// About
One operator. Two engagements at a time.
// Who you work with
I'm JD McCulley. Twenty-five years in design, eight at director level, at Fortune 500 and venture scale.
I've co-founded a web studio, been the first design hire at a startup that grew through Series C, and led design for a Fortune 500 retailer's app at 12M+ monthly users. Along the way I learned that the hard part is rarely the pixels. It's deciding what matters, then getting it shipped.
Ellev8 is me and a system of agents. The agents do the production. I make every call. I take two engagements at a time, so the calls stay mine.
Living in beautiful Colorado, a mile up and still climbing.
// The path here
Builder, then leader, then both.
- 2004 to 2012GreenTent Web DesignCo-founder. Eight years of brand and website work for small businesses.
- 2016 to 2022SwimlaneFirst design hire, Series A through C. Built the team and a 100+ component design system.
- 2022 to 2026Dollar General, through AgiliteeLed design for an app that grew from 5M to 12M+ monthly users, with a design team that grew to eight and ended at five, reporting to the CDO.
- 2026Ellev8Brand to software for founders, website and back-office work for businesses already running, and design leadership for product teams, with a system of agents.
// What you can count on
Results first.
You'll see what shipped and what changed. The method comes second.
I make every call.
Agents draft and check. Nothing ships until I sign off.
You own it.
Your content, photos, code, and domain are yours. I run the hosting, and a written handover is ready whenever you want to leave.
Fixed before it starts.
Scope sets the price and the weeks. No open-ended meters.
Want the full case studies?
The design leadership work from Dollar General and Swimlane is on my portfolio.