Esalen Rebrand & Website
View WorkMichael Ernst
product designer, writer & illustrator
Welcome. I am a brand & product designer, writer, and illustrator. I have spent the last 20 years building consumer software at early-stage startups, tackling a full-range of design needs, from brand identities to end-to-end flows. I was the founding designer at Yelp, as well as a handful of companies that never found product/market fit. Currently I am Staff Product Designer at the climate and reforestation startup Terraformation. These days I design with AI in the loop — prototyping flows in code with Claude to validate ideas in days, not weeks.
When I'm not drawing rectangles, I stay busy being a new dad and finding fun, grassy spots for my dog to find sticks to chew on. You can find me tediously compiling playlists or adding to my ever-growing book quota in sunny Pasadena, CA.
A shared workflow that keeps planting teams and nurseries in sync — what to plant, when, and how many seedlings to grow.
A visual refresh bringing consistency and clarity to Terraformation in Plants Dashboard, Home Screen and Accelerator Console.
A field data system for tracking tree-planting activities with photos and videos across reforestation sites.
A redesigned portal helping startup founders claim their Azure cloud credits and unlock Microsoft benefits.
A payroll product for trucking companies, simplifying driver payments for fleet managers.
A mobile app that connects homeowners to experts for help with repairs.
Michael navigated changing roadmaps and critical priorities with speed, calm, and a keen eye for detail. Beyond being a critical UX asset, he filled gaps in the PM team — driving vague requirements to clarity and aligning stakeholders without oversight. A true asset. Highly recommended.