feedback, I landed on a clean, modern UI that highlights what users care about most—what’s happening nearby, right now.

Easily Find Specials, Events, and Local Spots

Users can browse nearby specials or events, explore on a map, and filter results based on what they’re in the mood for—right now.

Highlight What Makes Each Spot Special

Restaurant and bar owners can showcase specials, events, and keep the community updated. Users can support with shoutouts and keep everyone in the loop through community updates and comments.

Personalized Experiences and Real-Time Alerts

Users can save spots, promote places through shoutouts, and stay in the loop with real-time notifications about specials, events, and community activity.

Branding & Marketing

I developed a brand system that feels clean, modern, and trustworthy, focused on clarity over flash. The identity is designed to be flexible across app, web, and pitch materials, while keeping the experience approachable and community-first.

Color

Joolep’s color palette is purposefully minimal, designed to feel white-labeled. I wanted to keep the focus on the restaurants and food experiences featured in the app.

 

Instead of competing with partner brands, Joolep’s colors provide a clean, consistent framework that allows each location’s personality to stand out. This ensures that whether a restaurant uses bold, rustic, or elegant colors in their imagery, the app remains a neutral canvas that complements their style.

Primary Palette

Off-Black

Hex: #212121

Burnt Orange

Hex: #DF7031

Seafoam

Hex: #366F82

Grey

Hex: #6B6B6B

Light-Grey

Hex: #F1F1F1

White

Hex: #FFFFFF

Typography

Joolep’s typography balances warmth and clarity—pairing bold headlines with clean, highly legible body text. This creates a strong visual hierarchy that draws attention to stories, specials, and community updates.

Logo Typeface

Abril Fatface

A display serif with high contrast and elegant curves, Abril Fatface adds personality and impact to the brand’s logo and key headlines. I chose this because it conveys a sense of craft, storytelling, and tradition, which feels perfect for a brand rooted in food culture.

Primary Typeface

Source Sans Pro

A clean, modern sans-serif chosen for its readability across digital and print mediums. Its open and balanced proportions make it ideal for communicating key information.

Secondary Typeface

(Optional Pairing)

Nunito Sans

A friendly, rounded sans-serif that softens the visual tone and works well for supporting text. Its approachable style pairs well with Source Sans Pro while adding a welcoming, community-first feel.

Marketing

Joolep’s marketing approach focuses on building community trust and driving discovery through consistent, content-driven storytelling.

App Icons

App Store Screens

Social Banners

Sparking your curiosity

Business Cards

Emerge Americas

Startup Showcase

Joolep was selected as one of the Top 100 Startups at eMerge Americas, a leading global tech conference connecting innovators, investors, and industry leaders.

 

This recognition highlighted Joolep’s potential to transform how people discover and connect with local dining experiences, and provided valuable exposure to investors, partners, and the startup community.

Selected as a

Top 100 Startup

Home

Case Studies

Case Study

Founder, Product, & Experience Designer

Community-driven restaurant specials and insights

Selected as a

Top 100 Startup

The Idea

Joolep is a platform I designed and founded to help people discover local food and drink spots through real-time community-powered insights.What started out as “The Hour” which was just a Happy Hour finder, led me places I’d never expect.

The Problem

Consumers still struggle to discover up-to-date food and drink experiences, whether it’s happy hours, brunch, or weekly specials. Most listings are outdated, and owners don’t have time to constantly update info.

  • Food discovery is still frustrating and outdated
  • Specials, events, and promotions are rarely current
  • Establishments don’t have time or tech to maintain their latest updates, specials, and events online
  • Consumers are left guessing, refreshing, or searching multiple platforms

“Staying up-to-date in the food and drink scene shouldn’t be so difficult…”

-Food Writer

My Role

I founded and led the end-to-end design of Joolep:

  • Researched and validated the concept with real users
  • Designed the branding, UX, UI, and marketing strategy
  • Led developers to build and test multiple MVPs while iterating based on community feedback

The Solution

So...I created Joolep, a community-driven discovery platform that keeps food and drink updates current and reliable—helping both consumers and businesses stay connected in real time.

Users have the ability to:

  • Access community-powered, always-current information
  • Receive real-time insights from their favorite places to eat and drink
  • Get notified when new or updated specials are available in their area

 

For businesses:

  • Focus on what matters most: delivering great customer experiences, no more reviews
  • Business efforts are eased with community support
  • Promote specials, events, and behind-the-scenes updates

“There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals.”

– Idowu Koyenikan

Research & Discovery

To better understand the needs of both restaurant owners and diners, I conducted informal interviews with local business owners and surveyed food enthusiasts. I also audited platforms like Yelp, Instagram, and Google Maps to identify key gaps in reliability, timeliness, and usability.

  • Interviews with 50+ users (owners + eaters)
  • Competitor research (Yelp, Instagram, Google Maps)
  • Key insight: “We want reliable, local, and alive info”

Product Design

After several iterations and rounds of user feedback, I landed on a clean, modern UI that highlights what users care about most—what’s happening nearby, right now.

Easily Find Specials, Events, and Local Spots

Users can browse nearby specials or events, explore on a map, and filter results based on what they’re in the mood for—right now.

Highlight What Makes Each Spot Special

Restaurant and bar owners can showcase specials, events, and keep the community updated. Users can support with shoutouts and keep everyone in the loop through community updates and comments.

Personalized Experiences and Real-Time Alerts

Users can save spots, promote places through shoutouts, and stay in the loop with real-time notifications about specials, events, and community activity.

Branding & Marketing

I developed a brand system that feels clean, modern, and trustworthy—focused on clarity over flash. The identity is designed to be flexible across app, web, and pitch materials, while keeping the experience approachable and community-first.

Color

Joolep’s color palette is purposefully minimal, designed to feel white-labeled. I wanted to keep the focus on the restaurants and food experiences featured in the app.

 

Instead of competing with partner brands, Joolep’s colors provide a clean, consistent framework that allows each location’s personality to stand out. This ensures that whether a restaurant uses bold, rustic, or elegant colors in their imagery, the app remains a neutral canvas that complements their style.

Primary Palette

Off-Black

Hex: #212121

Burnt Orange

Hex: #DF7031

Seafoam

Hex: #366F82

Grey

Hex: #6B6B6B

Light-Grey

Hex: #F1F1F1

White

Hex: #FFFFFF

Typography

Joolep’s typography balances warmth and clarity—pairing bold headlines with clean, highly legible body text. This creates a strong visual hierarchy that draws attention to stories, specials, and community updates.

Logo Typeface

Abril Fatface

A display serif with high contrast and elegant curves, Abril Fatface adds personality and impact to the brand’s logo and key headlines. I chose this because it conveys a sense of craft, storytelling, and tradition, which feels perfect for a brand rooted in food culture.

Primary Typeface

Source Sans Pro

A clean, modern sans-serif chosen for its readability across digital and print mediums. Its open and balanced proportions make it ideal for communicating key information.

Secondary Typeface

(Optional Pairing)

Nunito Sans

A friendly, rounded sans-serif that softens the visual tone and works well for supporting text. Its approachable style pairs well with Source Sans Pro while adding a welcoming, community-first feel.

Marketing

Joolep’s marketing approach focuses on building community trust and driving discovery through consistent, content-driven storytelling.

App Icons

App Store Screens

Social Banners

Sparking your curiosity

Business Cards

Emerge Americas

Startup Showcase

Joolep was selected as one of the Top 100 Startups at eMerge Americas, a leading global tech conference connecting innovators, investors, and industry leaders.

 

This recognition highlighted Joolep’s potential to transform how people discover and connect with local dining experiences, and provided valuable exposure to investors, partners, and the startup community.

Selected as a

Top 100 Startup

Home

Case Studies

Case Study

Founder, Product, & Experience Designer

Community-driven restaurant specials and insights

Selected as a

Top 100 Startup

The Idea

Joolep is a platform I designed and founded to help people discover local food and drink spots through real-time community-powered insights.What started out as “The Hour” which was just a Happy Hour finder, led me places I’d never expect.

The Problem

Consumers still struggle to discover up-to-date food and drink experiences, whether it’s happy hours, brunch, or weekly specials. Most listings are outdated, and owners don’t have time to constantly update info.

  • Food discovery is still frustrating and outdated
  • Specials, events, and promotions are rarely current
  • Establishments don’t have time or tech to maintain their latest updates, specials, and events online
  • Consumers are left guessing, refreshing, or searching multiple platforms

“Staying up-to-date in the food and drink scene shouldn’t be so difficult…”

-Food Writer

My Role

I founded and led the end-to-end design of Joolep:

  • Researched and validated the concept with real users
  • Designed the branding, UX, UI, and marketing strategy
  • Led developers to build and test multiple MVPs while iterating based on community feedback

The Solution

So...I created Joolep, a community-driven discovery platform that keeps food and drink updates current and reliable—helping both consumers and businesses stay connected in real time.

Users have the ability to:

  • Access community-powered, always-current information
  • Receive real-time insights from their favorite places to eat and drink
  • Get notified when new or updated specials are available in their area

 

For businesses:

  • Focus on what matters most: delivering great customer experiences, no more reviews
  • Business efforts are eased with community support
  • Promote specials, events, and behind-the-scenes updates

“There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals.”

– Idowu Koyenikan

Research & Discovery

To better understand the needs of both restaurant owners and diners, I conducted informal interviews with local business owners and surveyed food enthusiasts. I also audited platforms like Yelp, Instagram, and Google Maps to identify key gaps in reliability, timeliness, and usability.

  • Interviews with 50+ users (owners + eaters)
  • Competitor research (Yelp, Instagram, Google Maps)
  • Key insight: “We want reliable, local, and alive info”

Product Design

After several iterations and rounds of user feedback, I landed on a clean, modern UI that highlights what users care about most—what’s happening nearby, right now.

Easily Find Specials, Events, and Local Spots

Users can browse nearby specials or events, explore on a map, and filter results based on what they’re in the mood for—right now.

Highlight What Makes Each Spot Special

Restaurant and bar owners can showcase specials, events, and keep the community updated. Users can support with shoutouts and keep everyone in the loop through community updates and comments.

Personalized Experiences and Real-Time Alerts

Users can save spots, promote places through shoutouts, and stay in the loop with real-time notifications about specials, events, and community activity.

Branding & Marketing

I developed a brand system that feels clean, modern, and trustworthy—focused on clarity over flash. The identity is designed to be flexible across app, web, and pitch materials, while keeping the experience approachable and community-first.

Color

Joolep’s color palette is purposefully minimal, designed to feel white-labeled. I wanted to keep the focus on the restaurants and food experiences featured in the app.

 

Instead of competing with partner brands, Joolep’s colors provide a clean, consistent framework that allows each location’s personality to stand out. This ensures that whether a restaurant uses bold, rustic, or elegant colors in their imagery, the app remains a neutral canvas that complements their style.

Primary Palette

Off-Black

Hex: #212121

Burnt Orange

Hex: #DF7031

Seafoam

Hex: #366F82

Grey

Hex: #6B6B6B

Light-Grey

Hex: #F1F1F1

White

Hex: #FFFFFF

Typography

Joolep’s typography balances warmth and clarity—pairing bold headlines with clean, highly legible body text. This creates a strong visual hierarchy that draws attention to stories, specials, and community updates.

Logo Typeface

Abril Fatface

A display serif with high contrast and elegant curves, Abril Fatface adds personality and impact to the brand’s logo and key headlines. I chose this because it conveys a sense of craft, storytelling, and tradition, which feels perfect for a brand rooted in food culture.

Primary Typeface

Source Sans Pro

A clean, modern sans-serif chosen for its readability across digital and print mediums. Its open and balanced proportions make it ideal for communicating key information.

Secondary Typeface

(Optional Pairing)

Nunito Sans

A friendly, rounded sans-serif that softens the visual tone and works well for supporting text. Its approachable style pairs well with Source Sans Pro while adding a welcoming, community-first feel.

Marketing

Joolep’s marketing approach focuses on building community trust and driving discovery through consistent, content-driven storytelling.

App Icons

App Store Screens

Social Banners

Sparking your curiosity

Business Cards

Emerge Americas

Startup Showcase

Joolep was selected as one of the Top 100 Startups at eMerge Americas, a leading global tech conference connecting innovators, investors, and industry leaders.

 

This recognition highlighted Joolep’s potential to transform how people discover and connect with local dining experiences, and provided valuable exposure to investors, partners, and the startup community.

Selected as a

Top 100 Startup