What I’m Doing Now

*Last Updated Sept, 2024

1. I am a lead product designer at Lyra Health, designing for the member’s and accounts experience. I spend a lot of time understanding how to get people access to mental healthcare benefits provided to them by their employers. Previously I worked as a designer / strategist at Navan, USAA, ConsenSys and IBM to name a few.

2. I’ve been learning more about local SEO, Google business pages and lead generation for small businesses. I’ve built websites and maintained pages for a few local gyms and a real estate company. Through my work, I’ve been able to increase leads by almost 700% and click through traffic from the hundreds to the tens of thousands.

3. In the summer of 2023, I moved back to Chicago. I have worked remotely for majority of my career focusing on product design, design thinking, facilitation and product strategy.

4. My wife and I bought a multi-family real estate property and have learned quickly about what it means to be a landlord.

5. I’m learning how to renovate a home. I have used the family members, the public library, Youtube and The Chicago tool library as my main learning resources. I recommend this book series for anyone who’s looking to learn about wiring. Below are a few photos from our kitchen update.

Before
Demo
Framing
After (minus trim) – tile, drywall, cabinet install

6. I tried my hand at food writing and was published in Whalebone Magazine for an article on how to identify the best Chicago-land pizza shops.

7. I am a co-founder and Principal at Staircase Strategy – An innovation consulting firm.

A longer backstory

My name is Naveen, it’s nice to e-meet you. My background is in product design, brand strategy, and facilitation. I specialize in using user-centered design to solve problems.

I have helped reinvent 100+-year-old tech companies. Used design-thinking to win millions of dollars in new sales. Redefined the experience of digital home buying. Helped navigate the confusing world of emerging technologies. Started a backpack company and during a global pandemic launched a Japanese denim boutique. All of this work accomplished due to my understanding that there is a human on the receiving end of each and every decision I make.

I have spoken at conferences like Sweden’s SXSW about seemingly wild concepts. Consistently I explain things in cooking metaphors and occasionally I sing. Above all, I believe my life’s purpose is to seek out and help solve the problems of yesteryear, today and the future.

If you are looking to hire a someone to fix a digital headache, drink a coffee with, or just need someone to talk to, please reach out. I’m open to external projects that work with people who have good ideas and a track record of executing. If that is you, shoot me a message at hi@naveensraja.com.

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